Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is a beautiful-looking visual novel that I am very much excited to try. I was impressed by the initial announcement, and I am always looking to get into another visual novel. Since the announcement, the game has earned a few awards and achievements that have kept me excited for this game.
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie lets you play as Polly, a young woman who suddenly discovers she has the gift to travel to a new world, Reverie. In Reverie, Polly becomes Harmony and now has the responsibility to the next Aspiration to be the heart of humanity. As Harmony, you must make difficult choices, befriend different people, and be the catalyst to a beautifully drawn narrative. The game promises multiple endings, decisions that matter, a fantastic soundtrack, and a powerful story. I will have to see how well the game keeps its promises, but at the very least, I am interested.
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is out now for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC via Steam for $24.99 across all platforms. I should receive my review copy any day now, so stay tuned for my full review.
Pixel Ripped 1979: The meta simulation game with fun flavor, but very little substance
I was sent Pixel Ripped 1978 as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, this will be my honest review.
The evil Cyblin Lord is back! This time he has gone back in time to change the course of history and make himself the hero. It is up to Dot to go back and stop him before it is too late. With the help of Bug, a programmer for Atari, Dot must fight familiar enemies, find the time crystals, and fix bugs along the way. Can they stop the Cyblin Lord before it is too late?
Pixel Ripped is an interesting concept for a VR simulation game. It is a meta experience where gamers play a game within a game that pays homage to classic eras in gaming. Thanks to the official partnership, this game pays homage to the Atari era of gaming. In Pixel Ripped 1978, players switch between the two characters, each offering a unique experience.
As Bug, players pick up an Atari controller and play through a classic game in order to find bugs to fix. As they play, they will encounter real-world distractions that offer a different level of difficulty than the platforming. Bug has to deal with coworkers, answer phone calls, and deal with people blocking the tv screen while she is trying to beat the game. This mechanic is neat until the novelty wears off. If you are good at classic platformers, the distractions only pose minor inconveniences. But if you aren’t, the loop of distractions becomes tedious.
Don’t get me wrong, the distractions are fun and an interesting mechanic. The interactions are quirky, silly, and there are some fun little easter eggs sprinkled throughout. My issue isn’t that there aren’t more kinds of interactions because that isn’t feasible. My issue has to do with my skill level. Because I am not good at platforming, the interactions become an annoying taunt that got worse the longer I was trapped in the level. If you are good at platformers, this might not be an issue.
As Dot, you get to travel into the game and fix bugs. The world is vibrant, colorful, and cool. But as I mentioned before, once the novelty wears off, the gameplay feels a bit one note. Dot walks around the game world, shooting enemies and breaking pots. It isn’t a bad experience, but there isn’t anything special to it either. Combat is point-and-shoot, the movement is slow, and while I appreciate the humor involved in the melee attack, it isn’t any more fun. It’s okay for the first few minutes, but nothing that you should be rushing to try.
The boss fights are where this game earns some of its charms back. Boss fights start with playing a classic Atari title that will suddenly turn to life in a cool AR-like experience. Now players must beat a special level of the game by defeating the evil Cyblin Lord at the end. This introduces new mechanics. Players must control Dot through the level while dealing with real-world obstacles. For example, on one level, players have to throw paper balls at the boss while controlling Dot. I appreciate the creativity of the boss fights, but I wish the rest of the game had this level of energy.
It’s hard to recommend because once the novelty of the experience wears off, the game falls flat. The graphics are great, the music is fantastic, and the game runs smoothly, but the gameplay isn’t there for me. As platformers go, unless you have nostalgia for the Atari era, it isn’t great. As a VR experience, it has its moments, but there are certainly better titles. It isn’t a bad game, but it isn’t something I would be rushing to.
You can pick up for the Meta Quest, Steam VR, and PlayStation VR on June 16.
Game Review: Volcano Princess
I was sent Volcano Princess as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity but won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.
Volcano Princess is a visual novel life sim for PC. You play as a single father who must raise a daughter in a fantasy world where demons and man are at war. You make the choices that will foster her growth into a functioning adult. How you choose to raise her is up to you, but the choices you make affect her future.
The gameplay loop is simple. Each day you are given a limited amount of action points to spend where you do activities with your daughter that increase her stats. What you choose to do is up to you, but the limits affect your relationship with her and what she grows up being. The game slowly introduces more mechanics as your daughter ages and choices become harder. When she is old enough, there will be a lite dating sim where she can choose from 18 romantic partners and a mini turn-based rpg game. The pacing is fantastic, and the different game mechanics give the game much-needed diversity. Your first playthrough will take about eight hours, but there are more than 50 endings to work toward.
This game is surprisingly addicting. I stressed over my choices because I needed to be a great father the first time around. I think I was successful, but I already have some ideas for future runs. The amount of choices available is what makes this game so much fun. Eventually, you be forced to think tactically about how you spend time with your daughter. Do you help her through a difficult time at the cost of some important attributes? Do you let her date? Become a writer? An actor? A warrior? It is all up to you, and it is such a wholesome good time.
My biggest tip for new players is to go in as blind as possible. I recommend not looking up a guide unless you want to collect every ending. Even then, I recommend you get some of your own endings first. The story is a little cheesy, but it is a good kind of cheesy worth experiencing at least once.
I love this game and would buy it if I hadn’t gotten it already. The art is cute, the story is wholesome, and the mechanics are relaxing and fun. That said, it isn’t for everyone. This game is great for players who love life sims and don’t mind visual novels. This game involves a lot of reading and waiting for timers. The timers aren’t long, but it doesn’t make for the most exciting gameplay. The story is fine, but there are noticeable grammatical errors. I didn’t mind the grammatical errors and loved the gameplay, but it is something to think about before you make the purchase.
Volcano Princess is $10.99 on Steam, and it is totally worth it for what you are getting.
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!
Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition
Rise of the Triad is getting a pretty impressive reboot and new features. If you like retro shooters or want to relive some nostalgia, this game should be on your wishlist.
Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition is a fast-paced retro shooter with zany weapons, a fun story, and an epic soundtrack. The remake will have a jukebox feature so you can listen to your favorite song as you create carnage and mayhem. But the jukebox isn’t the only change you should be hyped for. This game will perform better with up to 4k resolution with more frames for a smoother gaming experience.
If you like PVP, there will also be online multiplayer with new sprites to choose from. If that isn’t enough, there is also a pretty comprehensive map maker. Now you can make your levels and share them with your friends. If you are like me and don’t have any, there will be Steam Workshop support. You will be able to download community-made levels or share some of your own. I am not creative, but very excited to see what the community has in store.
If you have already played this game, it might be time to relive the experience. There will be a new story, designs, and features to make this a fresh experience.
Rise of the Trian: Ludicrous Edition is releasing on the Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, and the Nintendo Switch for $19.99. There is no release date yet, but make sure to wishlist it on Steam. A demo will be available on June 19.