At GDC I got to play the interesting slice-of-life game, Cart Life. This is the most unique game I have ever played. While it may not be for everyone, it does deserve some attention.
I like the contrast between the simple pixel art and the complete narratives it tells. The art style reminds me of the Gameboy Pocket era games. Cart Life lets you play as everyday people as they work their jobs, build relationships, and deal with the hardships of living in a city. As you try to juggle your personal and work life, you realize that it is impossible to balance everything. You will be forced to make some difficult choices.
In the demo, I got to play the Ukrainian immigrant Andrus as he begins his life in the US. During the day, you run his newsstand, and by night you have to care for his cat. At work, I had to set prices, stock shelves, and service my customers. It seems simple, but there were a lot of factors to consider to make sure my day was successful. I didn’t get much time with this game, but I can see how easily everything can stack up and make the game difficult. It was a nice change of pace from what I am used to, but in a great way. I’ll be trying to get a copy for review as soon as I can.
If you like the slice-of-life genre and looking for a game with a strong narrative, you should consider looking into Cart Life. The gameplay is unique, the art is pleasant, and the narrative is award-winning. Cart Life is releasing on PC sometime this year, but there are plans for a console release if it does well. For now, I recommend you wishlist it on Steam and follow it on Twitter.
Game Review: Drop – System Breach
I was given Drop – System Breach as a review code. I am grateful for the opportunity, but I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game.
Drop is a fast-paced hacker simulator for PC that you should consider if you like these types of puzzle games. In a city full of hackers, you must prove your worth. Take odd jobs, join a faction, and test your hacking skills. Do you have what it takes to be the best?
I had to uninstall this game because of how addicted I became to the gameplay. I understand it may not be for everyone, but there is something in its simple gameplay loop that I couldn’t get enough of.
I love the aesthetic of this game. The graphics aren’t high-end, but they are appropriate for the game. It looks like something you would see in a movie or tv show about hacking.
The gameplay loop is simple. You log into a network of computers and start unlocking the network of nodes until you complete the objectives. You will install viruses, steal data, or do anything else a hacker will do. But you will not be without resistance. Systems will have alarms, viruses, and other defenses to obstruct you. The trick to this game is to efficiently manage your resources while you finish the objectives to maximize your profits. The deeper you get into this game, the more you have to mitigate. This game appears simple, but it gets intense.
There is a story, but it isn’t important. There are also factions, but like the story, they only exist to add flavor. If you miss any text, you aren’t missing out on anything important. I read all the messages, and while I appreciate the flavor it added, I noticed a lot of syntax errors. It won’t ruin the game, but it is hard to overlook.
So should you buy this game? It depends. I enjoyed the game way more than I should have, but it is repetitive. The puzzles feel different because the system’s defenses are always different, but the loop will always be the same. If you don’t like the repetitive loop that is common in roguelikes, you won’t like this game. If you don’t mind the reputation, this game is fantastic. The aesthetic is cool, the gameplay is fun, and the soundtrack is fantastic. You can buy Drop – System Breach for $9.99 on Steam. I think it’s worth the money.
GDC Recap: Worldless
I got to try Worldless at GDC, and it was one of the few times I have ever enjoyed a platformer. Worldless is a 2D minimalistic adventure platformer with an interesting battle mechanic. This game is beautiful, but the game has a great design. You play as this character of light and travel through this abstract world, fighting against monsters and marveling at how pretty everything is.
As far as platformers go, this one isn’t that bad. According to the game’s producer, the devs wanted to make the focus of the game its combat system. I don’t like platformers, but I found the experience pleasant and relaxing. I particularly loved how the world changes around the main character as you move her through the world. This feature was implemented to keep players from getting lost, and it works perfectly. It also looks great in practice.
The combat is where I had the most fun with the game. Combat is turn-based, but there is a slight rhythm mechanic to it. You can easily button-mash between turns to get through fights, but it is more efficient to get the timing correctly. The loop is simple. On your turn, you cast spells and abilities, and on theirs, you block. There are elemental weaknesses, resistances, and other quirks to keep combat engaging. Worldless also features a relatively expansive skill tree that you fill by absorbing monsters or finding hidden nodes. You can fill up the whole tree, so make sure you explore everything!
The demo does a fantastic job at slowly introducing mechanics as you explore the world and builds up perfectly to a final boss. The game design for this game is terrific, and I appreciate the attention to detail that went into the making of this experience. If you pay attention, the encounters give you enough hints to make the final boss fight easier. I was told that the boss in the demo isn’t as hard as the bosses in the full game, but I was also told that I was one of the few to beat it on the first try. I found the encounter to be challenging enough to keep me engaged. I wouldn’t have been able beat the boss without a solid strategy or proper game design.
If you like RPGs and platformers, you should be looking into Worldless. The combat is fun and engaging, the platforming is relaxing, and the game is beautiful. I loved my limited exposure to this game, and I look forward to its release.
Worldless is coming to the PC and Xbox sometime this year, but an official date hasn’t been announced. The Demo is available on Steam, and I highly recommend you go download it. Don’t forget to wishlist it while you’re there!
Shout out the Dev who was so kind and answered all my questions. Make sure you follow them on Twitter and Join the Discord so that you are always up to date!
Wildfrost
Wildfrost is a cute new deck builder coming to the Switch and PC on April 12, 2023. Use the power of your cards to face off against the dangers Wildfrost has to offer to save your friends. Do you have what it takes to end this eternal winter?
