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video game reviews

Ink Inside Review: A Whimsical Adventure Awaits

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Ink Inside 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

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Table of Contents

What is Ink Inside?

Ink Inside is a unique dogball beat-em-up out now on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch. There is a Steam demo available, and the saves transfer to the full game. This is only the first part of a story that was meant to be a cartoon, and I can’t wait for the rest to be released.

Hook

Stick is an unfinished doodle that wakes up in a strange and whismical world full of drawings. But danger looms as the Sog warps the world and currupts its inhabitants. Those affected by the Sog turn into mindless monsters that attack the once peacful world. Forces have risen to fight against the Sog, but its spread doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Fortunately, Stick has the power to fight against the Sog. Will his power be enough to rid the world of the Sog and bring everything back to normal? Will he regain his memories? What will his journey uncover?

Gameplay

Players take control of Stick and friends and fight against Sogged doodles in epic dodgeball combat. Players can equip different cores and items that give characters unique abilities. Balls (cores) can be bounced off objects and walls, which becomes useful as the stages becomes more complex. The game offers players a good amount of customization for an almost unlimited amount of of playstyles. Earn enough cool points to fill the bar and the rules can be broken and players can cross into the enemy’s side for more damage.

Ink Inside would not be an RPG without healing. Players can heal at anytime if they have enough cool points to spend. During healing, players can also chat with their NPC friends for some added flavor. Items in game can help mitigate damage by blocking projectiles, giving players health, or giving them an extra jump. While the game is full of whismy and mayhem, it offers enough challenge to keep players on their toes.

Does it work on the Steam Deck?

Ink Inside is a solid addition to your Steam Deck library. The game works very well, with a resolution that makes everything easy to see. I am old and appreciate when I don’t have to squint to read the text or see what is going on. The game runs well for the most part, but I did notice some frame drops and weird stutters. The game never crashed though. Ultimately, this game on handheld feels very good. Whether it is for the sense of nostolgia or the fact that I don’t have to sit at my desk all day, Ink Inside just feels right on the Steam Deck.

Review

Honestly, Ink Inside is the quirky little cartoon game that I didn’t know I needed. It has an adorably cozy aesthetic, a solid story, and fun gameplay. If you are a cartoon network kid or just want a little whimsy in your life, go pick up Ink Inside today.

Aesthetic

I was first drawn to Ink Inside because of the art. The art direction in this game is fantastic, and I urge everyone to check this game out for its unique style of story telling. I love the blend of styles of both the characters and doodles and the FMV cut scenes. I read that game was meant to be an actual show and based on the visuals alone, I would watch it. Ink Inside has one of the coolest whimsical worlds that made exploration delightful, a soundtrack that never failed to set the mood, and amazing voice actors to keep me invested in the story. If you want to relive the feeling of waking up early for Saturday morning cartoons, this game needs to be in your library.

Story

The only thing I don’t like about the story is that I have to wait for DLC to finish it. Luckily, the game seems to be reasonably priced, and the story is enough to hook me to the world. I read that the game was originally planned to be a cartoon for Nickelodeon, and I really it to be made. The story is fantastic full of good humor, memorable and lovable characters, and a story that will have you wanting more. I love the creative story telling as well as the transitions between the doodle world and the real world. This feels like the cartoons I grew up with in both tone, style and flavor and I believe it is exactly what you need. You just don’t know you need it yet.

Gameplay

Ink Inside has some of the most unique and quirky games. You can definitely feel the Cartoon Network game influence, but that isn’t a bad thing. I was not ready to fall in love with dodgeball, but here I am trying to perfect my build for my next encounter. The game is very deep despite its cartoonish shell. The items you equip constantly change up the playstyle. I was a little confused on how gearing works. The game does a good job at explaining how it works, but in practice, I found it a little overwhelming. This is clearly a skill issue and I was eventually able to brute force into a build that worked for my playstyle. The game offers good incentives for exploration and side questing, encourages changing builds for maximum effect, and has a good ammount of story to keep players invested. If you want a fun cozy game, get Ink Inside.

