---

I was sent Backpack Hero as a review code, and while I am grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.

Backpack Hero is a charming little inventory roguelike that deserves a lot more attention. It has a cute art style, a nice soundtrack, and fun gameplay. This game is a lot more fun than an early-access game has the right to be. If you are looking for a chill game that will challenge you, get Backpack Hero.

Dive through procedurally generated dungeons as you fight enemies, find treasure, and manage your inventory. Space in your bag is limited, so choose carefully. How will you brave the unknown? Will you use magic? Poison? Swords? Ninja stars? The choice is yours! (and RNGesus’)

Players start with limited inventory space and gain more as their character levels. Dungeons are full of monsters, treasure, and random events that award players loot to shuffle around. Weapons, items, armor, and potions have unique skills that can interact with each other based on their placement in the backpack. Inventory management is almost like a deck builder as you work towards specific builds by collecting certain items.

As deceptively simple as this game appears, I spent a lot of time theory crafting and optimizing my build only to have my run ended by an enemy or ability I didn’t plan for. Losing was never a frustrating experience in Backpack Hero. I understood my shortcomings and planned for a better run. There are special challenges you can run if the normal game because too easy, but I mostly played in normal because I enjoyed the chill yet challenging vibe that came with it. 

What I liked most about this game is how different every run felt. I never had the same build, even when I started building toward a familiar one. There was always something dumb and alluring I wanted to try. It didn’t always work out, but I had a lot of fun exploring and testing my options. The combat is a little simple. It is turn-based, and what you can do is limited by action points. You spend your action points by casting spells, attacking with weapons, or blocking with shields. I never felt like combat got stale because my strategy was constantly changing. Some runs were more fun than others, but such is life with RNGesus. 

Inventory management is the most important mechanic in Backpack Hero. If you’ve played any MMO or RPG, you’ve become too familiar with the concept. I used to joke that most of my playtime on Guild Wars 2 was spent in my inventory. In Backpack Hero, you will consistently make difficult choices as you arrange and rearrange your bag. What you choose to keep in your bag affects how you play each round, so make sure you choose carefully. There are vendors and special events that will give you access to random and sometimes cool items, a smith that will upgrade your gear, and cursed items that will mess up your whole strategy. I spent a lot of time theory-crafting the perfect build and had a blast doing it, even if I never got impressively far. There are probably guides out there for the most optimal run, but I recommend you fail a couple of times on your own first.

If you have been considering getting this game or looking for a new game to get into, Backpack Hero is worth every penny. It is a cute casual game with enough kick to it to keep you entertained for hours. You can buy Backpack Hero on Steam for $16.99. Now would be a great time to pick it up because it is 20% off ($13.59) until the 13th.

video game reviews

Play the most frustrating match-four game you’ve ever payed! Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine is out today.

June 23, 2023 josechurape Leave a comment

I was sent Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine as a review code. I am very grateful for this opportunity, but won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game.

I covered Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine in a previous post when I got to try the game early at GDC. While I didn’t get to finish the demo, I liked the game enough to want to play more of it. The game is cute, unique, and challenging. After spending more time with the game, my opinions remain mostly unchanged, but I’ve got a few addendums I’d like to make.

Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine is a match-four game like you’ve never played before. Dr. Fetus has created a machine to clone his own Meat Boy. With your help, he will weed out the undesirable traits and build the perfect Meat Boy with what is left. To beat a level, you must match colors to fill the meter while avoiding hazards like saws or missiles. Levels start easy, but they quickly become impossible. Dr. Fetus slowly introduces new hazards that will make levels frustratingly bloodied. Do not be tricked by the false sense of security this game may give you. After completing a set number of levels, you can face off against a boss and move on to a new world. Bosses are hard and are sure to claim a few controllers. 

I enjoyed this game a lot, but it isn’t something I can play to completion. While each level offers unique challenges and mechanics, the gameplay grows stale. As good of a match-four game, as this is, my attention span can only handle so much matching. This is going to be a game you come back to when you want something different, but still want a challenge. Unless you are someone that likes to collect achievements, or good at these kinds of games, I don’t see people finishing this game in one go.

The game’s difficulty is going to be the main barrier to entry. While I didn’t have an issue with the difficulty, I can see how the frustration it generates can kill its enjoyment. Some levels are annoying, and others feel slow because of their mechanics. As frustrated as I got with this game, I still found myself going back for more. The key to enjoying this game is taking breaks. 

So is this game worth it? for $10 it is. The game is easy to get into, challenging enough to keep you invested, and the art is super cute. It is sad watching the clones die, but you quickly get desensitized. This is a great game to buy if you are in the market for a game that isn’t a huge investment. There isn’t a complicated story you need to remember or difficult mechanics to memorize. You can return to this game after long breaks and remember where you left off, and why you put it down in the first place. Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine is a frustrating simple game you will enjoy if you are the cool kind of masochist.

