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video game reviews

Why You Should Try Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hell Now

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hell 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.

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What is Juntunnslayer: Hordes of Hell?

Juntunnslayer is a roguelike bullet hell out now on Steam early access. There is also a demo available that you need to try out.

The hordes of hell have broken loose, and it is up to you to save the realm. Prove your worth as you fend off endless waves of enemies with your fighting prowess, and earn the blessings from the Gods that will carry you to victory. Do you have what it takes to keep the hordes of hell at bay?

Gameplay

All players load into a central hub where they can choose a load out and buy upgrades. Players can chose from a few available classes, but can unlock new perks, buffs, maps, and characters by completing challenges in game. Each map has unique objectives that must be cleared within the time limit, and any currency earned throughout a run can be used to upgrade a desired character. Players repeat this loop, slowly unlocking new challenges, difficulties, and maps to keep things fresh.

Combat can be as casual. Players have the options to allow the game to perform the various attacks automatically on a cool down, but there are settings that give players control over the aim and timing if they prefer a more hands-on experience. How good this system is really depends on a players preference. I loved the casual experience of auto casting while I maneuvered around the hordes of enemies.

During a level, players must complete quests to eventually summon the Jotunn before the timer runs out. During the run, players will unlock random buffs and abilities from either their class or different gods. The RNG is pretty fair, and each god and class has interesting and unique flavor.

Review

Juntunnslayer may still be in Early Access, but I recommend it to anyone looking for a cool new casual game to add to their collection. I love the viking aesthetic, and the attention to detail that went into the flavor and world building. Each class and god feels unique, and I had a lot of fun exploring every single combination the RNG presented me. The RNG in this game is fair. I never felt like a run was ruined because I didn’t have access to the right power-up and abilities, and I never got a load-out I didn’t like.

The game can feel a bit repetitive, but the game has enough unlockable content to earn its $8 price tag. Unlocking a new map, difficulty, or character gives players goals and creates a little variance. I like feeling more powerful as I unlock new nodes on a skill tree. I like trying out a new character and exploring different builds. And I love that I can explore different regions and earn harder difficulties. There are enough unlockables to keep the completion happy, and enough content for the casual who just want to play a fun game.

If you’re looking for a new game, pick up Jutunnnslayer: Hordes of Hell. This game is fun, looks great, runs well, and is Steam Deck compatible. You can pick it up on Steam for $9.99, but there is a free demo available if you don’t believe me.

video game reviews

Call of Sentinels Failed to Leave Much of an Impression

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

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What is Call of Sentinels?

You are a champion of the gods, chosen to bring down the foes who threaten peace in the land. With your skill and the blessing of the sentinels, you will repel the endless waves of monsters and their bosses, or die trying. But this won’t be an easy task. You’ll have to be quick, cunning, and strong. Do you have what it takes?

Gameplay

Players start each run with a basic and strong attack as they face off against endless waves of enemies. Waves start easy but increase in difficulty over time.

Throughout the run, the sentinels will drop random quests for the player to complete. Completing a quest allows players to choose a blessing. Blessings are passive thematic power-ups for a player’s character. What sentinel decides to bless the player, the type of quest offered by the sentinel, and the blessings available to the player are all randomly generated. Bad RNG will ruin a run, and it is frustrating.

Between runs, players can use coins they earn to buy items to boost their character’s stats. This seems to give players the option to build a character to fit their playstyle, but it also feels like there is a correct build path to follow. The main loop for Call of Sentinel seems to be grinding out waves of enemies, hoping the run is blessed with good RNG, buying power-ups, and repeating until you beat the story or beat the high score.

The game offers two game modes in this game: story and an endless mode. The story isn’t interesting enough to hook a player, and the grind is too steep to make endless worth it.

Review

Call of Sentinels did little to leave a meaningful impression. It isn’t a bad game, but it leaves a lot to be desired. One issue I have with the game is that combat and movement feel clunky. It almost feels unfinished, which normally wouldn’t be a problem if the game was more interesting.

