I was sent Super Meat Boy Forever as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity, but this will be my honest review.
Super Meatboy Forever brings the infamously difficult platformer to Android and IOS. DR. Fetus has stolen the meat baby Nugget, and it is up to Meat Boy and Bandage Girl to get him back. But can they survive the deadly traps that wait for them?
I’ve only ever played the unreleased Dr. Fetus’ Mean Machine, so I can’t speak on how it compares with the original platformer. I have never been a fan of platformers, so I’ll admit that I was hesitant to start this title. I quickly learned that as frustrated as this game made me, I couldn’t put it down.
In classic Meat Boy fashion, this game is hard. You will die a lot, but the sense of accomplishment when you finally complete a level remains unrivaled. There were moments when I couldn’t put it down because I just needed to beat the level.
Super Meatboy Forever plays like the Super Mario Run mobile game, but I would argue it is more fun. The characters run automatically, and you tap either side to jump or complete other actions. When you die, you restart at a checkpoint. This game is generous with checkpoints, so you won’t need to replay too much of a level when you die. To clear a world, you must complete a set number of stages before facing off against the world’s boss. Boss fights are creative, but you might break a few phones trying to clear them. This game also has challenges, a leaderboard, and collectibles to help motivate players further.
Super Meat Boy Forever is the cutest platformer to make you angry. I loved this game despite my aversion to platformers. The gameplay loop is addicting, the art is great, the music is fantastic, and the story is adorably dark. If you are looking for a fun phone game and don’t mind the challenge, you need to buy this game. You can pick up Super Meat Boy Forever for $0.99 on Android or IOS, and for that price, it’s worth it.
Unveiling Dragonbane: A Swedish RPG Gem with Stunning Art
I’ve been playing Dungeons and Dragons for a couple of years as a player and a DM and have enjoyed every minute. I have made some great new friends, and I look forward to hanging out with them every week. That said, there have been times in my D&D career when burnout has gotten to me. This burnout has made me curious about other systems. Sometimes just I want to live in a new system for a session or three to keep things fresh. Over the years, I’ve researched a few systems to sprinkle into our sessions. This time, my search brought me to the classic Swedish RPG Dragonbane.
What first drew me to this system was the beautiful art style. If nothing else, you need to look up this system to appreciate the artwork. The system looks simple enough to pick up quickly, and it has an interesting parry/dodge mechanic that could make combat more interesting.
If you want to play Dragonbane, there is a free QuickStart guide you can download with the basic rules and even a short adventure you can run. You will not have to enter any payment information if you order it through the site, but the delivery does take a couple of minutes to get to you. I suggest you get a copy directly from Drivethrough RPG instead.
You can preorder the core set from the official site for $53.93. For this price, you’ll receive a copy of the rule book, an adventure book with 11 adventures, a set of dice, five pre-generated character sheets, five blank character sheets, a double-sided map, custom treasure cards, and cardboard standees for characters and monsters. People who preorder will also get immediate access to the PDF of the rulebook, so you can start playing immediately. The core set has everything you need to get you hooked for a very reasonable price. You can convert the pricing on the store page to your local currency but not the cart. A quick Google search should remedy this. They do ship to the US, but I am not sure about anywhere else. The shipping cost was reasonable if I did the conversion correctly.
Dragonbane looks to be a solid system if you are looking to get into a new TTRPG. I will be trying to get my players to join me on this adventure, will you be doing the same?
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Game Review: Liberte
I got to play Liberte at GDC this year and liked it enough to try to review it for my site. I was lucky enough to have been given a review code for this game, but this will be my honest review.
Liberte is an ARPG with a unique deck-building mechanic. Instead of finding gear and customizing a skill tree, you play with a deck of cards that give your character weapons, items, and talents.
A revolution has broken out in France, and Rene finds himself in the middle. You must navigate between the four factions, choosing sides and fighting the good fight. But there is something strange behind the revolution. A mysterious plant has sprung up, turning people into monsters. Will you be able to solve the mystery, or will this be the fall of humanity?
