System Shock has gotten a remaster, and it looks sick. The classic FPS has officially come to modern PCs with better graphics, updated controls, a new UI, and some much-needed quality-of-life changes. If you’ve played the original, you aren’t getting the same game you played way back when. The reboot promises never before seen enemies, a revamped hacking system, and new ways to combat enemies, like a brutal dismemberment system. While a few changes have been made, the developers have worked closely with members of the original team to make sure they keep the spirit of the original the same in this reboot.
As the Hacker, players must fight through armies of mutated creatures controlled by the evil ai, SHODAN. Players will avoid traps, solve puzzles, and hack their way through Citadel Station. What secrets will you uncover on your journey?
I never had the means to play the original System Shock growing up. I played a bit in college and would watch my friends play it here and there, but I never had the opportunity to get deep enough exposure to it. I love that these older games are getting a second chance for new and old audiences, especially those like me who missed the train entirely. I am still working on getting a review code for this, so fingers crossed I get one soon.
System Shock is available on PC via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games for 39.99. A demo is available on Steam and Epic Games if you want to try it out first. Console editions of System Shock are planned for the future, but no details are available yet.
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Game Review: Mia and the Dragon Princess
I was sent Mia and the Dragon Princess as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will be honest with my review.
Mia and the Dragon Princess is an interactive action movie you can play on Android, IOS, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic games.
Mia feels trapped in a boring job and wishes for some excitement. Her wish comes true when a mysterious woman ends up in her alley. Before Mia can find help for this mysterious woman, a group of thugs barge in and threaten her friends. What will Mia do?
Occasionally while watching this movie, viewers will be given choices that will affect the outcome. The movie has ten endings and different storylines. The timer for each choice gives this movie its urgency, and some choices will be tricky to make. By the end of your first playthrough, you are going to want to play for a different ending. You skip scenes you’ve already watched to make the experience less tedious, but they are available if you need a refresher.
Mia and the Dragon Princess is a solid action movie.The story is a bit cheesy in parts, but it is a lot of fun. The acting is fine, the action is well-choreographed, and the stories are well done. I do have to warn you that the stories do get dark. There is death and violence in this movie, but nothing too gruesome. I loved all the small jokes sprinkled throughout, but I have a soft spot for cheesy movies. I want to keep this review a bit vague because I don’t want to spoil the story. I suggest you go as blind as possible for your first playthrough.
I was surprised by this title because I didn’t know what to expect. I loved it, and see myself returning to the title a few more playthroughs. It was a unique experience with a solid and fun story that I recommend to everyone. That said, it is a bit of a niche title. If you are someone who enjoys b movies or cheesy ones, this is a fun title. Otherwise, I would wait for a discount. I wouldn’t call this a game because of how easily you can earn all the endings, but it is also a bit more complicated than a movie. Mia and the Dragon Princess is a cool concept with an impressive execution, and I recommend you try it at least once with friends.
You can buy Mia and the Dragon Princess for $12.99. You can play it on Android, IOS, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games. You can also try out the demo on Steam. Get your copy today!
Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine
I got to play Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine before it was announced to the public, and I wasn’t ready. Up to that point, I had sat through some beautiful and relaxing titles that had me feeling peaceful. But this peace was short-lived and destroyed by one of the most insane match-four games I have ever played.
Dr. Fetus wants to make the perfect Meat Boy clone but needs your help. Match the clones as they fall through the machine, but avoid the deadly traps that make this task nearly impossible. How far can you make it before you throw the controller at the wall?
As is tradition with Super Meat Boy, this game is unforgivingly difficult. It will give you a false sense of security as it starts you with a cute and relaxing match-four experience. It then slowly introduces manageable traps to ease you into an experience that you will never be ready for. Before you know it, you are avoiding missiles, dodging saws, and other deadly obstacles while still trying to match those tiles. It is colorful mayhem that will frustrate most players, but it is a gameplay loop that will keep you coming back.
The art for this game is deceptively cute. The clones are adorable but don’t get too attached. They will all die the most gruesome deaths, leaving behind their viscera to decorate the machine. At first, I liked that the blood didn’t disappear after the reset, but it slowly became a shameful reminder of my failure as it came more often. I got incredibly lucky to get as far as I did with the devs next to me, laughing at my struggle. By the end of the session, my heart was beating so fast that Siri asked me if I needed an ambulance. It was such an intense way to end a session, but one I’d definitely do again. I’ll be working on getting myself a review copy.
If you like Supper Meat Boy or the matching tile genre, you should look into this game. It is a game that will leave you incredibly frustrated, but that frustration is part of the fun. Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine will release on the Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC through GoG, Epic Games, and Steam. The price hasn’t been announced, but Nintendo has it at $9.99. There is no release date yet, but there is a demo available on Steam. Don’t forget to wishlist!
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.
To stay up to date on all the news, make sure to join the official Discord and follow the socials: YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Don’t forget to add it to your wishlist!
Images taken from the press kit
GDC Recap: SteamWorld Build
I got to try out SteamWorld Build at GDC before the title was made public. I am extremely excited about this cute entry into the SteamWorld universe. I love city builders, and with my limited exposure to the title, I already know Build is taking all of my free time. If you are a fan of the genre, go wishlist SteamWorld Build.