I love card games and deck builders so this will be a must-buy for me. The art is super cute and the gameplay looks interesting. If you can’t wait for the 12th, there is a demo for the switch you can try. I might check out the demo later if I can, but I will definitely be adding this game to my collection. Pre-order it today on the Nintendo Switch or Steam.
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.
Game Review: Escape From the Red Planet
I was sent Escape From the Red Planet as a review code, and while I am very grateful for the opportunity, I am not letting it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.
Escape From the Red Planet is a mars themed tower defense for PC. Take control of an astronaut stranded on a dusty red planet. Build up your defenses against the onslaught of hostile wildlife while you wait for rescue. Can you survive long enough to see another day?
As far as tower defense games go, the mechanics are simple. The resource management in this game is streamlined to timers. Your survival relies on how well you can manage your time and resources. If you aren’t efficient in managing your time and resources, this game can be punishing. Don’t let this game’s simplistic style fool you; it can get intense if you aren’t careful.
The game has you defend a single point that you bolster with defenses that slowly decompose with time. As the hordes become more diverse, the trick is finding a combination that doesn’t leave you broke and defenseless. To minimize the time you are waiting on timers, you will be switching between the top-down build mode and the first-person turret mode. There is still a bit of waiting, but it doesn’t feel as bad.
There is a story for this game, but it acts more like a tutorial. Each level introduces a new mechanic and enemy before leaving the player to fend for themselves. I thought this was a clever way of teaching players the game without having to sit through slow tutorial levels. This means the story is pretty basic and only serves to move a player to the next level. There is a last-stand mode that isn’t worth your time without meaningful gameplay changes and a survival mode that unlocks only after you beat the campaign. I wish the survival mode were available from the start, but maybe they wanted to have something players could work towards.
So is this game worth buying? I love the art, the music is nice, and the gameplay relaxing. My issue is that it is repetitive, and I found long sessions of this game impossible. Whether or not you should make the purchase will come down to pricing. $5-$10 is the range where I would consider the game worth the money. Anything more would be paying too much for a game that is essentially a mobile app. If you aren’t a fan of tower defense games, I don’t see you getting much value from it. If you are a fan of the genre, this is a relaxing change of pace that you can pick up when you don’t have the time to get into anything more meaningful. Escape from the Red Planet releases on March 14, 2023, but no pricing is available. Til then, you can wishlist it on Steam.
Now for a shameless plug, check out Canva. If you need a quick and easy photo or video editor that works in your browser, try Canva. It is free, easy to use, and you get access to a wide selection of templates for those who are like me and aren’t that creative. Check out my affiliate link today!
Game Review: Inkulinati
I was sent Inkulinati to review my blog. I am grateful for the opportunity, but will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.
Inkulinati is a 2D turn-based strategy game with a unique art style and gameplay for the PC and Xbox. If you enjoy strategy games, you should look into this game. While it may seem like a cute and quirky game, its unforgiving AI mechanics will prove otherwise. This is the type of game that can prove punishing if you aren’t paying attention.
Inkulinati is a beautiful game. I love the art style, and the animation made me smile. The music and ambient sound are fantastic. If you want a relaxing yet somewhat stressful gaming session, you need to check out this game. I only found this game is stressful because I am not good at strategy games. Most people are smarter than me and will have a better time. This game felt a lot like chess but with a few extra steps.
The story is quirky and silly but nothing too deep. You won’t need to take notes to know what is going on. If you find yourself stuck on certain levels, it is easy to lower the difficulty and start over. I also suggest you look through the tutorials included in the main menu. The campaign gives players a nice foundation of the mechanics, but it is nice to go back to something you might have forgotten. This game will punish your lack of efficiency, so it is best to be proficient in at least the fundamentals. The game also has bot matches available from the start. I enjoyed these matches more than the campaign. The campaign isn’t bad, I just wasn’t smart enough. I enjoyed the freedom in this mode. I got to try out different maps, difficulties, and units without some of the limitations of the campaign. I mostly enjoyed the bot matches because I won more of them.
When I finally got the mechanics and found the right difficulty for my skill level, I enjoyed the game. It was cute, it was relaxing, and I was engaged in the strategy. While this isn’t a game I would buy for myself because I am not a fan of the genre, I can see someone who is a fan enjoying it. If you are in the market for a strategy game that isn’t competitive but still offers a challenge, give Inkulinati a chance.
You can play this game on Steam, GoG, and Xbox for $24.99. If you like this type of strategy, it’s worth the money. It’s also on Game Pass!
Octopath Traveller II Demo
The Octopath Traveller II demo is out now, so I had to give it a try. I played it on the Switch, but the demo is also playable on Steam and PlayStation. I loved the original Octopath traveler, so I have been rightfully excited for this sequel’s release. I am a huge fan of the art, the gameplay is solid, and although the story is a bit lacking, it was good enough to finish.
The demo lets you pick from the eight playable classes and play through the first three hours. If you decide to buy the game, you’re save carry over to the full game. This is a fantastic way to handle a demo because you have nothing to lose.
Honestly, this demo excited me for the release later this month. I played the thief story and was caught off guard by how dark it got. The voice acting is fantastic, and although I’m not a huge fan of the writing style, it did enough to get me hooked. If you are looking for a chill RPG with a decent story and production value, try out this demo. Don’t worry if you haven’t played the first Octopath Traveler. The games are self-contained enough that it doesn’t matter where you start. You might as well start with what is new and shiny.
Octopath Traveller II comes out on February 24, 2023, but you can download the demo today!
Image By Square Enix – IGN, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72138946