I liked the story, but I will keep it vague to not ruin the surprise. You can figure everything out early, but I want to avoid spoilers. I love the flavor of the lore and how the game gives you choices. You choose the factions you help out during your missions, but this only affects the flavor of enemies you fight against and the rewards you unlock. I suggest you pick whatever you think is coolest since it doesn’t affect the story.
There are four factions in Liberte: the rebels, the crown, the church, and the Tribe. Each faction has a hero you can play with and unique cards you can unlock. My issue with this mechanic is that it takes a long time to unlock all the heroes. While it may be good to allow players to live with characters for a bit, I would prefer that I could choose the class from the start. There are a total of 5 classes to choose from, but I imagined Anna because she fits my playstyle the best. The character you choose only affects gameplay. You will always be Rene for the cutscenes.
Combat is what I liked most about this game. The RNG made it so I was constantly having to change my playstyle to adapt to whatever cards I pulled. This gave the game its wavering difficulty. I had the most fun on the harder playthroughs where I wasn’t pulling the cards I needed because of how safe I had to play it. The dodge and parry mechanic felt fantastic, and the kiting was very satisfying. Liberte controller support, but I preferred the accuracy I got with the keyboard and mouse.
There is an undeniable clunkiness to this game. Some hitboxes are too small, and my abilities wouldn’t go off. It isn’t so bad that the game is unplayable, but it is hard to ignore. If you run multiple monitors, you can click out of the game. This will minimize the screen without pausing it. Most of the time I was able to get back in time without dying, but not always. Dying means you have to start leveling your character all over, but you don’t lose your progress in the story. Make sure you make an offering at the altar before starting a new run for a nice little boost.
The grind for this game is the barrier to entry. To unlock new cards, you need to find blueprints, complete faction reward tracks, and farm for materials. When you get blueprints for the cards you need, you will find that you don’t have enough materials. You can increase the difficulty of each run to have better drop rates, but it will take you longer to get through the story. This wouldn’t be a problem if you weren’t constantly running through the same missions on the same maps. I found comfort in the reputation and felt the RNG did enough to keep the playthroughs fresh, but different maps and quests would have been better. The game does have a story difficulty that makes things a lot quicker. You get access to a full deck, and it is harder to die. I still found I needed to try during combat, but there isn’t as much risk involved. I suggest you try this mode if you don’t have enough time for the grind, but still want to enjoy the story.
The game is still in early access, and I find it unfair to complain about the bugs and performance. There are bugs, but the game is playable. The devs are working hard to make the game better. The launch date has been moved to May, but no specific date has been announced. It does need some polish, but the story and experience are solid. If you don’t mind the early access nature and the grind, I recommend you go pick up your copy. The aesthetic is fantastic, the flavor for the story and lore is nice and dark, and the gameplay is a lot of fun. You can grab your copy on Steam, or Wishlist it so you are ready for the full release. The game is $19.99, but on sale for $14.99 at the time of writing this.
The Libary of Babel
The Library of Babel just released on PC and all consoles, and it might be worth looking into if you like stealth platformers. The Library of Babel is inspired by Jorge Luis Borges’ short story of the same name. I remember reading and enjoying this story when I was younger, and I am curious to see how much this game draws from the source material.
It’s been 20,000 years since the fall of man, and a civilization of robots has risen to take their place. The origins of this new civilization are unknown, but there seems to be peace in this ignorance. But this peace isn’t permanent. The discovery of the library shakes the foundation of this new society. Within its walls is everything that was ever written. What dark truths lie within those ancient pages? Use your proficiency in stealth to sneak into the library and find out.
I like the cartoonish stylized art for this game. The cinematics looks beautiful, and the world carries a distinct post-apocalyptic flavor. Despite how cartoonish the game looks, the stealth mechanics look intense. At least from the trailer, the danger is palpable. I am terrible at stealth games because I don’t have the patience for them, but I am willing to give it a shot because I like the story. The platforming might also be a barrier for me, but it might be worth it if you enjoy the genre.