Build takes place after the events of Dig 2. The planet is dying, and you must make a final push to escape it. With the help of your citizens, you must gather resources, build your town, and fight off the wildlife that endangers our town. Can you escape before it is too late?
At first glance, Build can seem overwhelming with how much there is to manage. You have to build a city, keep your workers happy, mine resources, and defend your base all at once. The game does a fantastic job at easing the player into its mechanics, and once you get used to them, the management isn’t bad The pacing of this game can be stressful if you aren’t actively planning your moves, but the pacing of the game was rather relaxing. You will have plenty of time to maneuver between your tasks, and the game does a great job of alerting the players about what needs to be done.
There is a story to this game, but it acts more as a tutorial as it guides you through the different mechanics. Each section of the story will have you unlock and repair buildings that will open up more of the game. The main draw of this game will be its sandbox mode, where you will have the freedom to build and establish your base without restrictions. I recommend going through the story to at least get a basic understanding of its fundamentals.
The game is all about managing your base. Your base is split into different levels. At the top, you have a town of your design where you will recruit your workers. Below the town, you will mine for resources and defend against monsters. You will spend most of your time moving between levels to make sure all your worker’s needs are met while advancing your base.
My favorite thing about this game is the art. The steampunk western aesthetic is adorable. I love the art in the SteamWorld games, and the translation from 2D to 3D art was done beautifully. The art for this game was done by the same people that did the costumes for Little Big Planet, and they did a fantastic job. I spent most of my session admiring all the little details that went into the design. The world reminds me a lot of the Ork aesthetic in 40k where everything is made from recycled metal, except here it’s cute. I loved watching the little robots complete their chores or interact with buildings. The small details make me see the passion there is for this game and have me excited to see a finished product.
I didn’t get to play SteamWorld Build enough to have a fleshed-out opinion, but I am very excited by what I experienced. If you like city builders or are looking to get into one, Build is worth looking into. The game will be available on all consoles and PC. Go try out the demo on Steam or Epic Games. There is no release date yet, but you can wishlist it on Steam, Epic Games, GOG, and Playstation.
Shoutout to the devs that took the time to show me the game and answer all my questions. Keep up the good work!
Make sure you join the official SteamWorld Build Discord server to stay up-to-date on all the news. It is a very active server that occasionally has giveaways. You can also follow them on Twitter
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.
Make sure you follow them on Twitter to stay up to date on all the news.
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.
GDC Recap: Project Timi: Sasha’s Curse
During GDC I got to try one of the cutest little rhythm puzzlers I’ve ever played, Project Timi: Sasha’s Curse. Project Timi has you play as Timi as she uses her powers to go into dreams, searching for the evil corpo cat, Sasha. Use her powers to solve puzzles and bring Sasha to justice!
This game is super cute! Shoutout to the game’s artist for creating such an adorable character and world. The music is also nicely done and helps create the game’s whimsical tone. The gameplay is a ton of fun. It reminds me a bit of Captain Toad, but the rhythm mechanics make it a unique experience. This game starts easy but slowly increases in difficulty as you learn new mechanics and get closer to catching Sasha. I know the demo I tried wasn’t a finished product, but it felt incredibly polished and ready for consumption. Shoutout to the whole team for all the work and love they’ve already put into this game.
I will be adding this game to the list of games I need to try because I am hooked. It is too early for a price tag, but you can and should Wishlist it on Steam. Project Timi: Sasha’s Curse will be released on the PC and the Nintendo Switch.
I want to thank the team for chatting with me and answering all my questions. Keep up the great work! Go follow them on Twitter.
Games to Look Into: Wayfinder (2023)
I got into the Wayfinder closed beta over the weekend, but I can’t speak on the experience because of the NDA that went with it. The NDA is a reasonable tradeoff since the game isn’t finished yet. It would be unfair to judge it as it is. I appreciate that they opened the beta the way they did because it allows them to get meaningful feedback from members of their potential community. Now that the beta is done, I hope I get into the next one.
Wayfinder is an action MMO that you should keep on your radar if you are in the market for a new MMO. Instead of creating your character and choosing your class, you have to unlock characters as you do in games like Warframe. While I am a bit bummed I won’t get to create my character, it isn’t a deal breaker. I love the art style, and the characters available on the release are cooler than anything I would come up with. Each character seems to have its own combat style which can keep the game refreshing over time. I can’t speak on the gameplay yet because the game isn’t out, but it does look interesting. I hope that the characters aren’t locked behind predatory Gotcha or pay-to-win mechanics.
Wayfinder is planned for early access in Spring 2023 so make sure you keep checking the official site for news. You can wishlist Wayfinder on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation. The game will be free to play, so you have nothing to lose.
Elderand
Elderand just released on the Nintendo Switch, Epic Games, and Steam. Elderand is a 2D metroidvania-type game that looks incredibly brutal. I love the retro feel and pixel art. Take control of a hero as he uses magic and weapons to defeat some truly terrifying-looking enemies.
The game promises an RPG experience as you can customize your character’s appearance and skills. From the trailer, this seems like a great way to keep combat fresh through the adventure. I am not a huge fan of platformers and probably won’t pick it up. If you are a fan of the genre, it might be worth looking into. The game is on sale until 2/23/23 on the eShop, Epic Games and Steam.
