Tag: Mini Reviews
Mini Review Creature in the Well - A Unique, Stylish Spin on Arcade Action
Pinball hazard
Creature in the Well is a striking indie game in more ways than one. This action title makes a strong first impression with its dreamy music, beautiful art style, and smooth performance, but it holds your interest beyond that with an intriguing tale and some pretty interesting gameplay. A town is trapped in an everlasting sandstorm,...
Mini Review Operencia: The Stolen Sun - Old-School Dungeon Crawler with a Modern Feel
Praise the Sun
Zen Studios has crafted a delightful first-person dungeon crawler with Operencia: The Stolen Sun, giving strong nods to classic games such as Wizardry while also putting its own modern spin on things. This is a gorgeous looking game that places as much emphasis on its Central European folklore-inspired story as it does on exploring...
Mini Review Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy - A Wonderful Treasure from Star Wars' Glory Days
Jedi business
Coming hot off the heels of the acclaimed Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Jedi Academy is a surprisingly robust experience given its short development cycle. Stepping into the boots of Jaden Korr rather than the series’ usual protagonist Kyle Katarn makes for an interesting change of pace. You play as a student, learning...
Mini Review Moons of Madness - A Lovecraftian Snooze Fest
Inter-smellar
Secret World Legends developer Funcom dives into the ready-made well of creativity of H.P Lovecraft in Moons of Madness, a single-player cosmic horror title using modern generic tropes. Unsurprisingly, it takes similar thematic and aesthetic cues to last year’s Conarium, though in its mission to become the cosmos’ answer to...
Mini Review Roundguard - Peggle and Dungeon Crawling Makes for Unusual But Potent Mix
Tough bouncers
Peggle is possibly one of gaming's biggest guilty pleasures; the simple joy of clearing dots and racking up points is an addictive and satisfying time-waster. This simple puzzle template has remained largely untouched, but Roundguard builds upon the fun with dungeon crawler and rogue-lite elements, and it's kind of genius. You select...
Mini Review DOOM 64 - After More Than 20 Years, DOOM's Oft-Forgotten Third Instalment Packs a Punch
It's been 64 years
It’s easy to forget that DOOM 64 is not simply a port of the original DOOM to Nintendo 64, but a fully-fledged sequel that was developed Midway Games. It’s even easier to forget that this was actually a pretty impressive step forward. While aiming is still archaic – lateral aiming only – the level design represents a...
Mini Review Twin Breaker: A Sacred Symbols Adventure - A Fun Adaptation of Arkanoid
Beyond
Colin Moriarty has been one of the most prominent names in PlayStation fandom for over a decade now, so it’s perhaps no surprise that Lilymo Games’ alternate take on Arkanoid goes above and – ahem – beyond to squeeze in the heroes of the popular Sacred Symbols podcast. Accompanied by his co-host Chris Ray Gun, this arcade brick...
Mini Review Hidden Through Time - Cute Hidden Object Game Is Harder Than It Looks
Find your way through history
Hidden Through Time is an ultra-simple game about finding objects and people in numerous busy scenes. If you've ever stared at the colourful pages of a Where's Waldo book, you'll feel right at home. The difference here is that you're not looking for just one specific character; each level gives you multiple things to...
Mini Review Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions - Jigsaw Puzzles and Chill
Picking up the pieces
Who doesn't like a simple jigsaw puzzle every now and then? There's something wonderfully satisfying about fitting all the pieces together and seeing the end result. There are a handful of jigsaw style games on PlayStation 4, and one of the latest is Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions. This indie puzzler has around 30 stained glass...
Mini Review Ganbare! Super Strikers - Tactical Take on the Beautiful Game
You'll get a kick out of it
Think of Ganbare! Super Strikers not as a sports game, but as a strategy campaign a little bit like Advance Wars or XCOM. That’s how this fusion of football and tactics works, adopting a turn-based format where you need to move your players into position, pass the ball, and, fingers crossed, score some goals. There’s...