You can play The Library of Babel now on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games. You can pick up your copy for $18.99. You can at least add it to your wishlist for later.
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Strayed Lights
If you like action-adventure games, you might want to look into the upcoming title, Strayed Lights. This game looks beautiful, and the bit of music I’ve heard is amazing! You play as this being of light and dark as you travel over this dreamlike world on a quest to become awakened. But the path is full of angry monsters. Use your powers to soothe the beasts and free them of their inner demons.
This game looks so pretty and promises a new form of combat that I am interested in trying. The soundtrack is composed by Grammy-winning Austin Wintory, so it might be at least worth the listen. I’ll be getting my review copy soon, and I can’t wait to hop on in.
Strayed Lights is releasing on April 25th for $24.99 on the PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC through Steam, Epic Games, and GoG. If you preorder from the official website, you will get a cool digital art book and a copy of the soundtrack. There is also a demo you can try on Steam.
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Images taken from the press kit
Game Review: Drop – System Breach
I was given Drop – System Breach as a review code. I am grateful for the opportunity, but I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game.
Drop is a fast-paced hacker simulator for PC that you should consider if you like these types of puzzle games. In a city full of hackers, you must prove your worth. Take odd jobs, join a faction, and test your hacking skills. Do you have what it takes to be the best?
I had to uninstall this game because of how addicted I became to the gameplay. I understand it may not be for everyone, but there is something in its simple gameplay loop that I couldn’t get enough of.
I love the aesthetic of this game. The graphics aren’t high-end, but they are appropriate for the game. It looks like something you would see in a movie or tv show about hacking.
The gameplay loop is simple. You log into a network of computers and start unlocking the network of nodes until you complete the objectives. You will install viruses, steal data, or do anything else a hacker will do. But you will not be without resistance. Systems will have alarms, viruses, and other defenses to obstruct you. The trick to this game is to efficiently manage your resources while you finish the objectives to maximize your profits. The deeper you get into this game, the more you have to mitigate. This game appears simple, but it gets intense.
There is a story, but it isn’t important. There are also factions, but like the story, they only exist to add flavor. If you miss any text, you aren’t missing out on anything important. I read all the messages, and while I appreciate the flavor it added, I noticed a lot of syntax errors. It won’t ruin the game, but it is hard to overlook.
So should you buy this game? It depends. I enjoyed the game way more than I should have, but it is repetitive. The puzzles feel different because the system’s defenses are always different, but the loop will always be the same. If you don’t like the repetitive loop that is common in roguelikes, you won’t like this game. If you don’t mind the reputation, this game is fantastic. The aesthetic is cool, the gameplay is fun, and the soundtrack is fantastic. You can buy Drop – System Breach for $9.99 on Steam. I think it’s worth the money.
Game Review: Demeo
I was given Demeo at GDC to review for my blog. I would like to take the time to thank the Devs for taking the time to talk to me and answer all my questions. I am very grateful for the opportunity to try this game more thoroughly. That said, this will be an honest review of the game.
Demeo is a co-op dungeon crawler tabletop game that you can play on PC and VR. You choose from seven classes and move them through different themed dungeons to clear their objectives. Demeo has a minor deck-building mechanic. You use abilities, items, and spells by casting them from cards you buy, find, or earn throughout the dungeon. On each turn, each character has two actions. A character can move, attack, or use an ability. The goal of this game isn’t to clear the dungeon of its monsters but to complete the dungeon’s objectives. It is easy to get caught up fighting monsters only to be overrun by them when you take too long to clear a floor. There is strategy to this game, but it is manageable if you are thinking about your turns carefully.
I love this game because it gives me the perfect board game experience without having to spend time on setup and cleanup. I came into this game already infatuated by the limited experience I got at GDC, but I wasn’t prepared for how dangerous this game was for my time. One more turn easily turned into hours later, so I had to make sure I at least ran my sessions with a timer.