I like the idea of the gods giving a player random buffs, and often a choice on what god they want to curry favor with, but the RNG doesn’t seem fair. There are blessings in this game that are worthless, and it sucks to find out after the fact. The missions often put players in situations where they have to take damage, and getting a worthless blessing ruins the game. Maybe these blessings get better after a few upgrades, but upgrades are never guaranteed.

To make matters worse, some of the quests are bugged and are difficult to finish properly. When a quest isn’t completed properly, players get fewer blessings to choose from. If a player gets a worthless boon, it is essentially game over.

My biggest issue with the game’s unnecessary grind. Buying the items you need to progress the story or do well in Endless is going to take more time than it is worth. In between runs, players can buy items with coins they earn during a run. These items grant permanent passive stat boosts and can be upgraded. To upgrade an item, players have to buy materials and pay for the upgrade.

From a flavor perspective, this is an interesting system. It is cool to think about forging a powerful ring of attack with a rare magic stone. The problem is the execution. Why make me convert gold into materials when I can just buy the upgrade with money? It turns the game into a needless grind, and the gameplay is too boring for the grind to be worth it.

Call of Sentinels isn’t a bad game. The art is fine, and the concept is interesting, but the execution is lacking. There isn’t a real reason to play this game, especially when you have better options.

You can pick up Call of Sentinels on Steam for $7.99.

video game reviews

Bang Bang Barrage Might Be the Most fun Couch Co-op

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I was sent the Bang Bang Barrage demo to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will be honest with my coverage. Since the game isn’t finished yet, this will be my initial impression. I can’t wait to see the finished product.

What is Bang Bang Barage?

You find yourself in the middle of the ocean with Cuthulu and his minions hot on your tail. Team up with your friends or fair it alone as you blast through endless waves of enemies. Do you have what it takes to survive the onslaught, or will the sea prove too mighty?

Gameplay

Players will start each run on a boat with a basic weapon. There seems to be a good amount of loadout customization, but the demo only gives access to the basic handgun. In typical bullet hell roguelike fashion, players must fend off against swarms of enemies using their weapons. Players will occasionally get the chance to buy upgrades during their run. The upgrades that fill the shop are randomly generated, but I felt like the RNG was fair.

What makes this game unique is its movement mechanic. Movement Bang Bang Barrage uses recoil-driven navigation. When a player shoots her weapon, the boat they stand on moves the opposite way. The only way to move a character is to shoot in the opposite direction of where the character needs to go. When there are hoards of enemies swarming towards a player and other players fighting them off, things get crazy pretty quickly.

A run ends when a player runs out of health.

Impressions

Bang Bang Barrage is the cutest bullet hell roguelike you’re going to get to play. I am a huge fan of the cute simple art and flavor.

While the game does offer a valid single-player experience, you’re going to want to play with your friends. When the waves get going and everyone is shooting in all directions, things are going to get crazy. The fact that it allows couch co-op and PVP is a huge plus.

If you’re looking for a cute and fun party game to play with your friends, you’re going to want to look into Bang Bang Barrage. If you’re just looking for a fun casual game, you’re going to want to do the same. I can’t wait to see more of this game because the demo has me hooked.

The public playtest is up on Steam, so make sure you sign up if you haven’t done so. You won’t regret it. If you missed the playtest, make sure you add the Bang Bang Barrage to your wishlist so you’re ready for the next one!

video game reviews

Lose all Sense of Time With Deceptively Addicting STARNAUT

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I was sent a free copy of STARNAUT 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. If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials. 

What is STARNAUT

STARNAUT is a unique action roguelike out now on Steam early access. Starnaut travels the multiverse in search of Omega rockets full of memories in the hopes of resurrecting a dead earth. Before their demise, the people of Earth sent off rockets full of their memories in hopes they would find salvation. How many memories can you collect? Will you be Earth’s salvation?

Gameplay

Take control of a STARNAUT you upgrade as you fight off endless waves of enemies, explore trippy environments, and collect Omega ships. The game starts slow as the player fights off manageable waves of enemies. Weapons in this game auto-attack. You can punch and shoot enemies, but I prefer playing it like your typical top-down bullet hell. The longer you play a level, the harder it becomes. Plan accordingly! 