Combat

I want to split combat into its own section because of how unique it is. The dodgeball mechanics are well done, and the game does fantastic job at keeping encounters fresh. I like how much items like cores change up the flow of combat whether you are using balls that do more damage or ones that recharge more regularly. The flavor that goes into making each ability feel unique like the music abilities that heal or the different shields that repel items give this game its unforgettable flare. I love how unique the enemies becomes and how they force players to change up their strategy. Some enemies need to be meleed others need to be beat with a ball. When I felt like I mastered the game, it would add obstacles and hazards to play around to make combat feel my dynamic. My only complaint is that I wish I had a friend to do some co-op with because this is the perfect buddy game.

Conclusion

If you still need convincing, check out the Ink Inside demo on Steam. This is easily one of my favorite games of the year because of how much fun the game is. I love the game’s art, the story that goes behind it, and the mechanics that got me addicted. It is the cozy game that I didn’t know I needed, especially since I don’t really need another farm sim in my collection.

You can pick up Ink Inside on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch

Trailer

video game reviews

The Dungeons of Hinterberg Demo was fine, but it’s not for me

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I sat down to try Dungeons of Hinterberg because I liked the art style. The game features a fun and quirky style that I find soothing. I was also impressed by the bit of gameplay that I saw. While I did appreciate a few of the game’s quirks and gimmicks, the demo didn’t leave me wanting more. In its current iteration, you simply have better options. 

What is the Dungeons of Hinterberg?

Dungeons of Hinterberg is a puzzle dungeon crawler coming to PC and Xbox.

Hunterberg is a popular vacation spot. Its beautiful landscape and perilous dungeons attract brave adventurers from around the globe and provide a meaningful escape from their boring 9-5s. Play as Luisa as she makes her pilgrimage. Can she conquer the dungeons before the end of her holiday?

Impressions

Dungeons of Hinterberg isn’t a bad game. The art style is cool, the music is fine, and the game works. The problem I have with the game is that there are simply better options. As a puzzle game, it isn’t very fun. The puzzles are fine, but they felt like busy work for the most part. Combat in this game felt fine until the novelty wore off and it got stale. It feels like a phone game that got ported onto PC, which isn’t a bad thing, but again, you have better options. My biggest issue is that the tutorial took too long. By the time the game built its momentum, I had already lost interest in the game. 

I know it isn’t fair to judge a game by its demo, but the demo should at least make me want to play more. The Demo is up on Steam, but you have better options. 

Dungeons of Hinterberg releases on July 18 on Steam and Xbox. It will come to day one of game pass, I recommend you wait for that instead.

video game reviews

The Colorful Retro Side Scroller PopSlinger is a Solid Good Time

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I was sent PopSlinger 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 of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is PopSlinger

PopSlinger is a retro style shoot ’em up side scroller out now for Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC. I got to play the Xbox version. You are a magical girl on a quest so save the world with your magic soda-pop powers. Fight your way through sinister invaders in a colorful and vibrant adventure. Do you have what it takes to get save the world and get the high score?

Gameplay

The game is a simple and colorful 2D shooter. You move through a mob-infested city and clear the world of its invaders. What gives the game its complexity is its combo system. The game rewards players for shooting four creatures of the same color by granting them temporary power-ups.
Players can get a shield, a double shot, or summon Gin to shoot at enemies randomly. Shooting eight of the same color grants players a heal, but healing comes with a point penalty.

Unless you’re trying to earn the highest scores and perfect rank, powerups are useless. Gin would often break my combo, and the other powerups didn’t affect the gameplay enough to be worth the trouble. I stopped chasing combos pretty early on, but I also got the worst scores in the game. You should play the game as intended.

Thoughts

I enjoyed PopSlinger a lot more than I thought I would. It has a loud colorful aesthetic, a fun quirky story, a fantastic soundtrack, a solid cast of voice actors, and a fun gameplay loop. 

I am a huge fan of the game’s colorful retro vibe. It is a clear nostalgic callback, and I am here for it. It has a cute and fun art style that makes it impossible to hate the game. The story isn’t filled with expansive lore, but it is fun and quirky. I loved the tone, and its cast of voice actors made listening to the cutscenes enjoyable. 

The gameplay loop is incredibly relaxing and fun. Despite how cute the game looks, there was enough of a challenge to keep me engaged. Enemies had a decent variety, and boss fights were creative and challenging. I definitely wasn’t good enough to keep the combos alive or get close to a high score, but I had a lot of fun playing through the chill side-scroller this game became. 

