Tag Archives: video game

video game reviews

Reus 2: A Cozy Village Builder You Can’t Miss

1 Comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Reus 2 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 enjoy my content, please share this with your friends and check out the free ways you can support me, like using my Amazon affiliate link before you buy anything. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Gaming Accessories

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset.

What is Reus 2?

Reus 2 is a unique village management game where you control the mighty titans of a world to help its inhabitants turn into a powerful civilization. The game is currently available on Steam, with a demo that you should definitely try.

Hook

Before man could walk, titans roamed the vast empty rock. Using their mastery over the elements, they will fill the world with the diverse ecosystems that will cause and fall of many civilizations. Everything from the mountains that line the horizon to the fish that fill the oceans must be strategically placed for a mighty civilization to flourish. Will your choices be the catalyst for the greatest group of man to fill the universe, or will they be stunted by your many wrong choices?

Gameplay Loop

Players will take control of three different titans. Each titan controls an aspect of the planet. The earth titan creates minerals and rises deserts, the grass titan creates plants and rises forests, and the water titan fills the oceans and creates animals. Space is limited on the planet, and players must decide how to spread each type of land, resource and tribe. Each tribe will spend time interacting with the environment players construct around them, and grow accordingly. Players will guide the people on their planet through the different ages.

While the game does look cute and simple, Reus 2 has a lot of nuanced mechanics that players will need to master in order to succeed. The game features a very helpful tutorial and an easy to access guide to help players. I recommend reading the guide often or looking up other helpful guides online. I went in blind, and while I had a lot of fun, I definitely bricked my runs.

Review

Reus 2 is a cozy feeling village builder with enough depth and difficulty to keep players engaged. With the recent free Keuger update and a couple of fresh expansions to freshen up the content, now is a fantastic time to pick up the title.

Aesthetic

I love the simple 2.5D artstyle. The game has a very cozy vibe, and simple effective animations that not only make the game run smooth, but give the game its charm. Reus 2 also has a fantastic sound track, and the soundscape is very immersive. I would recommend you check out the game for the art itself, but the gameplay is why you need to try this game at least once.

Gameplay

The game runs very smooth, especially on my Nvidia 3060. It may not be the best card on the market, but it gets the job done.

The gameplay loop itself is the perfect blend of relaxing idle game with enough difficult resource management to keep players engaged. The game can be difficult, especially if you aren’t paying attention or take the time to learn the mechanics. This is very smart game with flavorful mechanics to help it stand out against the rest of the genre. I usually go into village builders blind and learn by trial and error, but I hit a wall very fast because I was clearly not paying attention. Your millage my vary.

Does it work on the Steam Deck?

It does, but the font is a little small. Some people will not mind, but I am old and couldn’t read a lot of the text. It became more effort than it was worth, but it does work if you have good eyes. I prefer using a key board and mouse personally though, and having a big scream made the expience a lot more comfortable.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a new village builder, Reus 2 is an incredibly unique option that you shouldn’t sleep on. The game has a very cozy vibe, but offers enough of a challenge to keep you thinking. This game looks good, feels good, and is going to be hard to put down, especially when you get so close to the next age. I recommend you get this even as a first village builder because it is a fantastic example.

You can pick up Reus 2 on Steam, or check out the demo if you don’t believe me. I will be trying out the first expansion soon, so stay tuned for that review. If you’re looking for a fun and quirky village builder, check out SteamWorld, or Fabledom if you want a little fantasy.

video game reviews

Onirism Review: A Whimsical Action Adventure

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Onirism 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 enjoy my content, please share this with your friends and check out the free ways you can support me, like using my Amazon affiliate link before you buy anything. It really helps me out if you do.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Onirism

Onirism is a is an adorable action RPG out now on Steam.

Story

Bunbun has been stolen, and Carol will do anything in her power to get her stuffed rabbit back. Armed with the worlds most unique and powerful weapons, Carol will fight her way through endless waves of enemies to get her bunny back. Jump through the different zones, master the different genres, and get back what’s yours. How long before Carol and Bunbun can be reuinited?

Gameplay Loop

Onirism is a fast paced action adventure game. Carol travels across an open world, fighting off monsters, and collecting different weapons and abilities to help her on her journey. Combat in this game is a third person shooter, where players have access to a vast arsenal of weapons to choose from. Each gun feels different and changes the combat enough to keep things fresh and exciting. Enemies are all fun and unique, providing enough of a challenge to keep players on their toes. Remember, the game does not save automatically. Players will need to find save points to heal Carol and save their progress. Dying before hitting one of these zones will reset the game to the last save on file. Plan accordingly.

