Tag Archives: gaming review

video game reviews

An Amazing Wizard is Looking Like a Very Promising Metroidvania

Leave a comment

I was sent an early copy of the An Amazing Wizard demo to cover on my blog. Since the game is still in development, I will be a bit more lenient but honest in my impressions. If you want to stay up to date on all the news, make sure you join the official Discord!

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you enjoy my content and want to help me with my hosting fees, consider buying me coffee or donating to my Patreon.

What is An Amazing Wizard?

An Amazing Wizard is a fast-paced 2D action RPG coming to PC. The demo is available, so make sure you head over to Steam and try it out.

In a world full of wizards and magic, you are the only one without it. Instead of casting spells in the traditional sense, magic hands cast them for you. The prophecy says you are destined for greatness, but a mysterious force has stolen your memories before it can be realized. Travel across a dangerous plane as you recollect your memories, fight monsters, and try to uncover the truth behind your powers. Will you be strong enough to live up to your legend?

Gameplay

The demo allows players to fight their way through procedurally generated levels as they learn the fundamentals of the game. The wizard always starts with a basic magic spell and collects random ones during each run. The spells unlocked throughout a run are random, and the RNG seems fine. The full game will feature over a hundred spells for an insane amount of customization.

At certain points of a run, players can combine spells to create new ones. There is always a chance that the fusion will fail, but a successful fusion grants the player a new more powerful spell. This ensures that a run will never be the same, and things are going to get crazy.

Combat is a fast-paced Metroidvania-style loop. Players fight their way through a 2D dungeon, killing monsters, farming materials, and finding more powerful spells. Players have access to a basic spell, three swappable spells, and a swappable weapon. This is more than enough to keep things fun and exciting.

Between deaths and levels, players can trade in materials they gather for power-ups. This gives players access to new abilities and powers, and makes each run easier. The upgrade tree is pretty expansive. While I am sure there will be a correct way to build it out, I recommend you buy for your playstyle.

The full game will have a story, but the demo is only limited to the roguelike dungeon to get players hooked on the gameplay.

Impressions

I need more of this game. The art is fantastic, the flavor is great, the music is amazing, and the gameplay is a lot of fun. If you’re looking for a new Metroidvania game, An Amazing Wizard is looking very promising. The game features an interesting combat system, cool enemies, and a ton of customization for that added replay value. Obviously, I am going to need to see a completed version, but I am excited.

I did run into an issue where the dungeon generated a way forward, soft-locking my progress. I would have to rest the run and lose my progress, but it didn’t happen enough to cause any real concern. The demo works fine for the most part, but there will be some instances of roughness as they continue to iron out the kinks. Other than that, this game is very fun and I recommend you try it for yourself and get equally excited.

Please go check out the An Amazing Wizard demo on Steam, and don’t forget to add it to your wishlist!

video game reviews

The Neural Dominion Demo Needs Work Before it Goes Public

Leave a comment

I was asked to cover the Neural Dominion announcement and was given early access to the alpha demo available now on Steam. Since the game is still in production, I will try to be a bit more lenient than usual with my impressions.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you enjoy my content and want to help me with my hosting fees, consider buying me coffee or donating to my Patreon.

What is Neural Dominion?

Neural Dominion is a cyberpunk 4X strategy game coming to PC. A public demo will release in October, so make sure it is on your wishlist.

In the crime-ridden city of Technograd, only one gang can reign supreme. Build your empire as you establish your illegal operations, recruit new members, and stop anyone who gets in your way. The path to total domination will be paved with obstacles. Cops will want their cut and rival gangs will want your head. Do you have what it takes to rule this city, or will you be another crime statistic?

Gameplay

The demo is just the game’s tutorial with alpha gameplay. The version I got is in a rough place and almost unplayable. The parts I did get through teach players the basic mechanics of the game. Players will learn about movement, purchasing and expanding territory, recruiting new gang members, buying upgrades, and combat. The game is on a turn based system where players have a set number of action points to spend. It gives a solid introduction to the game, but I hope it is less clunky on public release.

Impressions

I had a hard time with this game because the game was unstable. The tutorial wasn’t coded properly, and it was a chore to get through. If the tutorial box came up when I had to move my character, it made the squares unclickable and locked me from progressing through the rest of the tutorial. The only fix was to rest the game and restart the tutorial. If the tutorial box popped up during combat, it slowed down the animations to a snail’s pace, even if I was at 4x speed. The only fix for this bug was to cycle through the different speeds until another text box popped up to break it again.