The game does get repetitive after a while, and trying for the combos can feel tedious after a while. This isn’t a game I could play until completion, but it is a game I’ll be returning to from time to time for its cozy change of pace and fun aesthetic. 

If you are a fan of retro arcade side scroller, PopSlinger is a solid title to add to your collection. It is a cute, fun, and relaxing time with options to make it more competitive. You can pick up your copy of PopSlinger for Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC for $14.99.

Series Reviews

Pokémon Horizons: The Series Premiers on Netflix February 2024

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Pokémon Horizons: The Series will be available to stream on Netflix on February 23rd, right in time for Pokémon Day. While I am sad that the series will no longer follow Ash and Pikachu, I am excited about what direction the new series takes. The series will Liko and Roy as they brave new Horizons in the first new anime series in 25 years.

The Official Synopsis:

A new adventure is beginning within the wide world of Pokémon! Arriving at Indigo Academy, a girl named Liko receives her first partner Pokémon, Sprigatito. But she soon finds herself pursued by the Explorers, a mysterious group that’s determined to take the pendant necklace she wears. Liko isn’t on her own, though, as Friede, Captain Pikachu, and the other Rising Volt Tacklers offer her protection aboard their airship. Meanwhile, a boy named Roy dreams of becoming a Pokémon Trainer, unaware of the secret hiding within the Ancient Poké Ball he carries. As Liko, Roy, and the Rising Volt Tacklers set sail for new horizons, what kind of discoveries await?

Sneak Peak

A sneak peek of the first episode is up on the official YouTube, and I recommend you check it out if you can’t wait till February. 

I wasn’t going to watch this series, but I just love the animation and character design to let it pass me by. Pokémon has never been a genre-defining anime, but it has always been a comforting one. For an anime that is designed to sell toys to kids, I can’t deny that it has its moments. I am sure this series will be just as cheesy and silly as the rest, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Whether you throw it on as background noise or sit down to watch it with your kids, this is looking like an adventure you aren’t going to want to miss. 

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.

Board Games and TCGs, digimon tcg

Digimon Adventure 02 Collector’s Set Drops on Premium Bandai

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Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning will be hitting U.S. Theaters on November 8 and 9. To celebrate its release, Premium Bandai has opened up preorders for a very unique collector’s set for the Digimon TCG. The set costs $80, which is a bit on the expensive side, but well worth it if you are a fan of Adventure 2. 

And if you are a fan of Adventure 2, Toei Animation has uploaded the entire series on their YouTube!

If you’ve been enjoying these updates, please make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. If you need to pick up any product that isn’t Premium Bandai, like the new Resurgence Booster set, pick it up at TCG Player using my affiliate link!

The set includes:

I love the Digitama sleeves. They are so cute. I am not too crazy about this kit myself, but I can see fans of the movie or people who want to make their Imperialdramon deck pretty getting this. I just hope the storage box looks better in person. The Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning Set costs $80. Preorders end on November 27, or when supplies run out. The set ships in June.

  • 30 Digimon cards (15 unique cards x 2 each)
  • 50 Imperialdramon: Dragon Mode Sleves
  • 5 Special Digitama Sleaves
  • 1 Rubber PLaymat
  • 1 Storage Box

Digimon

Trainers

Sleeves

Playmat

Storage Box

video game reviews

Fabledom is the adorably wholesome village builder you should be playing

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I was sent Fabledom as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, this will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.

Fabledom is an adorable city builder available on Steam. The game is in early access, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. It’s also got a healthy roadmap, and I am sure the game will get better. If you are looking to get into the genre, or simply looking for a new title to get into, Fabledom is a fantastic place to start.

Players start with a small population of peasants, limited resources, and an easy-to-follow tutorial. As your village grows, you unlock new mechanics. Fabledom lets players practice diplomacy with neighboring kingdoms, raise renowned heroes and armies, and find their true love.

Don’t let the adorable fairytale facade fool you. You’ll need to be tactical about how you grow your village. While I never hit the point where my village failed, I did hit bottlenecks in my progress that stemmed from my mistakes. I am sure there are guides designed to play Fabledom optimally, but I like learning from my failures. I always recommend going into these games as blindly as possible. It’s more fun that way. 