Mini Review Knightin'+ - Zelda-Lite Is Too Simplistic with Just Dungeons
Trifine
Are we witnessing the origins of an all-new genre? Knightin’+ started life on itch.io and bills itself as a Zelda-lite. The gameplay is easy to describe: it’s Zelda in dungeon form only. This means that there’s no hub-world to explore, just a maze of rooms with keys to find, puzzles to solve, and bosses to beat. You’ll also happen...
Mini Review EarthNight - Gorgeous Auto-Runner Is Spiky as a Dragon's Back
Tread carefully
EarthNight has been a long time coming, and you can tell just by playing that it's been polished to within an inch of its life. It's a pretty simple game at its heart; you auto-run across the backs of invading dragons, hoovering up loot and stomping on baddies, until you inevitably die and start over again. However, it's been refined...
Mini Review Draugen - This Walking Simulator Takes a Fatal Tumble
Drab
Draugen feels like the opposite of Firewatch. Both games capture the imagination with a fascinating premise told against the backdrop of a stunning location, but instead of remaining rooted in reality, the Red Thread developed title gives way to lunacy at the first time of asking. It makes for an unsatisfying walking simulator which can only...
Mini Review Mosaic - An Intriguing Experience That Can't Stick the Landing
Big brother is watching
Much like with its previous title, Among the Sleep, developer Krillbite seems to have bitten off more than it can chew. Mosaic is an intriguing title with exciting ideas. Unfortunately, the ideas simply outpace the resources that the developer has available to realise them. But it’s not for lack of trying. Mosaic’s...
Mini Review Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 3 - Nights and Bikes
On yer bike
Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 3 – or, to give it its full title and pad out our word count, Monster Energy AMA Supercross 3 FIM World Championship: The Official Video Game – proves that Milestone may just be the most prolific developer of the generation. By our count, this is its 20th title on the PlayStation 4...
Mini Review Zero Zero Zero Zero - Hellish Monochrome Platforming
From zero to hero
Zero Zero Zero Zero reminds us of Sound Shapes – although the latter undoubtedly has a better name. Do you remember those dastardly single-screen stages in the aforementioned PlayStation exclusive outing? This monochrome platformer is like 100 of those, each rotating randomly every time you die. And you will die – again and...
Mini Review 7th Sector - An Intriguing Cyberpunk Dystopia
Electric avenue
If you're a fan of Playdead's mysterious 2.5D puzzle platformers like Inside, you may well be interested in 7th Sector. It follows a similar design template, although instead of playing a young boy, you'll take on the role of, er, an electrical current? It appears the player character is trapped within the electricity grid of some...
Mini Review Milo's Quest - Pixelated Puppy Stars in Simple Adventure Game
Oh my dog
Milo’s Quest could carry the subtitle ‘My First Adventure Game’ and it would all make sense. This straightforward isometric outing sees you take control of a lovingly animated pooch, and sees you embark on an adventure across a colourful landscape filled with marshmallow-shaped ghouls and bricks to push. It’s probably the most...
Mini Review Gravity Error - Puzzling Potential Scuppered by Dreadful UI and Controls
Poor landing
Gravity Error has its heart in the right place. It wants to serve up a compelling puzzling experience rivalling the likes of Super Meat Boy with tough, quick-fire challenges that put you back in the action before you’ve even had chance to register failure. You could say it just about manages to achieve that, but then that would be...
Mini Review Super Mega Space Blaster Special Turbo – A Sufficient, if Forgettable, Shoot 'Em Up
The little space ship that could
While a fairly pedestrian shmup, Super Mega Space Blaster Special Turbo does have a couple of features that make it worth a quick look. It doesn’t hurt that the title's price -- $4.99 at launch -- is rather low, too. The most unique aspect of the game is by far the weapon system. Shmups are generally focused around...