The parts that did work weren’t very impressive, but the game isn’t finished yet so there is still the chance it gets better. I can’t recommend this game yet because of the state of the demo. I am not asking for amazing animations, a beautiful fleshed out map, but I am expecting something that works. I am wiling to overlook a lot when trying these kinds of demos, but this one made it hard. I am hoping that the public demo will be working, but I’ll have to wait and see till October.

You can wishlist Neural Dominion on Steam and join the official Discord if you want to stay up to date.

video game reviews

Mika and The Witch’s Mountain was a Delightful Change of Pace

Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of Mika and the Witch’s Mountain to review for my blog. While I am very grateful, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you enjoy my content and want to help me with my hosting fees, consider buying me coffee or donating to my Patreon.

What is Mika and the Witch’s Mountain?

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a fantasy adventure game out now on Steam and the Nintendo Switch.

Mika is starting her journey to becoming a powerful witch. She ventures to the Witch’s mountain where a wise and powerful witch will teach her what she needs to learn. But before she can begin her studies as a witch, she must pass a test. She must be able to fly expertly on her broom. With a sudden push, Mika is sent off the mountain and into the town below. The fall breaks her broom and now she has no way of getting back.

Fortunately, the local artisan promises to fix up her broom and even make her a better one for a bit of coin. How can a little witch away from home afford these services? Luckily, she can make her money as the island’s delivery girl. Can she fly across the island, master its elements, and keep those packages safe? Can she make enough money to make it back to the top of the mountain?

Gameplay

Players fly around the island on a magical flying broom making deliveries. Each package Mika picks up has unique requirements. Packages can’t be damaged, wet, or a combination of the two. Some deliveries need to be made within a specific time period. Intimate knowledge of the island and its wind currents is extremely important for Mika’s success. Mika only gets paid on jobs where she has perfect feedback.

As Mika gets paid, she can use that money to buy better brooms. These brooms will let Mika have better control when flying or carrying more packages. There are also hidden items around the map for players to collect to unlock charms for the broom or outfits for Mika, or side quests to keep players busy.

Review

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is the cutest fantasy adventure game you’ll ever play. The protagonist is cute, the world is fun and whimsical, and the game is fun. Flying feels like you’re moving over ice, but this is thematic by design. Mika is learning magic for the first time and it makes sense that she isn’t the strongest flyer. The wonky flying makes the game more exciting. It was always a nerve-wracking experience to maneuver through currents because there was always the real chance of crashing into the rocks and ruining a delivery. It isn’t the most difficult game you will play, but it will keep things engaging.

The story is a bit childish, but I appreciate the silly wholesome tone. Not all games have to be serious. My only real complaint is that the quests can start to feel a bit repetitive, but there seems to be enough exploration and treasure-hunting mixed in to keep things interesting. You’ll at the very least get your money’s worth of gameplay.   

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is the comfort food you need in your life. It is a fun silly good time with fun gameplay and an adorable world to explore. If you’re looking for a game to relax to, this is the title to do it with.

You can pick up Mika and the Witch’s Mountain on Steam and Nintendo eShop for $19.99. There is a demo you demo for both versions you should at least try.

video game reviews

Mars 2120 Isn’t the Casual Metroidvania Game You’re Looking for

Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of Mars 2120 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’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you enjoy my content and want to help me with my hosting fees, consider buying me coffee or donating to my Patreon.

What is Mars 2120?

Mars 2120 is a metroidvania out now on Steam.

Sgt. Anna “Thirteen” Charlotte has been sent to the first human colony on Mars. Strange things have been hindering construction, and it is up to Sgt. Charlotte to figure out what. Travel across the red planet as you fight your way through swarms of strange enemies. Will your efforts be enough to cement humanities foothold on martian soil, or will you be another casualty to the planet’s harsh environment?

Gameplay

Players fight their way through 2D dungeons, unlocking new weapons, areas, and abilities. Dungeons feature intricate jumping puzzles, promise interesting boss fights, but only contain a limited amount of save points. Players can only save their progress at these points, and dying resets to the last save.

There is a story that exists through cut scenes and found documents and recorded logs. Exploration is important if you want to unlock extra bits of story, but it isn’t necessary. The main quest line tells the story well enough.

If you’re looking for a classic feeling Metroidvania, Mars 2120 might be what you need.

Review

Casual Metroidvania fans aren’t going to enjoy Mars 2120. While the game does a decent job of setting up its atmosphere and creating a challenging environment, it feels like a rough attempt at a classic title. For some modern players, the game will feel outdated, for others, the roughness will be hard to justify because the gameplay is boring.

The biggest issue this game has is its control scheme. This game is not smooth and the inputs don’t always work. There are parts of this game where I felt like I was fighting more with the jankiness of the game than the actual enemies. The game isn’t unplayable, but some of the combat and jumping puzzles are unnecessarily annoying.