Review

Onirism is a cute and fun game with a lot of spirit, but it is not finished. Although there have been daily updates since I’ve downloaded the game, there is is some noticeable roughness. Sometimes the game will break, other times times you will lose a lot of frames. When the game works well, the game is as addicting as it is adorable.

Aesthetics

The game is a flavorful adventure through childish wonder and whimsy. Each zone is unique with a lot of content to explore. The monsters are cute and creative, with frightening bosses controlling them. The artstyle only adds to the stories playful and silly tone in a way that makes the game incredibly wholesome. It is the game’s art and tone that drew me to the game, but it is the gameplay that does it for me.

Gameplay

When the game works, it is a lot of fun. Combat is fast paced and exciting, the boss fights are creative, and the jumping puzzles are manageable. There is also a good amount of exploration to be done. The problem is the game doesn’t feel finished. There are a lot of bugs and noticeable performance issues that do take away from the immersion. Frames will drop, there is a bit of stuttering, and the game crashed once or twice during my playthrough.

Although there is controller support, the tutorial is only for keyboard and mouse. The game isn’t really optimized for controller at this stage of development. You might have to do a bit of tweaking, but aiming feels bad compared to keyboard and mouse. If you are playing with keyboard and mouse, you might need to do some remapping. On my playthrough, left was mapped to the wrong key by default. It is an easy fix, but it means the game isn’t ready to play out of the box.

While Onirism does feel unfinished, there have been daily patches since I’ve downloaded the game. The devs are hard at work on a game they are clearly passionate about. While the game will need a couple of updates before it can be in a good position, I at least have some confidence that they are working on it.

Conclusion

Onirism is a cute adventure game, and I loved every minute of it. Now keep in mind the game is not finished yet. The roughness is the biggest factor of whether or not you buy this game. If you don’t mind the immersion breaking bugs and performance issues, the game has enough substance and heart to keep you engaged. There is a lot of content to explore, and a lot of interesting ideas to keep the game interesting. But if the roughness is going to be a problem, I would wait for a couple of patches. This might be a very ambitious game, and the devs clearly need more time and support. I loved it, but it can definitely be better.

You can pick up Onirism on Steam. If you are in the market for another janky action adventure game, check out Star Overdrive.

video game reviews

Exploring Forgotten Eras: A Metroidvania Preview

1 Comment

Disclaimer

I was asked to review an early demo for Forgotten Eras. I understand the game is not finished yet, and will be a bit more lenient. That said, this will be my honest impression of the game.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is Forgotten Eras?

Forgotten Eras is a 2.5d metroidvania coming to Steam sometime soon. No date has been announced yet, but you can go play the demo now.

Story

A group of shamans has broken the seal of the forgotten rune magic and unleashed an evil upon the world. The magic spreads catastrophe across the land, it is up to the young hero Ivan to step it. With the aid of Grey Wolf, Ivan will need to travel long distances, solve puzzles, and defeat anything that stands in his way. Can he harness the power of Gray Wolf before it is too late? Can he make it to the Baba Yaga hut?

Gameplay

Forgotten Eras is your classic metropolitan. Players will move across 2D jumping puzzles and collecting the rune magic they need to save the world. What makes this game unique are the Grey Wolf powers that bumps the game up half a dimension. Gray Wolf can climb, jump across long distances, and bend the environment.

Combat

Combat is simple. Players can attack with their sword and sure a few different skills to defeat their enemies. The key to any fight is learning the enemies attack pattern, and knowing when to dodge and attack. The if you’ve played any metroidvania, this game does little outside of the usual formula.

Review

In its current state, Forgotten Eras is a hard to recommend because it didn’t leave much of an impression. There nothing tangible, outside of the wolf, that makes it stand out against other games in the genre. Bugs aside, the game wasn’t fun enough nor the hook good enough to keep me engaged. The problem with this game is that there are better metroidvania games you could be playing Dragon is Dead. Unless the game comes out with smooth performance and some more engaging and memorable content, it will be one of those games you’ll have to wait for to go on sale. I am willing to give it another try because the game isn’t bad, it just isn’t very memorable.

If you are looking for a new metroidvania game to play, check out the Forgotten Eras demo, but I would wait for a couple more updates. If you need a good metroidvania to try before the game releases, check out Astlibra Revision, Tevi, or my personal favorite, Worldless.

video game reviews

Exploring the Dark World of Tormented Souls 2

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Tormented Souls 2 to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is Tormented Souls 2?

Tormented Souls 2 on Steam is an old school feeling survival horror game out now on Steam.