Players earn coins by killing enemies or breaking gotcha pon capsules and use these coins to buy powerups. The powerups matter, so buy carefully. I never felt like I needed a guide, but the game rewards careful planning. By the time you get to the end of a level, or die, its going to be longer than you expected. 

Impressions

I almost gave up on STARNAUT, but I am glad I didn’t. STARNAUT has a very slow start, but I urge people to power through. Once this game gets going, it’s hard to put it down. I lost all sense of time as I theorized my build and fought like hell to stay alive. 

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the artwork going into this game. The game feels like a random collection of assets swarming toward your little Starnaut, but it slowly grew on me. The rough mismatched aesthetic gives the game its charm and flavor. By the end of my session, the chaos, the music, and the action all came together into a beautiful experience I couldn’t put down. STARNAUT is a good time worth every penny. If you’re looking for a game that isn’t a huge commitment but will challenge you, get STARNAUT. I know it is still in early access, but the game needs more love and support. 

You can pick up your copy of STARNAUT on Steam for only $7.99. 

video game reviews

Why You Should be Playing Minishoot’ Adventures

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I was sent a free copy of Minishoot’ Adventures 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. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials. I am currently doing pack openings of Battle Spirits Saga on my YouTube and TikTok. 

What is Minishoot’ Adventures

Minishoot’ Adventures is a twin-stick bullet hell Metroidvania. Players take control of an adorable spaceship as it adventures over a strange land, fighting enemies, and unlocking power-ups. A strange new enemy has risen from the darkness and trapped everyone you know in a corrupted crystal. Will you be enough to save them? 

Gameplay

Minishoot’ isn’t your typical top-down bullet hell shooter. Instead of fending off waves of enemies in a limited arena space, players fly their ship over creative and well-designed maps. It feels like a retro Zelda game with a unique bullet hell spirit that makes it the perfect casual gaming experience.

Players start with a simple ship that they upgrade over time by fighting different enemies. The game offers players a decent-sized skill tree, and the freedom to upgrade their ship for a customized play experience. Dying resets the ship at checkpoints, but players don’t lose their progress. This is nice for casual gamers and those who don’t have too much time for gaming.

Despite the casual feel of the game, the enemy design in Minishoot’ Adventures offers enough of a challenge to keep things engaging. Combat bundles with the game upgrade system give the game enough depth to set it apart from other similar titles. Most importantly, the game runs smoothly and looks great. You won’t die needlessly to glitches or bugs.  

Impressions

I love Minishoot’ Adventures. It features an adorable art style I can get behind, a solid soundscape, and fun gameplay. It is such a cool and unique blend of genres, and its execution is perfect. If you’re looking for a fun and casual adventure game, Minishoot’ is a perfect solution. I love the casual vibe that it captures, but it always provides enough of a challenge to get me thinking. Trying to find the proper combination to beat certain bosses was fun, but it all comes down to how good you are at kitting. I don’t think you’ll need a guide to beat this game unless your goal is to minimize your ship. I enjoy building the ship to my taste, even if the build is wrong. Whatever gets you to the credits is fine by me. 

Minishoot’ Adventures is a cute, fun title that isn’t a huge commitment. Even if you aren’t looking for something this casual, Minishoot’ Adventures should be in your library. You can pick it up on Steam for $14.99, and there’s a demo available if you don’t believe me. The demo save carries over if you end up liking it.  

video game reviews

Extremely Powerful Capybaras: At least it’s cute

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I was sent Extremely Powerful Capybaras for free 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 comment, like, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

Extremely Powerful Capybaras is a cute bullet hell roguelike available now on Steam. Players can team up with friends or brave it alone as they defend their village from endless hordes of monsters. Do you have what it takes to become the most powerful capybara on the island?

