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video game reviews

The 7th Guest VR is the greatest puzzle game you aren’t playing

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I was sent The 7th Guest for the Meta Quest 2 as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, this will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. If you need any accessories for your VR headset like a high quality charging cable or prescription lenses, get them over at ZyberVR. Use Discount code CHURAPE for 15% off your purchase.

The 7th Guest is a mystery adventure game for the Quest 2, Steam VR, and PSVR2. Seven guests have been invited to a mysterious mansion to play a dangerous game run by a nefarious toy maker. Guests must spend the night exploring the creepy mansion, solving its puzzles, and unfolding its mysteries. But the games aren’t as innocent as they appear. There is a sinister secret lurking in the shadows. Can you figure out what it is?

If you enjoy puzzle games, The 7th Guest should be in your library. This game looks amazing! The sounds, the graphics, and the aesthetic all work perfectly together to create the appropriate ambiance for the mystery it houses. The cutscenes are beautifully implemented, with wonderful actors to bring the story to life. I would play this game just to watch the performances. I love the story and went out of my way to make sure I collected every piece of the mystery. You might be able to solve it pretty early on, but it won’t matter. 

The best part of this game is its puzzles. Each room in the mansion has a unique theme and set of puzzles. The themes are a lot of fun, and the puzzles get creative. Guests must clear the elaborate set of puzzles, and each solution uncovers uncomfortable secrets. There is a reason why the guests were gathered, and I had a lot of fun piecing together why. 

The gameplay loop feels a lot like the Saw movies, except without any of the gore. You play a special recording and make your way through puzzles. The puzzles are challenging but manageable. If you get stuck, the game lets you buy clues with the currency it hides around the house. I never ran out of coins for clues, but I never really felt the need to use them much. My only complaint is that some puzzles aren’t easy to find, at least not intuitively. There were a few puzzles I needed to buy a hint in order to find it. It isn’t a huge deal because you’ll finish the game with more currency than you need, but it is an issue worth mentioning.

I loved this game because I love puzzles. Each room I cleared left me feeling accomplished, and hungry for more. The game runs great, it looks amazing, and it has a fantastic story. If you like escape rooms, or are looking for a good puzzle game, The 7th Guest should be in your library. 

You can pick up The 7th Guest for the Quest 2, Steam VR, and PSVR2 for $29.99. It’s definitely worth it at that price. 

video game reviews

CRYMACHINA is over-stylized waifu bait with very little substance

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I was sent CRYMACHINA as a review code. I am very happy about the opportunity, but this will be my honest review. If you enjoy these reviews, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!

CRYMACHINA is an anime-themed action RPG coming to PC, PlayStation, and Switch on October 24th. Humans have gone extinct, and have been replaced by synthetic beings known as Dei ex Machina. A mysterious prophecy has selected a few of these beings to bring humanity back from extinction, but not all Dei ex Machina share this goal. Fight your way through Dei ex Machina as you attempt to reclaim humanity’s dominance over Eden. Do you have what it takes to claim what destiny offers?

The game is fun for the first few encounters before the novelty wears off. Unfortunately, the blatant waifu bait isn’t enough to distract players from how dull and unimpressive the game becomes. The art style is interesting but tends to be a little too busy and loud for its own good. The story is poorly written, and the gameplay isn’t fun enough to make up for it. This isn’t a bad game, but it is hard to recommend when there are better options in the genre.

I wish the game was better because the format is interesting. The gameplay loop is split into two parts: combat and story. Combat is broken up into small manageable levels where players face a few mobs of enemies before facing off against a boss. Boss fights had unique mechanics, but not all of them were fun. Combat started feeling repetitive, and the initial sense of accomplishment felt after beating a boss diminished and became nonexistent. The over-stylized and busy animation of the combat never made up for how bored I got with combat.

The other side of the loop was the story cutscenes that came in the form of tea parties. Blatant waifu bait aside, this is an interesting way to do a story. Players have the opportunity to watch optional cutscenes where characters get a back story or become more rounded, or they can stick with only watching scenes relevant to the story. This is a great format for gamers with limited free time because the game can be tackled in small meaningful chunks, and you can repeat cutscenes when you need a reminder. This would have been a great format for this game if the story was good, and the characters weren’t generic waifu tropes. 