Dr. Fetus Mean Meat Machine is available now for $9.99 on the Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. A demo is also available on the Switch, Steam, and Epic Games Store.

Board Games and TCGs, video game reviews

Tanares Adventures – Ultimate Edition is coming to Kickstarter June 27th and it is going to be the biggest dungeon crawler ever!

June 17, 2023 josechurape 2 Comments

Tanares Adventures returns to Kickstarter on June 27th with some much-needed improvements and more minis than you can handle. If you are looking for a dungeon crawler to get into or simply looking to upgrade the copy you already own, go follow the Kickstarter.

Tanares Adventures is a tabletop dungeon crawler that promises hundreds of hours of gameplay through its many quests, choices, and battles. The game is designed for up to eight players, with solo play in mind for those like me who don’t have eight friends. Players control two four-member teams as they go on an epic adventure and meet at the end. The choices you make matter, so make them wisely.

The combat is unique and interesting. Each hero has a unique stat block and access to certain abilities. Gear cards will give heroes access to additional abilities that will recharge after certain conditions are met. There is a level-up system to get you through your adventure. Combat is done by rolling dice and playing ability cards. Enemies have a seemingly well-designed AI, but I would to test it for myself to confirm. The game encourages teamwork and strategy through its many configurations, choices, and skills.

If you a more in-depth explanation of how to play the game and how combat works, check out The Meeple Marathon video on how to play. He does a fantastic job at breaking down the rules and explaining the game in a way that is easy to understand. Make sure you go follow him for some excellent board game content.

What drew me to this game were its minis, but after seeing some of the gameplay, I am interested either way. This game looks perfect for those who want to dive into another adventure, but don’t want to be bogged down by complicated rules. From what I saw Tanares Adventures seems easy to pick up, set up, and play. 

If you want to buy the base game with the minis, you will have to back the game at $189. This gets you 100 minis, inserts to store them in, and all the maps and components you need to get started. The more money you throw into this game, the prettier your game will be. Higher tiers will have access to more minis and storage solutions. But if you only care about the gameplay, you can back the project at $129 to get the Standee Edition. The standee edition gets all the maps and core components, and access to stretch goals, but will receive cardboard standees instead of the minis. There are also some upgrade packages available for those of you who already bought the game. 

Tanares Adventures looks might be worth looking into if you are in the market for a new dungeon crawler. The art is beautiful, the concept is interesting, and the minis are amazing. I can see myself using the maps and minis for my D&D campaign. Whatever your interest in this game may be, make sure you follow the Kickstarter so you know when it goes live. Backers who pledge at least $89 on the first day will receive a really cool dragon mini as a special gift.

video game reviews

Nocturnal, the puzzle platformer where you get to solve it with fire!

June 14, 2023 josechurape Leave a comment

I was sent Nocturnal as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will keep my review honest.

Nocturnal is a unique Metroidvania game with an interesting mechanic and a beautiful art style. You play as a soldier who returns after years at war to find his home afflicted by an evil darkness. As you investigate the cause, you will face off against the monsters that now inhabit the island, dodge deadly traps, and fight citizens afflicted by the darkness. Will your flame be strong enough to rid the land of this darkness, or will you fall victim to its inescapable allure?

What makes this game unique is its light and dark mechanic. You have learned to wield the flame as your own. Use it to light your way through the shadow, fight shadow monsters, solve puzzles, and even heal yourself. But beware, your flame isn’t permanent. If you don’t tend to your flame, it will go out. Stay in the dark too long, and the shadows will consume you.

Like any other Metroidvania game, you have to memorize enemy locations, attack patterns, and trap locations. What makes Nocturnal unique is that you also have to memorize fire sources. Your flame is on a timer. The only way to recharge it is by hitting lit torches. Torches are scattered throughout the levels, but not all of them are permanent. Some traps and monsters will snuff out your flame, leaving you helpless. I loved this mechanic because of how creative it is implemented, and how intense it makes certain moments of the game.

There is a story to this game, but you won’t need charts to keep it straight. I enjoyed the flavor it adds to the world, but I enjoyed the gameplay more. Even though I am bad at this game, I had a lot of fun with this game. The art is beautiful, the music is fantastic, and the puzzles were creative. The combat can feel a little repetitive at times, but I didn’t find it to be an issue. If you are a fan of the genre, Nocturnal needs to be in your library. If you have never played a game in this genre, this is a great place to start. If you are a veteran of the genre, there is a harder difficulty, permadeath, and some nifty speed run features you might want to check out. 

You can pick up your copy of Nocturnal on Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox for $19.99, and Steam for $16.99.

Gaming News and Review