Sporadic save points also ruin the game for the casual gamer. I don’t mind limited saves and high difficulty in games when they work, but Mars 2120 doesn’t always work. It sucks to have to repeat whole sections because the controls aren’t good. Better gamers and veterans of the genre will have less of an issue with the save points, but I don’t like the game enough to give it any more slack.

The story is fine, the flavor is cool, and I liked the art, but not enough to enjoy the game. It isn’t bad, but I’ve played better. Mars 2120 is made for a specific type of gamer. One that still enjoys the classic feel of the Metroidvania game, enjoys a challenging game with high stakes, can doesn’t mind the roughness that comes with an indie game. For the casual gamer looking for a new game, you have better options.

You can pick up Mars 2120 on Steam for $19.99.

video game reviews

Check out the Most Adorable Deck Builder on Kickstarter: Nif Nif

Leave a comment

I was sent the Nif Nif demo to cover on my blog. The game is currently on Kickstarter, and it deserves a bit of attention. The campaign ends on September 13, so make sure you check it out before then. I am writing these impressions with the understanding that the game isn’t finished yet and there is room for improvement.

What is Nif Nif?

Nif Nif is an adorable deck builder coming to PC. A demo is available on Steam. Go check it out and don’t forget to Wishlist.

Nif Nif is a happy little piglet who lives near a beautiful forest. He loves to cook and clean and spends his days running around. One day, a strange green goo begins to appear around his beloved forest. The goo corrupts the land and the creatures it makes filthy. Nif Nif grabs for his bucket of cleaning supplies and sets out to clean up the corruption. Will his skills be enough to clear the forest of this infestation, or will the goo prove too powerful?

Gameplay

Players start each run by choosing their protagonist. The demo lets players choose between Nif Nif and a cat, each with its unique theme and adorable mascot. Like any deck-building roguelike, players choose the path of their adventure and work to clear the rooms. The adventure map is randomly generated, but it was a fair spread of events. Each room holds an event. Players can fight against regular or elite monsters, proct a random event for a chance at a power-up, heal their character, or visit the shop. Players also have the chance to upgrade their decks by receiving extra cards, random passive skills, or upgrades for their current decks. These upgrades are randomly generated, but the RNG feels fair. Each run offered me access to different strategies, and each run is meant to feel unique giving the game a good amount of replayability.

What sets Nif Nif apart is its cooking mechanic. Players can cook soups or upgrade existing soups at campfire nodes. These soups give Nif Nif and his friends a special boost and gives players a better chance at survival.

Impressions

Nif Nif is the most adorable deck-builder you’re ever going to play. The game features an adorable protagonist, cute-themed art, and a solid soundtrack. I love the flavor and theme of the cards and decks. I felt like there were a decent amount of strategies, and am sure there are a lot more at launch. I love that I could choose to level a random card instead of having to choose a random card to add to my deck as a reward. nothing is worse than clogging my deck with dead cards and having to pay to remove them later in a run.

It is important to note that this game is meant for kids. Veterans of the genre will find Nif Nif to be on the easier side, but they will appreciate the adorable ambiance and chill vibes. If you have kids, Nif Nif is the perfect way to start them on the deck-building genre. I would argue that it is the perfect game in general. The mechanics are easy to learn but the game offers enough of a challenge to keep things engaging. It is a great way for kids to learn the fundamentals of deck building while they help cute little animals clean up the forest. Most importantly, the game is inoffensive. There is no blood or violence in Nif Nif, just good clean fun.

I loved every minute of Nif Nif. This game is adorable and deserves a lot more attention. There is always a risk when backing a Kickstarter, but the demo suggests the game is in good hands. All it needs is funding. If you want to support an adorable game that your kids will enjoy, go back Nif Nif on Kickstarter.  The campaign ends on September 13 and it will be your own chance to earn some cute exclusives.

video game reviews

Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is Next Deck-Builder Roguelike

Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of Deathless. Tales of Old Rus 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.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Deathless: Tales of Old Rus?

Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is a Scandinavian-themed deck-building roguelike that is out now on PC.

Take control of unique characters and use their skills and abilities and explore the dangerous land of Belosvet. Fight against powerful monsters and even defeat Koaschey the Deathless himself. Will the cards be in your favor?

Gameplay

Each run starts players with a basic version of a chosen champion deck. Each deck is flavorful and unique to each champion. As players make their way through the adventure, they can upgrade their decks with new cards and skills. These upgrades are random, making each subsequent run unique. The RNG is pretty fair, and I never ran the same deck twice. A run is over when the health of the champion reaches zero.