Story

The Walker sisters thought they were safe after the events at Wilderberger Hospital, but fate has other plans for them. Thinking they would get to enjoy a peaceful retreat in the mountains, the two sisters make their way to a secluded convent. Unfortunately, what meant to be therapy and relaxation turns into a nightmare. The trip was a setup, and Caroline now finds herself alone in a dark and empty building with creatures lurking in the shadow. With the help of her super natural abilities, and any supplies she finds along the way, she must find her sister and survive what ever darkness chases after her. Can she find her sister and leave this place before it is too late?

Gameplay

Tormented Souls 2 is a 3rd person horror survival game modeled after the classic era of gaming. Players will explore the map looking for clues and supplies while avoiding danger. Tourmented Souls 2 is essentially an unforgiving puzzle game. This is a game where healing and ammo is limited, and being precise, stealthy and efficient is key. The game has combat with enemies that have specific weaknesses. Knowing the weaknesses is key to survival. You can brick your run if you aren’t careful, even on the easier difficulties. If you don’t pick items or do events in a certain order, you are going to have a bad time.

Review

Tormented Souls 2 is a proper nod to the classic horror survival genre. Its horrifying atmosphere kept me completely on edge, while the story and puzzles kept me engaged. The biggest issue with the game is its difficulty. This is a hard and unforgiving game with very little saving. If you want a challenge game with a solid story that will scare you, Tormented Souls 2 is a solid choice.

The Story

The game is a sequel, but you don’t need to play the first game to understand the events of the second. I definitely want to now because I want to know what happens, but I never felt like I lost by the story.

Tormented Souls 2 has an excellent horror story with some great voice acting. As scared as I got with the game, I had trouble putting it down because I needed to know what happened. The pacing is good, and if you can overcome the game’s difficulty, it is long enough to get the job done.

Gameplay

Tourmented Souls 2 will scratch that Resident Evil itch we all get from time to time. The game is a little on the darker side. I think it is intentional, but it does make some parts of the game frustrating. The lack of camera control is also a point of frustration, but it’s fine for telling its story. The game’s difficulty is what makes the game hard to recommend. Tourmented Souls 2 is a dark and twisted puzzle. It is very unforgiving if you aren’t paying attention or if you don’t complete the tasks in order. The game doesn’t offer a lot of save points, so players will have to redo a lot of their progress.

The survival elements add a lot of tension to the game, and if you aren’t careful, a lot of stress. I was constantly low on health struggling to get to the next point, and that is going to turn off a lot of players. If you are new to the game, know that this is done by design. You might need to restart the game if you mess up like I did, so it might be good idea to look up a guide. I don’t like guides because I wanted to be surprised, but having to restart the game because there is literally nothing you can do to progress the game is frustrating.

Conclusion

Tormented Souls 2 isn’t going to be for everyone. This is an unforgiving horror game that can be difficult if you aren’t careful and paying attention. Not being able to save often means there is a lot of repetition, but it also means you can strait up ruin a run. That said, the horror is very well designed. The atmosphere is spooky, the tension is choking, and the monsters are terrifying. I had a lot of trouble finishing this game because it freaked me out, but I also don’t do very well with horror games. Regardless, I liked the story enough to power through. I definitely think I need to check out the first one, but I don’t think it is necisarry. If you are looking for some good survival horror and don’t mind the difficulty, pick up Tormented Souls 2 on Steam.

video game reviews

Experience Dreamout: An Alpaca’s Wacky Journey

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Dreamout 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.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is Dreamout?

Dreamout is a ridiculous rpg about a drunken alpaca and her wild adventure to find a talking skeleton’s body. The game is out now on Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam and GoG

Hook

After another night of heavy drinking, you find yourself having to help a talking skull find his body. With the help of your trusty sword and a bit of booze to fend off the hangover, you set off on one of your weirdest adventures yet. Fight off mobs of strange enemies, solve puzzles, do all the side quests you can, and get that skull his body back. With plenty of booze to keep this buzz going, there is nothing that can stand in your way.

Gameplay

In some ways, Dreamout is your typical hack-and-slash adventure. Players take control of their quirky protagonist and travel across the game’s strange world on an even stranger adventure. Players move from quest to quest, unlocking fighting off enemies, completing quests, and solving puzzles. There is a very simple combat system, and a fishing system to break the game up. There is also a hat system for those who want a little customization in their rpgs.

Combat

Combat in Dreamout is very simple and approachable for a hack-and-slash. Players have access to a simple sword attack and dodge. Enemies will telegraph their attacks, range, and target. Although timing can be tricky, dodging attacks is pretty easy. Getting three hits on an an enemy kills them.

A player can die, but death doesn’t have consequences. Death resets players to the last check point without any draw backs, and the game is pretty generous with its checkpoints.

Adventure

The game is short, and the story is a rail road. Players experience linear progression between quests with very little room to deviate or explore the strange world. The game does a lot in the little space that it has, but it is an adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you are looking for a silly game with a lot of spirit, Dreamout is a solid contender.