I am obsessed with this game. The gameplay is relaxing yet engaging, the art style is cute, and the music is such a vibe. This is one of those games you need to try at least once, especially if you are curious about the genre. You can pick up Fabledom on Steam for $11.99 (normally $15.99) until October 30th. It’s worth it at either price! 

Series Reviews

High Score Girl is one of the cutest animes I’ve watched on Netflix

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If you have been enjoying my content and want to support what I do make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends. You can also buy me a coffee

High Score Girl is an adorable anime you should be watching if you have a Netflix subscription. It has a great protagonist and a cute romantic story, and it will make you feel a series of emotions you aren’t ready for. At the very least, this series should be on your watch list.

Hasuo is a hardcore gamer with a one-track mind. He obsesses over video games and spends all his time and money playing them. Ono is a quiet girl who comes into his life as the first challenger to beat him at a fighting game. From that moment, Hasuo makes it his goal to beat her. He spends the following years perfecting his technique to prove he is the better gamer. But what draws Hasuo to Ono isn’t a simple rivalry, it is something much deeper. Will Hasuo ever come to terms with his true feelings, or will they be lost in the chaotic sounds of the arcade?

What I like most about this series is Hasuo as the main character. He is a bit clueless, and that cluelessness can be frustrating at times, but it is a flaw that he works on actively to fix. By the end of the series, Hasuo isn’t the same clueless kid obsessed with gaming, and it is a delight to watch him grow to that point. I don’t want to overshare because I don’t want to ruin the experience, but it’s a very cute love story and I am ready to watch it again. 

The cast is full of fun and colorful characters with terrific voice actors who help Hasuo on his journey. I loved watching how his relationship with the people around him evolved the older he got. Watching the impact others make on Hosuo and vice versa makes this anime incredibly charming. 

I loved how video games are used to emphasize emotions and important moments in Hasuo’s journey. Hasuo understands the world through the lens of video games, and it is interesting how the story meshes the video game world with important character moments. As he grows, his relationship with video games changes, and it is interesting to see how that affects this view of the world. The tone of the series is a little over the top for a slice-of-life anime, but I believe it does a wonderful job of emulating the loud and colorful vibe of a classic arcade. 

One thing to note before watching is that High Score Girl makes a lot of references to classic-era gaming. You don’t need to know anything about gaming to understand the story, but you’ll appreciate the references if you do. The series will often stop to explain important references, so you shouldn’t feel lost. Aside from being a cute love story, High Score Girl is a proper love letter to an era of gaming that is slowly disappearing. 

High Score Girl is a fantastic anime to throw on if you want something comforting and cute to watch. The animation may be a bit wonky, but it gives the series its charm. It has great characters, fantastic voice actors, and the cutest story you’ll ever sit through. Go stream it now on Netflix, but make sure you grab something to cry into when you do. 

Series Reviews

Praise Petey is the forgettable cartoon that you should be skipping

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I just watched Praise Petey, and am struggling to remember what it was about. This unimpressive animated series fails to leave an impression and entertain its audience. This is a boring series that you are better off skipping.

Petey is a New York girl living her best life. She has a plain fiancé, an amazing best friend, and her dream job. Petey finds her life in shambles when her apartment burns down, her fiancé cheats on her with her best friend, and she gets fired. With nothing to hold her in New York, she moves to a sleepy country town that her estranged father ran in secret. But this is no ordinary town. It is a cult, and Petey is now their leader. What will Petey do with her new power?

Praise Petey isn’t the worst adult animated series I’ve seen, but it isn’t worth watching either. The jokes aren’t funny, the story is boring, and the commentary it makes is lazy. Praise Petey attempts to redefine traditional female comedy by poking fun at the motifs associated with strong comedic female characters. The problem with this series is that it tries too hard to be raunchy, quirky, gross, and metacritical that it lacks focus. The series jumps quickly between jokes and gags hoping one lands, but they rarely do. Instead of redefining the genre, it does what other shows have done before, but not as well.

Praise Petey is a boring waste of time. You can watch it on Hulu, but you’re going to forget you did. Go watch anything else.