What makes Deathless unique is the movement and position mechanic. Players can only attack the frontmost enemy in combat unless the card use stipulates otherwise. Unless the monster uses ranged attacks, they can do the same. Knowing how to manipulate this position and the turns they swap them is an important mechanic to master. For example, some cards force monsters to swap positions, canceling their attacks. Other cards do extra damage depending on their position or if they’re moving. It is a very unique shift in the genre that I enjoyed tremendously.

Review


If you like roguelike deck-builders and need a new one to get into, buy Deathlessl: Tales of Old Rus. The game has beautiful art, fantastic flavor, and solid mechanics. The game is extremely replayable because no two runs will ever be the same. Even if you’re only using one character, the type of deck and strategy you’ll focus on will always be different. If you somehow get tired of what is available, there are new champions in the pipeline. Check out the official development roadmap for assurance.

Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is still in early access, but it feels like a finished game. The animation looks great, the soundtrack is nice, and the mechanics work fine. They are adding new features, which means the game will only get better. I love this game, and will keep it in my rotation. The game is fun, engaging, and it looks like it is actively being supported.

You can pick up Deathless. Tales of Old Rus on Steam Early Access for $24.99.

video game reviews

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

Leave a comment

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!

Board Games and TCGs

The Pathfinder Monster Core Book is Invaluable for any GM

Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of the Pathfinder Monster Core Book to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions of the game. This will be my honest review.

What is the Monster Core Book?

The Monster Core Book is a valuable resource for GMs searching for ways to spice up their next campaign. It features over 300 pages of monsters, creatures, and rules for those tired of the monsters that come with the Game Master’s Core. There is also a handy glossary of skills and abilities for those who want to homebrew their monsters. It’s going to be impossible to own this book and not use it.

Review

Like most TTRPG resource books of this nature, the Monster Core Book is optional. While it is hard to dispute its usefulness, all you need to run a successful Pathfinder campaign is dice, the rules, and an imagination. Some will argue that a real Game Master can create the perfect encounter from thin air at will, but I argue that it is always nice to have access to a concrete set of rules. I like that I can flip through the book, pick a few interesting monsters, and be ready for a session at a moment’s notice.

While having access to a ton of useful stat blocks, the book is full of lore and tips to use in your campaign. Struggling to fill your world? Look through the different races and build off the blurbs so generously provided. I loved flipping through the book and reading about all the creatures that could potentially fill my world, and I even got a few ideas on how to use them. You can always flavor the monsters to fit your campaign, but their lore is always there for when you need it.

What I love most about Pathfinder is how thorough it gets. You can always pick and choose how technical a campaign you want to run is, but the books are pretty thorough in explaining its many mechanics. I don’t use everything that is in these books, but I will be using the rules for making elite monsters.

My absolute favorite part of this book is the art. This is such a pretty book with a fantastic art style. If you like fantasy, Pathfinder is an interesting TTRPG with a lot of fantastic flavor. If you’re already playing Pathfinder, the Monster Core is a great addition to your collection.

For newer GMs, I would start with just the GM Core until you get your grove. While the Monster Manuel is useful, it isn’t necessary for those first couple of sessions. Eventually, you’re going to want to get yourself a copy of the Monster Core because of its undeniable utility. However you want to spend your money, you can’t go wrong with getting yourself a copy of the Monster core.

You can pick up the hardcover version of the Monster Core on Amazon for $59.99 (Currently $46.67) with my affiliate link, or the PDF on the official Paizo website if you don’t care about physical media.

video game reviews

Sylvio: Black Waters is the Dark Twisted Journey You Need

Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of Sylvio: Black Waters to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions of the game. This will be my honest review.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Sylvio Black Waters?

Sylvio Black Waters is a psychological horror game out now for PC.

You wake up alone in a strange dark place with a vague resemblance to Earth. The only light in this world seems to illuminate a small path, the rest of the world is shrouded with darkness. You follow the path in search of answers and find a voice that promises to guide you out of the darkness. The voice guides you deeper into the darkness. The path twists and turns and the world begins to make less sense. Up is down, down is up and there is no way of knowing where you’re going. Along the way, the voices of the souls who also traveled the path will speak to you. They reveal bits of this world’s secrets. What are they trying to tell you? Will you ever find your way out of the darkness?

Gameplay

Sylvio: Black Waters is best described as a walking simulator with a dark and spooky atmosphere, some combat, and an interesting narrative. Most of the time, you are following the trail of illuminated breadcrumbs through a dark and twisted world that becomes more twisted the longer you are in it.