Mini Review Flat Heroes - Just Pure, Challenging, Minimalist PS4 Platforming
Hip to be square
If you like your platformers 2D, no-nonsense, and tough as old boots, Flat Heroes is probably right up your alley. It strips away all the clutter and noise of the side-scroller and presents you with a gameplay gauntlet at its purest. This game tasks you with tackling hundreds of single-screen platforming challenges, and it does so...
Mini Review Blazing Chrome - JoyMasher's Homage to the Best 16-Bit Run-'n'-Gun Games
Joy machine masher
In a similar way to scrolling shooters, there's a purity to the gameplay in side-scrolling run-and-gun games, which has kept retro gamers coming back since Contra in 1987. Developed by JoyMasher and released in July 2019, Blazing Chrome's success comes from taking inspiration from the best 16-bit run-and-gun games -- with...
Mini Review Kine - This Clever PS4 Puzzle Game Has Got Some Moves
You like jazz?
Kine presents itself as a quirky, light-hearted puzzle game, and it is one, but it's also way harder than it looks. You must guide three different characters through simple stages to reach the exit -- it's a pretty straightforward setup. However, each of the sentient contraptions -- all aspiring musicians, of course -- are unusually...
Mini Review Untitled Goose Game - 2019's Most Popular Indie Waddles Onto PS4
Honk Fuzz
Untitled Goose Game has finally migrated to PlayStation 4, and it's every bit as wonderful as you've heard. You play as the titular antagonistic avian with the sole intent of causing as much misery as possible. The residents of the small English village are going about their day, and it's your job to stick your beak where it's not wanted...
Mini Review Ashen - One of the Best Souls-Likes Around
Ruined beauty
After a year of exclusivity, one of 2018’s best indie titles has finally been given its chance to shine by way of a glorious PlayStation 4 port. Ashen is a Souls-like in every sense of the word, but it’s one of the few which comes close to matching the quality of From Software. With a gorgeous open world to explore and deep,...
Mini Review Tools Up! - An Entertaining Co-Op Game That Almost Captures the Overcooked Magic
Job's a goodun
Tools Up takes the manic multiplayer of Overcooked and gives it a DIY makeover. Instead of things getting heated in the kitchen, up to four players are instead renovating an apartment block floor by floor. You'll be laying down flooring, painting walls, moving furniture, and more as you aim to achieve three stars in each of the 30...
Mini Review Lost Ember - This Game About Shifting Between Animals Is a Bit Ruff
Walkies simulator
The big gameplay hook for Lost Ember is the ability to swap from one animal to another. Doing so allows you to view the game's big environments from different perspectives, but more importantly, allows you to utilise each beast's unique abilities in order to advance. It's a novel idea, but the game built around it feels...
Mini Review Simulacra - FMV Chat Logs Worthy of a Phone Contract
Find My iPhone
Losing a mobile phone has to be one of the biggest first-world problems, but it becomes an entirely different ball game when its owner also disappears off the face of the planet. Anna's smartphone has just been delivered to your door, and in Simulacra, you'll need to work out what has happened to her. Taking place entirely on the...
Mini Review GRIS - This Simple 2D Platformer Paints a Gorgeous Picture on PS4
GRIS is the word
GRIS is beautiful. From the very moment the game begins to its emotional end, you could push that Share button at any time and have a frame-worthy screenshot. What makes this 2D platformer so striking and so captivating is its minimalistic visuals, using limited colours, hand-crafted animation, and breathtaking backdrops to great...
Mini Review Gas Guzzlers Extreme - Nothing Extreme About This Ropey PS4 Racer
Put it in reverse
Gas Guzzlers Extreme is a bad name for a pretty bad game. A combat racer that looks and feels like a title from generations gone by, it fails to really impress on any level. PlayStation 4 is a platform that's suffered a lack of arcade racing games, but this one can't hold a candle to the few decent examples available. One of its...