Review

Dreamout is a very silly take on the RPG genre, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While the tone and gameplay make a niche title, its quirky spirit gives it enough charm that it is worth some consideration.

Story

The story is ridiculous, full of puns and jokes that don’t always land. The silly tone does make it a refreshing take on the genre, but the humor isn’t going to be for everyone. I love that this game doesn’t take itself serious, and although the game does get cheesy, it was a nice change of pace from what I usually play. That said, the story isn’t anything special and unless you need a silly story like this in your life, it isn’t going to make much of an impression.

Art and Aesthetic

Dreamout‘s whimsical artstyle makes the game delightful. I love the character’s silly design, and I appreciate the amount of detail that went into the world building. The game gets very creative with its weirdness.

Difficulty

Dreamout leans more on the casual side of gaming. Combat is simple and easy to maneuver, and the puzzles aren’t hard. This is the game to play when you want to shut off for a couple hours and do something silly. There isn’t enough depth for a second playthrough, but there is enough of a challenge force some engagement. I enjoyed the games casual nature because it fit with the overall silly tone of the game.

Puzzles

While none of the puzzles require a guide, they were fun and creative. I wouldn’t play this game if you are looking for a real puzzle game, but I do appreciate that the puzzles gave me a break from combat. Some puzzles do feel like buzy work as you work from one quest to the next, but overall, they were fun enough to keep me playing till the end.

Performance

Aside from one game breaking bug, the game plays fine. I only had to reset the game once because I didn’t get the item I needed to move to the next part of the map, but luckily I didn’t have to repeat too much of the game. Best of all, the game works great on the Steam Deck. I prefer these kinds of games on handheld.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a silly game to spend a couple hours on, Dreamout has a solid enough loop to make it worth at least a playthrough. It is a small game with a lot of heart, but not enough to make it replayable. You won’t hate the few hours you spend beating the game, but not all of the jokes are going to land and some people will be turned off by the lack of danger. I say its worth $10, if you are looking for a less serious hack-and-slash.

You can pick up Dreamout on Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam and GoG. If you are looking for something with a little more depth, check out Sunokuni.

video game reviews

UltraGirl Alters Demo Review: First Impressions and Gameplay

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was asked to cover the UltraGirl Alters demo for my blog. I understand this isn’t the full game, and will be a bit more lenient with my review. That said, this will be my honest review of the demo.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is UltraGirl Alters?

Ultragirl Alters is an SRPG out now on Steam, with a demo available for anyone who wants to try it.

You have been hired as the manager for the virtual idol group, Alters. When you aren’t busy helping each girl navigate their hectic social lives, you’ll be guiding through battle against the waves of enemies that threaten the city. Each girl Each girl where’s her unique Tokusatsu-style hero suit that you can upgrade as you gain experience. Can you keep the world safe from monsters while becoming the world’s greatest idol group? What secrets will you uncover along the way?

Gamplay

UltraGirl Alters is a turn based strategy game with a few social mechanics to break up the story.

Social Events

The game has a cute chibi mode where the player can experience the story. During this part of the game, players will build their relationship with each of the girls helping them through the game’s many side missions. Leveling these bonds unlock special events that add a bit of flavor or world building. Players also get to explore a bit of the world, but it is very limited. Mostly, the chibi half of the game is where the player collects the story and learns the dark secrets behind the evil corporation that controls everything.

Combat

Players take control of the girls in their Tokusatsu-style suits as they fight off waves of monsters. Each girl has their unique set of abilities and skill that can be leveled up through experience. Each girl can move and take an action per round. Girls can either make a basic attack or use one of their abilities during their action, if they have enough energy. Basic attacks generate the energy needed to cast an ability. The key to combat is to position effectively while using your resources efficiently.

Impressions

While there are a few aspects of this game that I liked and got me interested, I definitely need to see more. Overall, the game is fine, but I can see it being a niche game made for an intended audience.

Art

If you like anime, then you will appreciate the character design. UltraGirl Alters definitely has its waifu bait, and that isn’t a bad thing. The girls are cute, but there is a bit of fan service. I like when I can play my waifu games in public. For the combat part, I think the level design is too busy. It was hard to make out what was going on most of the time, and the suits don’t look very cool. As for the exploration parts, you are either going to love the chibi design or hate it. I think the chibi art is cute, but found the story a little lacking.

Story

The Demo only plays through the tutorial a bit of the intro. While it isn’t enough to judge the quality of the story, there is nothing in the intro that hooked me. The biggest issue I have with what is available is the writing. It is a little awkward in parts and a little cheesy in others. This might be due to translation issues. Unless the full game leans into the silliness and carries a light-hearted narrative with fun characters I care about, I don’t see me finishing this game. The story isn’t the worst, but considering art, tone, and gameplay, I rather be playing Disgea 7.