You can pick up CRYMACHINA for PC, PlayStation, and Switch on October 24th, but I’d hold off for a very generous discount. Even then, you’ll have better options. 

gaming news, video game reviews

The Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients Demo is live, and I liked it

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The Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients PC demo is out and part of the Steam Next Fest happening now. This adorable little action RPG is sure to win some hearts over with its fun combat mechanics, and interesting narrative. Dark forces threaten Gliese, and it is up to a lone hero and his sword to rescue it. What secrets will you uncover? What challenges await? 

I’ve been excited about this game since it was first announced. It gives off some strong Zelda vibes, which I totally appreciate, and it has an adorable art style I can get behind. Combat is fun and intuitive, and the soundtrack is phenomenal. I love the magic and upgrade system, but need to see more. The demo is a bit rough. The sound mixing needs work, and I encountered some stuttering and frame drops. None of the bugs I encountered were game-breaking, but there were enough of them present that I couldn’t ignore them. That said, the demo is playable. If you’ve been curious about this title or enjoy the Zelda games, it doesn’t hurt to try it out. 

It is too early to judge the game harshly, so I’ll wait till I get my hands on a full version to get more in-depth. Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients will be released for PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox sometime next year, but no date has been announced yet. Until then, go try it out and see for yourself!

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video game reviews

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society, its cute and fun, but not for everyone

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I was sent Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society as a review code. I am very grateful for this opportunity because this game has been on my Wishlist since it was announced for the Switch. That said, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society is a retro-feeling dungeon crawler available now for the PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam. Eureka has been hired by Madame Marta to search the mysterious Labyrinth of Galleria for the nine mysterious Curios d’art. With the help of puppet warriors, you must delve into the labyrinth and uncover its secrets. What will your adventure hold?

This game is cute, but it feels unfinished. The deeper I got into the game, the harder it was to finish. The story was fine, but the gameplay loop started to feel repetitive. I enjoyed this game in small bursts. The exploration and combat were soothing, and I enjoyed the story. The problem is that there wasn’t enough to keep me engaged. Labyrinth of Galleria isn’t a bad game. I enjoyed it, but it doesn’t do enough to be worth $50. If you like retro dungeon crawlers and don’t mind how heavily it falls onto anime tropes, the game is fine. It has a pleasing art style, terrific voice actors, and a solid story. If you don’t, maybe wait for a good sale.

The gameplay loop is simple. You move through the dungeon in a first-person view one square at a time, and fight monsters with dolls you collect. Combat runs like a traditional RPG and unlocks new dolls and abilities the deeper you get into the game.

The problem I have with this game lies with the gameplay. The game is fun until the grind gets stale. There are settings you can mess with to make the grind manageable, but it got harder to keep playing the longer I sat with it. This is a game that is tricky to recommend because of how niche it is. 

You can pick up Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society for PlayStation, Switch, and Steam for $49.99. Steam currently has it on sale for $39.99 for their NIS publisher sale, but unless you like retro dungeon crawlers, there are better titles you can look at. The sale ends on October 16th.

gaming news

Voting for the 2023 Golden Joystick Awards has started, and the winners should be: Viewfinder and Planet of Lana

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Voting for the 2023 Golden Joystick Awards has started, and two games I’ve covered this year have been nominated, Viewfinder and Planet of Lana. I loved these games so much that I felt they were worth revisiting, at least for your consideration. Make sure you check out the original reviews, but please vote for whatever feels right.

Voting closes on October 20, and winners will be announced on November 10 during the ceremony. Make sure you head over to the official site to vote and show your favorite games some love.

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Viewfinder

Viewfinder is up for two awards this year, Best Visual Design and Best Indie Game. These nominations are spot on. This game was one of the most visually striking and innovative puzzle games I’ve ever played. Everything about this game is so much fun. The visuals are beautiful, the music is fantastic, and the puzzles are so much fun. If you haven’t played this game yet, you need to! Make sure you check out my full review and go play Viewfinder on Playstation or Steam! The game is currently $24.99 on both platforms and worth every penny.