The game runs and looks great. I love the different aesthetics of the adventures, and you can earn cosmetics by playing the game. I did try both the PC and VR versions of the game and have no preference. I love how immersive the VR version of the game is, but the PC version is a great alternative when I don’t want to put on the headset. There is cross-play between the versions, so you don’t need to buy a VR headset if you don’t need one.
The game is meant to be played with other players. You can team up with your friends, or play online with strangers. I keep the strangest gaming hours, so I wasn’t able to play with others. If you are like me and don’t have friends, the solo experience is fantastic. You can run dungeons with a single hero, or you can run them with four. I liked that I was able to try different characters at once. Both experiences felt vastly different, and they kept the game fresh. The difficulty of the dungeon scales was based on the number of characters in the party, but I felt the scaling was fair.
Demeo is a ton of fun and a must-buy if you like playing board games. The game is available on Steam, PlayStation, Pico, Meta Quest, and Epic Games for $39.99.
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GDC Recap: Demeo
During this year’s GDC I also got to try Demeo, the survival RPG that I believe is worth looking into. I was fortunate enough to grab a review code for this game, so stay tuned for a full review in the future.
Dameo is a cross-platform RPG that plays like a tabletop game. You choose from seven playable characters and use their unique skills to get through one of their prewritten adventures. Adventures in this game are dungeon themes, each with its unique flavor and the monsters that fill them. Pick up your game piece and move them across a perilous board as you search for a way out. To fight, you use a set of skill cards that you unlock along the way. Some cards you can use repeatedly, but others burn after use. Use them wisely. You unlock cards by looting them from chests or unlocking them from battle. Battles are decided by a dice roll, making your adventure a suspenseful one.
Demeo started as a VR game but has been successfully ported to PC. I only got to play the PC version of this game, but I will be trying the VR version for my full review. You can play this game by yourself, team up with three other friends, or play with people online. The game is cross-play, making it possible for everyone to play together using their favorite version.
From what little I got to try this game, I am obsessed. I love board games but have no one to play with. Demeo gives me the chance to do something I love, even if it’s just on my own. If you like board games, you should look into this game. The game is available on Steam, PlayStation, Pico, Meta Quest, and Epic Games for $39.99.
Shoutout to the developer that took the time to answer all my questions. I appreciate that they took a chance on my small blog, and gave me this opportunity to review their game. Keep up the good work! Make sure you follow them on Twitter to stay up to date on all the news.
Excellence in Narrative: Immorality
This year’s winner for the IGF’s Excellence in Narrative award went to Immorality, a fantastically done mystery about the cinema. Marissa Marcel was a prominent actress with great promises, but she disappeared after making three unreleased movies. With your ability, you must jump between these movies to piece together what happened to Marissa Marcel.
Immorality is a beautiful mystery as you get to jump between scenes filmed with real actors. It is a very creative way to tell a story and one with many choices to make. I have always missed this genre of gaming, but I was fortunate to try this for a few minutes. My experience left me wanting more because everything was well done. I love the grainy feel of the footage you sift through, the acting is fantastic, and the concept is so good. I will be trying to get myself a copy of this for review, but till then, you should at least Wishlist this.
You can buy Immorality on Steam, Xbox, and GOG for $19.99. The game is currently on sale at GOG for $14.99 or free on Game Pass if you have a subscription.
Excellence in Design: The Case of the Golden Idol
This year’s winner of the IGF’s award for Excellence in Design went to the quirky mystery game, The Case of the Golden Idol. Take the role of the detective as you gather clues, pick your suspects, determine motives, and solve the mystery of twelve gruesome murders. The game has a unique art style that grows on you the more you play. The music is soothing, and its unique gameplay can be relaxing if you like solving mysteries. I felt overwhelmed by the amount of freedom I was given to solve the mystery, but I can see myself obsessing over this title if I had more time to explore it at my own pace.
If you love mysteries, this is a great one to look into. You can get your copy on Steam or GOG for $17.99. I suggest you at least try the demo and keep an open mind. I didn’t get enough time with this title to decide if I like it, but I will be adding The Case of the Golden Idol to the list of games I need to try. I will let you know how it goes if I can ever find the time.