Gameplay

Combat is interesting for the first few round before it grows a little stale. Enemies feel a little unfair, and the busy map makes it hard to tell what is going on. You are either going to enjoy this type of combat or hate it, and I certainly wasn’t a fan. Maybe it gets better in later levels, and I am willing to give it a try just in case. Unfortunately, based on the demo alone, when it comes to chibi turn-based combat, I rather be play Disgea 7.

Conclusion

If you like the SRPG style combat and don’t mind the over-the-top (sometimes poorly written) cutesy tones of the story, I still recommend you check out the demo first. I think the combat is a little too simple for what you’re getting. The social chibi bits are cute, but they don’t add enough to the game to make them worth it. I think the game is cute and has its potential, but I need to see more of it before I can recommend it. For now, I recommend you check out the demo and wait for the sale.

You can pick up your copy of UltraGirl Alters on Steam.

video game reviews

Discover the Thrills of Godbreakers: A Co-op Adventure

1 Comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Godbreakers to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is Godbreakers?

Godbreakers is a co-op action roguelike coming to Steam on October 23rd. Make sure you check out the demo, and don’t forget to wishlist!

Hook

Humanity is gone, but fate still has use for its existence. The AI we created to save the world has taken over. It now spreads across the universe, devouring planets. You have been resurrected from the void of eternity to stop its spread. Use your newly found powers to travel across the universe and destroy the AI before it is too late. Can you save the universe from something you created?

Game

Experience fast-paced fluid combat in this action-packed roguelike adventure. Team up with your friends or brave the universe alone in this chaotic story of salvation. There are six distinct planets to conquer, each with unique and memorial bosses guarding them. Be careful, the path to the boss will be full of traps and enemies who thirst for your blood. Customize your champion with powers and abilities you discover through play and become the ultimate warrior. What secrets will you uncover along the way?

Gameplay

I played this game solo, and can only talk about the solo experience, but the essence of the game is the same for both modes.

The Lobby

Players will all start in a lobby where they can customize their character’s appearance, abilities, and archetypes. Everyone starts with the same character, the spear, and unlock more as they complete the various objectives through normal play. Additional characters can be unlocked by beating certain bosses for example. There are cosmetic unlocks that don’t affect the gameplay, but offer players the opportunity to add some personality. When players are ready for a run, they can start a countdown that can be cancelled at any time. The Lobby is a good place to plan for the next run, or take a break.

The Run

Players will start a run by choosing a planet to explore. Players run through the level, beating the various waves of enemies. Each world has a boss and mini-boss with their unique flavor and attack pattern. In true roguelike fashion, players will unlock random abilities, skills, and upgrades from enemies they defeat. They can also buy upgrades and abilities from the vendor at the end of the level if they have enough currency.

Health

Healing in this game is extremely limited. Players can only heal through the pots given to them at the start of a run. There is no way to refill. Once you run out, you are on your own. You can buy some at the vendor at the end, but resources are so limited, it sort of feels like a waste. The run is over when the players HP drops to zero, a run is successful if they manage to beat the bosses.

Combat

Godbreakers has a very fast-paced combat system. Players have access to a basic/heavy attack, a special ability based on their archetype, and a dodge. There is a combo system in place that tests the players efficiency. For maximum DPS, players need to know how to dodge and combo efficiently. It helps to learn enemy attack animation and patterns, especially in the boss fights. Each archetype has their unique playstyle and strategy, so make sure you test them all out on the test dummy in the lobby.

Review

I really enjoyed Godbreakers for its flavor, story, and unique fast-paced combat sytstem. Although the game has its bugs, the game works well enough to earn at least a demo run.

Flavor

I love the cartoonist style because it gives the game its almost whimsical vibe. While the worlds are a little empty, the devs do a good job at making it work. While players can’t explore worlds outside the predetermined path, the maps do enough to feel expansive. The simple design helps shift the focus on smoother combat, especially multiplayer combat. I would say in that regard, it is mostly successful.

Players are either going to love the character art or hate it. The customization does have some ugly pieces I will never touch, but I am sure there is an audience for every piece. I found some pieces to work towards, and the art animation is cool enough where it all works. The bosses are all cool and flavorful, and I liked exploring the different zones to find out more.

Story

Godbreakers has a fun story with an interesting hook and fantastic voice actors. Each world had messages that players can collect and decode. Decoding them unlocks voice lines from the different bosses. I had a lot of fun collecting these because it not only gave the bosses their personality, but it did a good amount of world building. The game may not have very deep lore and story, but it does enough to give it substance as you plug away at the grind.