Planet of Lana

Planet of Lana is up for Xbox Game of the Year, and I can’t think of a game more deserving. This is easily one of my favorite games of the year. it had a beautiful art style with a fantastic world, a wonderful story, and great mechanics. It also has one of the best sound tracks you will ever get to sit through. If you are looking for a fun and relaxing puzzle adventure game, you need Planet of Lana. Make sure you check out my full review. You can pick up Planet of Lana on Steam or Xbox for $19.99, or free if you have Game Pass.

gaming news

The Second Wave beta means we have more lore and playable heroes on the way!

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Beta Coming October 6th!

The Second Wave beta is just a week away, and I can’t wait to jump back in. I first tried Second Wave at GDC and got to play in the Alpha earlier this year. I loved this game so much that I am still following it closely, counting the days till I can log back into Armantia!

Second Wave is a free-to-play shooter coming to Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, IOS and Android Devices, and PC via Steam and STOVE. A release date hasn’t been announced, but I will keep you posted. The game will be cross-platform between consoles and PC, but mobile devices will have to play with each other to keep things fair. The game allows gamers to play as unique heroes as they fight in epic team battles over Armantia. I love the art and character design, but it might be a little heavy on the anime side for some folks. Art style shouldn’t matter when the game is this fun. Finally, Second Wave promises not to be pay-to-win. All monetization will exist within a cosmetic-only cash shop or battle pass. It’s not clear how they will handle hero unlocks, but I hope it’s not as predatory as Overwatch 2. 

The beta will run from October 6th to the 6th for Steam, Stove, and Xbox insider members only. This will be an open Beta. All you need to do is download the game during the beta period and play till your heart’s content. No announcements have been made about signing up through Xbox Insider yet. I recommend you join the official discord to stay up to date on all the updates.

As we gear up for the open beta, we got a few new characters teased as well as some lore for Ess’el. We have more lore on the way, but I just couldn’t wait another day for this update. If you’ve been enjoying these updates, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends. 

Ess’el’s Backstory

Ess’el was the first hero I played as, and was the reason I fell in love with the game. Funnily enough, it was also the first choice for the two girls I played against. I don’t think I’ll main here because I love the support role too much, but she will always have a special place in my heart. Her back story just dropped, and it is as edgy and cool as you would have expected! She is a fun melee character that I am sure will see a lot of play.

Aegis

Here is a character we’ve seen briefly before. I love the dark and light motif. This is on the list of characters I am going to try to main. She will be playable in the open beta. The rest of the reveals will follow without much description because we only got the name drop so far.

Jemma

Spade Four

Jack

video game reviews

Disgaea 7, the cute anime game you are going to want to play at least once!

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I was sent Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless to review a little after my previous post. I’ve been excited about this title since the first announcement and was planning on buying it regardless. I am very fortunate to get the chance to review it for my site, but I won’t let this sway my opinions on the game. This will be my honest review of the game. If you’ve been enjoying my reviews, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends. 

Disgaea 7 is a quirky and unique JRPG for PlayStation, Steam, and Nintendo Switch. This review is based on the Steam version. 

This is a cute game with stunning visuals, a fantastic soundtrack, and fun gameplay. Do not let how cute this game looks fool you. This game is difficult if you don’t take it seriously. I found the stages appropriately challenging and the mechanics engaging. I played the game on Easy, which was appropriate for my skill level. Although I never found the stages impossible or frustrating, it was easy to wipe if I wasn’t playing strategically. If you’ve never played a strategy game, it has terrific tutorials to get you started.

The story is a little on the silly side, with a general cheesiness I found charming. It has a cast of tremendous actors that make the cut scenes such a delight to sit through. I can see this being a niche game due to its tone, but the gameplay is fun enough that it won’t matter. The story is self-contained enough to exist on its own. While you won’t need to play any of the other games in the series to enjoy Disgaea 7, you are going to. 