Mini Review The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets - An Adorable But Brief PSVR Puzzler
Animal magic
The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is a PlayStation VR puzzle game in which you swivel a handful of dioramas around in search of hidden animals. There's not much more to it than that, but it gets away with such a simple idea by presenting it wonderfully. It's an absolute walk in the park, but there's still a satisfaction to solving...
Mini Review Doctor Who: The Edge of Time - A PSVR Game Only Whovians Could Love
Wibbly wobbly timey wimey
It's always felt like BBC's campy sci-fi show should be a home run in video games, but it's rarely translated well to an interactive format. PlayStation VR adventure Doctor Who: The Edge of Time is an effort to change that, but it's ultimately a bit flat, leaning a little too heavily on fan-pleasing moments instead of...
Mini Review Sparklite - A Sparkling Rogue-Lite Adventure
Shine bright like a diamond
Weaving the charm of 2D Zelda games with rogue-lite mechanics, Sparklite is quite literally a gem to be uncovered. Set in the ever-changing land of Geodia, and the balloon powered hub-ship above, you play as Ada, a sky-refugee turned Titan slayer tasked with collecting all the Sparklite she can. The titular currency...
Mini Review Bee Simulator - A Good Natured Game, But It Still Stings
More like half-a-bee
There's a simulator for all kinds of weirdly specific things these days, to the point where it's a bit of a running joke. Some really are trying to portray a true to life experience, while others use the moniker ironically. Bee Simulator flies closer to the latter camp, although instead of aiming for cheap laughs, it's hoping to...
Mini Review Audica - Harmonix's PSVR Rhythm Game Is Right on Target
Rock n' roll is king
PlayStation VR isn’t hurting for good experiences, but it’s time to throw another on the stack. Rhythm kings Harmonix are back with Audica, a VR music experience where you shoot at notes as they fly towards you. While its gameplay may be more comparable to the Persona dancing games, the gameplay loop is every bit as...
Mini Review Last Labyrinth - PSVR's Most Baffling Experience
At least it's the last one
Every so often, a video game will come along that seemingly defies all preconceived logic and common sense. That can be a good thing, or it can go the way of The Quiet Man. Unfortunately, Last Labyrinth is a PlayStation VR title that very much belongs in the latter category. Its core mechanic is sound enough, if a little...
Mini Review Valfaris - Heavy Metal Headliner Is Hellishly Worthy
Go to Hell, for Heaven's Sake
Valfaris isn’t interested in pleasantries and introductions. The Slain: Back From Hell spiritual successor is a headbanging romp across an alien planet that lets the action do the talking. Teeming with the Devil’s deadliest associates, it’s 2D shooting mayhem that manages to match impressive enemy designs with...
Mini Review Antigraviator - This Anti-Gravity Imitator Wipes Out on PS4
So-so, speed racer
WipEout is an excellent target to aim for, but rarely do attempts at recapturing the series' magic get it right. Unfortunately, that's the case with Antigraviator, a newly released, high speed, anti-gravity racing game. It features a handful of different customisable ships to pilot through a few different race types, and swaps out...
Mini Review Yakuza 4 Remastered - Uneven Storytelling Holds Back Another Solid Yakuza Title
Four's a crowd
When it originally released back in 2010, Yakuza 4 was defined by its four playable characters -- a first for the series. Alongside mainstay protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, players got to experience the stories of charismatic loan shark Akiyama, escaped convict Saejima, and street-smart cop Tanimura. In Yakuza 4 Remastered, all four...
Review Outer Wilds - An Engaging, Open Ended Sci-Fi Mystery
The great unknown
Rather than making space an endless slog to explore, Mobius Digital has condensed its starry sandbox down to a handful of small planets packed with secrets. Outer Wilds is an open ended sci-fi title with a time-twisting mystery at its heart, and it manages to do a lot with a little. It might take some getting used to, but this is a...