Unique Combat

Godbreakes‘ unique combat system is why you should buy this game. I love that each archetype feels different, and switching between characters, and even just changing the abilities breathed new life to the game. There is a bit of a repetitive grind, but nothing out of the ordinary for the genre. The RNG does a decent job at making the runs feel unique, without the bad RNG to ruin a run.

Combat is a lot of fun, but it offers enough of a challenge to keep things engaging. I was constantly having to think about my moves in order to conserve my HP for the final boss. The Godbreak mechanic is a lot of fun. Getting to take an enemies ability and use it during battle is not only such a cool idea, it gave combat at bit of depth.

The boss fights were a lot of fun. Once I memorized the patterns, it just became a skill issue and that is perfectly fine. I love how the bosses change their tactics and become more aggressive the lower you get. This not only adds to the flavor and fantasy, but it makes combat more intense. It was very satisfying to finally beat a boss that I had trouble with. Unlocking the cosmetic was a nice bonus.

Bugs

The game does have a few noticeable bugs that I need to mention. Frames would drop randomly, the game would stutter, but I never got it to crash. I never hit a run ending bug, but there were enough of them present that they became hard to ignore. The devs are aware of the bugs and are working on fixing them, but if this sounds like an issue, I’d wait for a few patches.

Conclusion

If you are looking for an action roguelike with a fun combat system and cool flavor, grab your friends and pick up Godbreakers. You can pick your copy or check out the demo on Steam. If you want to check out another one cool action game, check out Strayed Lights.

video game reviews

Forgotten Fragments Review: A Challenging 2D Platformer

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Forgotten Fragments 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.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is Forgotten Fragments?

Forgotten Fragments is a 2D platformer intended for the masochist who loves to struggle through their jumping puzzles. Make sure to check out the demo.

Hook

You wake up in a strange and beautiful world without your memories. Your memories have been scattered across this new landscape in collectable fragments, and it is up to you to collect them all. But this is no simple task. The road is perilous, full of traps and difficult puzzles. Do you have what it takes to conquer this terrain? Do you have what it takes to recover all your memories?

The Game

Brave this challenge alone as you work your way through the campaign, or team up with a friend and share the frustration as you solve unique jumping puzzles. With over 120 puzzles spanning over four unique worlds, Forgotten Fragments has enough content to keep its players busy. Make sure you keep an eye out for hidden collectibles and secret levels. And for those who are a bit more competitive, each level has a time and death counter so you can chase that perfect score. If you like platformers and don’t mind playing through a hard one, check out Forgotten Fragments.

Gameplay

Each world is separated by its collection of uniquely themed jumping puzzles. Puzzles are accessed through doors at a hub, which makes progression manageable. Players must beat all puzzles in a world to progress to the next one. To beat a puzzle, players need to collect all of the available memory fragments within the level. These fragments blow up after a certain amount of time, killing the player. Death resets the level, but it does not reset a run. This means that any progress you make in a level, i.e. collecting memories, will be lost. You will need to do everything again. You can die as many times as it takes to complete the level, but the goal is to die as little as possible and as fast as possible.

Mechanics

To beat a level, players must use the game’s mechanics to not only maneuver the character, but the different objects around them. Sometimes a player needs to throw an object over a pit to use as a platformer. Other times, the player will need to bounce the memory fragment off walls without setting off an explosion. A fragment can blow up if it hits the wrong structure, like a spike. The combination of these mechanics give way for creative solutions to some very interesting puzzles.

Review

Forgotten Fragments is a fantastic platformer, especially if you appreciate a challenge. The game has some very beautiful hand-drawn art that does a good job at catching attention. I am a huge fan of the retro-vibe, but the game’s mechanics create interesting interactions for some very challenging puzzles. There are some seemingly impossible levels, the feeling of satisfaction of finally beating a level is unmatched. If you’re looking for a new platformer, this is the one to try.

Gamplay Loop

The dangerous level design leave the room for some creative solutions. Sometimes you will need to bounce your fragment off walls before it blows up, other times you need to narrowly avoid spike pits to get to collect your fragments. The game starts off hard, but does a good job at slowly adding mechanics over time to make the game feel more manageable. Every time I felt like I mastered the game, it threw something new to complicate things. Mostly, I enjoyed seeing my progress as I moved through the worlds, collecting new skills.

Difficulty

Forgotten Fragments is difficult by design. The game opens up with a disclaimer and the ability to reduce the difficulty. I struggled with the default difficulty, but I never felt a level was impossible. Even though I could have changed the difficulty at any time, I never felt the need. I enjoyed the game enough to keep trying, even at my most frustrated. This is a game where you’re meant to die a lot, so consider that before picking up the controller.