Aside from the combat, what I love most about this game is how much you can do at the base. Between stages, you get access to all these shops where you recruit new heroes, learn new skills, buy items, vote for buffs, and do other administrative stuff to prepare for the next stage. As goofy as this game looks, I spent a lot of time planning things through, and I loved every minute of it. 

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless releases in North America on October 3rd on PlayStation, Steam, and Switch for $59.99. If it’s not yet on your wishlist, it should be. 

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Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown might be the next action-platformer I add to my collection

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Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the last game from September’s Nintendo Direct that I am excited about. There are other games from the Direct that I won’t be covering because they didn’t draw enough of my attention. Make sure you check out the official Nintendo of America YouTube channel to catch anything I missed.

The Lost Crown is an action-adventure platformer that brings back a classic IP to the current generation of gaming. The lore is rich, the art is great, and the gameplay looks like a lot of fun. There are some mechanics in the trailer I know I’ll be frustrated with, but that’s only because I suck at platforming. Ever since Nocturnal, I’ve been hungry for another side-scroller. I’m definitely making time to try this game when it comes out.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown releases on January 18 for Xbox, PlayStation, Epic Games, and Nintendo Switch for $49.99. Preorders are open today! 

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video game reviews

Hellsweeper VR was okay, but I could have been playing something better

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I was sent Hellsweeper VR as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let this sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. 

Hellsweeper VR is a roguelike hack-and-slash game for Steam, Quest, and PlayStation VR. You play as a dammed soul trying to repent for your sins. You are tasked with spending your afterlife hunting down demons until your depth is paid, earning your passage to heaven. 

The game has cool flavor and a solid concept, but Hellsweeper is a bit too simple for its own good. Once the novelty of the experience wears off, the game becomes repetitive and boring. You dive into the dungeon and try to get as far as possible before dying and starting over. You start with simple weapons or magic and find upgrades throughout your run or you can buy them in between them. Combat feels clunky, and it grows stale after a while. You have options on how you fight the forces of hell, but I always felt the guns were the best way to go about it. The game tries to shake things up by having you complete different missions during each run, but not all of them are fun. By the end of my first run, there wasn’t any real reason to keep playing. 

The game isn’t bad, but there are better games you can play. Hellsweeper VR isn’t worth the $29.99 it asks for, and even at a discount, your money is better spent elsewhere.  

gaming news

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is out for the Switch, and its pretty cute

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The Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless demo for the Nintendo Switch has been out for a few days, but I finally got to play it. I loved every minute of this demo. The art is cute, the voice acting is fantastic, and the gameplay is engaging. I haven’t played any of the Disgaea games before, and I am regretting my life’s decisions. Disgaea is a cute and quirky strategy RPG coming to PlayStation, Steam, and the Nintendo Switch on October 3rd in the US, the 6th in Europe, and the 13th in Australia.

A tyrant rules the Netherworld of Hinomoto. Its once proud warrior people now live under the Hinomoto Code of Destruction. It is up to two unlikely friends to join forces and bring back the Bushido code that was once the staple of this proud civilization. 

You don’t need to have played any of the other games in the series to enjoy the demo, but you are going to want to. The demo does a fantastic job of walking players through the different mechanics and setting up the story as its own entity. I’ve been excited about Disgaea 7 since it was first announced. This is definitely going to be in my cart at launch. If you are a fan of the series or want some extra swag, you might want to check out the special collector’s edition available at the NIS online store. There are two different sets, one with plushies ($159) and one without ($99.99). I’ll leave the details below. You can buy the plushies separately.

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Without Plushies ($99.99)

  • Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless Limited Edition
  • “The Art of War” Hardcover Art Book
  • “Songs of Honor” 2-Disc Original Soundtrack
  • Steelbook
  • Mini Byoubu Art Display
  • “Netherworld Warriors” Yunomi Tea Cup
  • Collector’s Box

With Plushies ($159)

  • Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless Limited Edition
  • “The Art of War” Hardcover Art Book
  • “Songs of Honor” 2-Disc Original Soundtrack
  • Steelbook
  • Mini Byoubu Art Display
  • “Netherworld Warriors” Yunomi Tea Cup
  • Collector’s Box
  • Lil’ Fuji Plush
  • Lil’ Pirilika Plush