Combat in this game is a first-person shooter. Occasionally, an angry spirit will attack you. The game gives you weapons to defend yourself, but you will need to find the ammo. You will run out of ammo if you aren’t using your shots conservatively, and the ghost will kill you. Death resets you to your last checkpoint.

Along the way, you will also find clues about the world. Spirits will speak bits of dialogue that you have to collect, there are drawings on walls that you need to interpret and bits of film you need to play and interpret. The clues you gather are not in order and you will need to arrange them to make sense of them. This mechanic does a fantastic job at not only setting the mood but building the mystery. The more you collect, the more the story makes sense.

Review

I love Sylvio: Black Waters. It was the perfect twisted narrative with a spooky atmosphere that kept me on my toes. That said, this game isn’t going to be for everyone. The narrative style feels disjointed because it is meant to emulate the disoriented feeling the main character feels. The story you collect isn’t linear, and while it doesn’t make sense at first, does make sense the deeper you get into the game.

What will throw most players are the weird artsy liberties it takes with its storytelling. Cutscenes will be low quality, out of order, and fragmented, or you will sit through a weird low-reverb poem or song. I’d be lying if I said I understood all the choices, but I can see they have a purpose. Some moments act as a tool to create tension, others work to disorient the players, but mostly they help reinforce the idea that reality in this world is twisted. Not everyone is going to enjoy the artsy twisted direction this game takes, but it is a wonderful experience if you’re into it.

The other issue players will have with the game is the lighting. This game is dark, and it can be frustrating. The game uses the darkness to set the mood effectively, but it isn’t perfect. It is easy to get lost or not see the right path and walk in circles. This game is meant to be disorienting, but it is going to kill some player’s enjoyment of the game. As someone who isn’t good at directions, I spent too much time walking in circles.

The game is buggy, and some of those bugs are game-breaking. Using the mouse wheel to switch between weapons either crashed the game or left the weapon menu open. It didn’t happen every time, but it happened enough when I stopped using the mouse wheel. Sometimes I would get stuck on a wall or a random artifact. My biggest issue with the game is that interacting with items is a chore. You need to find the right angle to pick up some items, and finding that angle is more work than it needs to be. None of these issues were enough to make me stop playing, but they will for people who are looking for a more polished game. I think the game’s roughness gives it its charm.

If you’re looking for a horror game that isn’t all jump scares, with a solid story but doesn’t mind the roughness, you need to pick up Sylvio Black Waters. This game is the weird twisted trip you didn’t know you needed. It is a good and interesting game, but it is also not for everyone. If you don’t like how dark the game looks or don’t want to sit through artsy weirdness, you should go elsewhere.

You can pick up Sylio: Black Waters on Steam for $12.99.

video game reviews

Guayota is a Cute & Creative Puzzle Adventure, but is it Good?

Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of Guayota 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’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Guayota?

Guayota is a cute 3D puzzle game coming out on August 13th on Steam and the Nintendo Switch.

You’ve heard the stories of the mythical island of San Brandan’s. An island once run by an advanced civilization full of wonder and mystery. You and a few brave souls are determined to find it. You follow the legend and wash up on its shores. This new world is ripe for exploration, but this is no ordinary island. Occasionally, you’ll be dragged into the realm of madness. Luckily, a spirit has decided to help you. Use its powers to explore the dungeons, solve its puzzles, and uncover the island’s secrets. What will your journey uncover?

Gameplay

Guayota is a top-down puzzle game. Players move through mazes and avoid traps to stay alive. Players must learn to wield the power of fire to activate the mechanisms that will keep them moving forward. A fire’s light can do helpful things like open doors, activate bridges, and other useful actions. Occasionally, players will die. This is part of the game’s design.

Dying takes players to the Realm of Madness, an alternate version of the map. There are no traps in the realm of madness. Instead, the map turns into a labyrinth the player must navigate with the help of their newly acquired spirit companion. Players can use these new powers to interact with the world like use them to move through walls or dodge traps. Players must solve puzzles in both realms to collect the clues that will help solve the mysteries of the island and the people who once ruled it.

Review

Guayota is an adorable game with an interesting premise. The game features cute characters, a solid soundtrack, and interesting puzzle mechanics. Switching between realms is a cool idea and a mechanic that the game uses effectively in its flavor and gameplay. The mechanic adds a new challenge to each room, and the puzzles are challenging enough to keep the game engaging. Some of the gameplay can start to feel repetitive, but not enough to kill the enjoyment. Overall, Guayota is a solid puzzle adventure with a decent story, creative puzzles, and cute characters. If you enjoy the genre or simply looking for a new game for your collection Guayota is a good place to start.

Guayota releases on August 13 on Steam and Nintendo Switch, but there’s a demo available if you need convincing.