Review Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King - A Comprehensive Nostalgia Trip
The king has returned
Nostalgia is a powerful drug, especially a double whammy of childhood movies and games. Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King is exactly as advertised -- the beloved 16-bit platformers bundled together. Only it's more than that; Capcom's Aladdin for SNES aside, this is about as comprehensive a package as you could...
Review Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD - Monkey's Paw Paradox At Play in Port of Poor Game
Monkey balls
There’s a bit of a monkey’s paw paradox to Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD: SEGA’s vibrant Marble Madness-esque roll-‘em-up has finally made its long-awaited PlayStation 4 debut, but not even apes would have picked this wretched ex-Nintendo Wii exclusive as the version to port. Maligned at launch for its miserable motion...
Review Return of the Obra Dinn - Methodical Maritime Mystery Masterpiece
Worse things happen at sea
Return of the Obra Dinn is the most engrossing puzzler on PlayStation 4 since The Witness. Putting you in the shoes of an investigator, you're sent aboard the titular ship, which has reappeared after being assumed lost five years earlier. Your job is to explore every part of the vessel in order to work out the identity and...
Review Pig Eat Ball - Solid Swine Arcade Action
Sow good
Don’t let its rudimentary title deceive you: action-puzzler Pig Eat Ball is a fun homage to arcade titles that develops into a surprisingly deep experience with a quirky plot. You play as Princess Bow, a young pig forced into marriage when (like any good princess) she wants adventure in the great wide somewhere. Your overall goal is to...
Review Children of Morta - Family Matters in This Refreshing Rogue-Lite Adventure
Talkin 'bout my random generation
How do you make your pixelated rogue-lite game stand out? Children of Morta has an interesting answer. While you're cleaving your way through hundreds of corrupted baddies in the title's randomly generated dungeons, it frequently hits you with moments of story. The combination of random levels with a set narrative...
Review ReadySet Heroes - Fundamental Flaws Betray a Novel Twist on Multiplayer Dungeon Crawling
Party animals
ReadySet Heroes, the dungeon crawling party game from Robot Entertainment, arrived two weeks ago, but doesn't seem to be as prepared as its title implies. As of right now, the game just isn't up to scratch, with some glaring issues betraying its interesting ideas. There are just two modes of play. Crawl n' Brawl has up to four players...
Review Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince - Gorgeous Puzzle Platformer Is a Return to Form
Saving the kingdom, one floating box at a time
The first two games in Frozenbyte’s Trine series were whimsical 2D puzzle platformers. A third title, Artifacts of Power, switched to 3D and offered a shorter adventure that left some fans cold. Trine 4 throws away that extra dimension, and feels much more like the series at its best. Returning...
Review Habroxia - A No-Frills Arcade Shmup on PS4
Don’t forget your quarters
The arcade style shmup’s been around for a long time now. Space Invaders is nearly 50 years old, and Galaga isn’t far behind. To say that the gameplay ideas for the genre have been perfected at this point would be an understatement. How do you add something new to that? Enter Habroxia, which plays more or less like...
Review The Bradwell Conspiracy - Jonathan Ross Can't Save This Technically Inept Title
Go home
The Bradwell Conspiracy wants to reach the same heights as Gone Home and What Remains of Edith Finch, but thanks to woeful performance on PlayStation 4 and clunky, unreliable mechanics, it goes in the opposite direction. After an explosion at the Bradwell Stonehenge Museum starts to topple the building over, it’s yours and a companion’s...
Review Castle Crashers Remastered - This Zany Brawler Is Chaotic, Ridiculous Fun on PS4
Cartoon violence
Castle Crashers Remastered is a pretty straightforward update to the cult hit beat 'em up, but that doesn't mean it's any less fun. The PlayStation 4 re-release has been refreshed with higher resolution visuals and a rock solid, 60 frames per second performance, but it's otherwise the same cartoonish brawler you know and love, warts...