Players choose from four classes of capybara before queuing up to survive against the horde. Each capybara has a unique weapon to start with. As players level through combat, they unlock access to other weapons and upgrades. The weapons and upgrades are RNG-reliant, but the RNG is fair. The classes did feel unbalanced, but later upgrades helped mitigate that a bit. 

Unfortunately, Extremely Powerful Capybaras aren’t fun. The game runs great and looks adorable, but the gameplay feels slow, even in the crazier stages. I appreciate how much work went into the flavor and creativity of the weapons and upgrades, but they were often more work than they were worth. Maybe the game is better in multiplayer, but even then, there are better party games.

Extremely Powerful Capybaras is cute with some terrific flavor, but it isn’t fun enough to recommend. If you are looking for a bullet hell roguelike, Brotato does it better for cheaper. Otherwise, you can pick up Extremely Powerful Capybaras on Steam for $5.99.

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.

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The Cowboy 3030 demo offers a solid glimpse of a neat little rogue-lite coming to PC

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I got to try the Cowboy 3030 demo, which will be featured in the Steam Next Fest. The Steam Next Fest is a multi-day event where gamers can try new games, chat with devs, and learn about upcoming releases. The Event runs from October 9th to the 16th, so make sure you tune in. 

Cowboy 3030 is a rogue-lite Wild West-themed shooter set in the future. Choose your cowboy and fight your way through the endless waves of goons from the evil Nebularos gang. 

The demo lets players choose between two cowboys: Calix and Keri. Calix is fantastic at short-range combat with his revolvers, electric lasso, and flash grenade. Kari is your girl for long-range combat with her arsenal of riffles, access to a defensive electro screen, and an exploding bowling bomb. Both have distinct playstyles, and the game has a unique skill tree that ensures each run feels different. 

Players will start their runs by choosing a loadout. As you play, you will unlock new weapons and characters to help you hone in on a playstyle that works best for you. The goal is to clear as many of the procedurally generated levels without dying. Throughout each run, you level up your tree and collect money to buy upgrades. The tree is a large grid that gives players the freedom to build their character to their liking. The tree is randomly generated, but I never felt like the RNG ruined any of my runs. 

Cowboy 3030 has a solid demo. The game looks great and runs well, the mechanics are fun, and players get a nice taste of what is to come. Obviously, there isn’t enough content to judge it too harshly, but I enjoyed the demo enough to recommend it. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the Steam Next Fest catalog, Cowboy 3030 is a solid place to start. It is a nice relaxing rogue-lite that will keep you entertained for a couple of hours. The game is planned to be released during Q1 of 2024, but you can try the demo out today!

video game reviews

Brotato: The cutest arena shooter you’ll obsess over

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I was sent Brotato as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will keep my review honest.

Brotato is a top-down arena shooter available now on Steam. Play as a potato and survive endless hordes of aliens. This game has no story. You choose a potato and do your best to survive.

The mechanics are simple, move the potato around the arena, and your potato does the rest. You start each round by choosing a potato. Each potato has unique skills and traits that affect the gameplay. Usually, they’ll have a boost in a stat at the cost of another and some kind of gimmick. You unlock additional potatoes by playing the game and unlocking achievements.

As you kill aliens, you pick up XP to level up your character and currency to buy upgrades. At the end of each round, you chose an upgrade for every level you gain and buy items or weapons from a shop. The upgrades and items you choose from are random. While some of my runs were easier than others, I felt the RNG was fair.

The character auto-attacks, so you only have to worry about the movement. I preferred using a controller, but do whatever is comfortable. Where this game gets complicated is in the choices you make for upgrades. These choices affect how strong your potato gets, so choose wisely. Often, you will have to choose between picking up the resources you need to get stronger or simply surviving the round. As simple as this game looks, it can get pretty technical. 

I loved Brotato! The art is cute, the music is great, and the gameplay is fun. It was hard to put this game down because the more I played, the more I obsessed with my strategy. This is a great casual game to pick up because it is engaging enough to keep your attention, and you can return to it without having to remember anything. Brotato is $4.99 on Steam, but it is on sale for $3.99 until June 30. Grab your copy today! The game has been announced to for the Switch, but no date has been set.