Conclusion

I enjoyed Forgotten Fragments for its unique retro aesthetic and challenging gameplay. Even though I struggled through my playthrough, I appreciate the creativity that went into every level. If you enjoy retro platformers but are looking for a hard one, go check out Forgotten Fragments.

If you enjoy platformers, make sure you also check out Worldless if you’re looking for something more unique and Smurfs, if you need something more cozy to play with your kids.

Uncategorized

Nezori Demo Review: First Impressions of an Anime RPG

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was asked to cover the Nezori demo for my blog. I understand the game isn’t finished yet, and will try to be a bit more lenient with my review. That said, these will be my honest first impressions of the game.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is Nezori?

Nezori is a cute anime themed action RPG planned for Q1 of 2026. The game is essentially a Ys clone with a bit of waifu bait to set it apart. There is a demo available if that sounds like a good time. Don’t forget to wishlist.

The Hook

Atsuko is a young warrior with a promising future. Atsuko is a prodigy with the sword, but a bit too stubborn for her own good. It is this character flaw that sets off the events in this game. When Atsuko learns about a magical hot spring with magical properties that sits on enemy land, she makes it her mission to find it. The springs magical properties would help heal the people in the town, and might even foster a new relationship with the Sothiens.

While there is no direct conflict with Sothiens, there is enough tension between the two nations to spark one. Against the advice of the village elder, Atsuko sets off into enemy land. With her trusty blade in hand, she will vanquish anyone that stands in her way. But what she finds on Sothien land may be a bit more than she bargained for. What will her journey uncover? What truths will she reveal?

Gampeplay

Nezori is a cute Ys clone, with a bit of a social element to pad out the story. The demo only takes players through the first chapter, and some of the missions can’t be complete.

Social Mechanic

Players can take their time and talk to each of the girls in the village. They can give players quests to complete, or are strictly there for a it of world building. They can even join the roster of fighters that will take on the adventure. Each of the girls has a unique style, story, and motivation along with their unique set of abilities. It is up to the player to unlock them all.

Neori will have a meta story for players to go through, but there are a few optional interactions to pad the world. There are side stories and quests that help players learn about the different charactes which can be skipped. Players will need to read through most of the dialogue. While voice acting is in progress for the game’s full release, the demo only has full Japanese voice acting for Atsuko.

The Adventure

Players will load into an area and complete any missions or objectives through action based combat. During combat, players can attack, dodge, use an ability. Each character has their main melee and strong attacks, with unique activated abilities to spice things up. The basic attack charges up the resource used to perform special attacks and abilities. Learning to efficiently dodge, attack, and use items and abilities will be key to surviving the adventure.

Impressions

Nezori is a promising action RPG, but one that needs a bit more work before it earns a recomendation.

Art

The character art for the game is fantastic. Anime fans will definately enjoy the strong cast of waifus on the roster. Each of the girls is unique, with a style that reflects their personality. There is a bit of fan service, but nothing too vulgar. Unfortunately, the art for the rest of the world is a little lacking and I wish it had a bit more substance.

The Game

The game in its current state feels unfinished, which is natural for demo’s at this stage of development. Combat feels a bit janky. The attacks feel slow, and using abilities feels a little clunky. This might have something to do with the minimal amount of animation. This wouldn’t be a problem if the world didn’t feel so empty. The levels are ugly with very little texture to make them pop. Its not a world I want to explore, not that there is much allowable exploration.

I am not a graphics snob. I’ve played minimilistic games I’ve loved like Worldless and Void Sols. Those games worked because while the world was simple, the gameplay was fun. I have no issue if Nezori wants to spend all their money and energy on making cute wiafus and having a minimilist world to fight in, as long as the perfromance is there and combat is fun. In its current incarnation, combat needs a few more tweeks.

The Story

The story is light-hearted, but a bit too cutesy for my taste. I love games with silly stories, Disgae 7 is one of my favorites, but the dialogue in this game can get a little cringey. Some of this may be translation issues, others may be fan service, but it does get a little awkward. If you’re the type of person who likes watching cute girls doing cute things, then the writing shouldn’t be a problem. It isn’t the worst story I’ve ever played through, but it isn’t the reason I am playing this game.

Conclusion

Nezori is an okay action RPG with a few promising elements. I am definately willing to give it a second chance, but it is kind of hard to recomend when you have something like Star Overdrive on the market. But if you like the art and need something to tide you over til the next Ys game, sure. Check out the Nezori demo on Steam and don’t forget to wishlist.

video game reviews

Bye Sweet Carol Review: A Darkly Beautiful Puzzle Adventure

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Bye Sweet Carole 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.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is Bye Sweet Carol?

Bye Sweet Carol is a hand drawn narrative-horror puzzle game that takes players down a long and twisted mystery. It blends fantasy and reality with its Disney inspired art styles to tell a dark and compelling narrative.

The Story

Lana Benton lives in Bunny Hall with a group of other girls as the suffrage movement folds around them in 20th century England. Once a prominent institution where girls learned to be the “ideal” woman, now crumbles and rots with age. Lana and the girls feel the pressure of the oppressive traditions crumbling around them and do their best to get by.

The only light Lana has in her cold and dark life at Bunny Hall is her friendship with Carol. All seems good until the day Carol disappears. Lana suddenly finds herself being torn between two worlds, hers and Corolla, as she tries to find out the truth behind Carol’s disappearance.

Both worlds are full of danger. Although Lana has help, her path won’t be easy. Fight against the encroaching darkness, follow all the clues, and uncover the truth. What really happened to Carol?

Gameplay

Players take control of Lana as they move through the world, looking for clues, and solving puzzles. The game is a 2D side stroller, with the occasional jump scare and quick time event for added tension. As the player progresses through the story, they begin to unlock powers and abilities thanks to their connection to the Kingdom of Corolla. For example, players will get the ability to turn into a rabbit to help them explore the world and solve puzzles. Players can also take control of their allies for additional support. After completing their laundry list of tasks and puzzles, players will be able to find out the truth. If you get stuck, Intoindiegames has a very good guide you can use.

Review

Bye Sweet Carole is one of my favorite games. I love its unique look and feel, and the narrative is fantastic. There are few games that keep it from being perfect, but I was able to overlook them through my playthough. I was fortunate enough to not hit one of the game breaking bugs.

The Art

The art is Bye Sweet Carol‘s biggest draw. I love the classic-style, hand drawn art and the Disney feel. It makes the perfect contrast to the game’s dark story. Behind the cute and wholesome art, is a dark story with a creepy tone that makes it the perfect game for the spooky season. I admire the dev’s ability to make a beautiful Disney-looking game that feels creepy.

The Horror

While I did not have to play this game with all the lights on, it made my heart race. The game has some good jump scares that had me off my seat. The music knows exactly when to change into something more intense to set the mood, and those monsters that chase you are terrifying. There are a good amount of quick time events to player engaged. As someone who is really bad at quick time events, these made the game intense. When the game worked, Bye Sweet Carol is a solid horror game.

Performance

The game runs fine on my Nvidia RTX 3060 and Ryzen 5 5600x. There are a few bugs, and some made the game a little harder, but nothing that was game breaking. At least not for me. I’ve read a few comments that said their game became unplayable, so your mileage may vary. When the story is as good as it is, I am overlook a few bugs to get to the end.

Story

The story is what kept me playing the game. It is a dark and twisted story with a fantastic hook and a great ending. The story does get a little political as it deals with women suffrage. The message is delivered well without being preachy, but don’t play this game if you’re just going to hate on women. To everyone else, this a cool thematic story that deals with loss, grief, and the empowerment of woman. I love the blend of fantasy as a way to hyperbolize and personify the emotions and situations Lana struggles with. Lana’s grief is so powerful that it causes her to dissociate into the fantasy world of Corolla. The blending of the two worlds is very well done, and builds this powerful narrative of grief.

The Puzzles

Most of the puzzles in this game are fine. They are straight forward, creative, and work to tell the stories. Some of the puzzles felt like chore, like having to walk across a map to grab something you forgot because the game isn’t always clear. You are meant to find everything through clever exploration, but there are elements that don’t show up properly and can be easily missed. You might need look up a few solutions, and do a bit of trouble shooting. I never had to restart the game, but I did have to take a few breaks.

Gameplay Loop

The game itself does feel a little bland. There is a lot of walking, and the NPCs aren’t coded very well. NPCs are either godlike and impossible to defeat, or they are dumb. Bugs in this game makes some of the chase sequences annoying. Sometimes, NPCs would pull me out of hiding even when I had done everything right. Other times, I could just trick the NPCs so easily it was like they didn’t exist. Then there are times when I got caught because the input didn’t register. These issues get more apparent the deeper you get into the game. Since the focus is on the art and the story, I guess I can’t expect too much from the game. Just think of Bye Sweet Carole as interactive fiction you have to work extra to unlock.

Conclusion

Despite the game’s flaws, I still loved Bye Sweet Carole. The game has its unique and interesting flare that tells a very important story. It has a cast of fantastic voice actors and beautifully illustrated cut scenes to tell its well written story. If you want to play a cool looking game with a powerful message and can overlook a few bugs in your walking simulator, go pick up Bye Sweet Carole on Steam.

If you’re looking for another beautiful narrative puzzle game, check out Planet of Lana, or Murder on Space Station 52 if you want something sillier.