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Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The London Case is an enjoyable, if unambitious detective yarn. Though its simplicity might fail to stimulate the tactile minds of more practiced video game sleuths, the resolutely relaxed and accessible detective beats on offer mean that newcomers will find few better introductions to the genre and should probably feel free to add a point to the review score below in the process.
An original IP is always a good thing. An original IP that's also fun to play is even better. Immortals of Aveum is a fun magic shooter that takes the great arcade shooting of DOOM and combines it with fun exploration and puzzle solving. Its great animations and voice work help move a slightly sluggish story forward as best it can. But none of these issues kept me from enjoying my time as an Immortal.
With some stand-out moments peppered throughout, Virgo Versus The Zodiac was an engrossing play from start to end. Some basic and convoluted combat mechanics hold this game back from being a true homerun but the charm of Virgo's journey carries it through these rough moments.
Sumo Nottingham's fresh take on the asymmetric multiplayer genre is greatly welcomed. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre offers an intense horror experience when playing as the victims, and is equally as fun as chasing them down as the twisted Sawyer family. Faithfully capturing the iconic characters, and what made the original film so great, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a best in class of the genre.
Fires of Rubicon offers a new frontier for the Armored Core series, demonstrating developer FromSoftware's ability to weave its recent success and confidence back into familiar territory, while at the same time demonstrating that you can indeed teach an old hound new tricks.
While far from perfect, Fort Solis still delivers an intriguing story with just a couple of well-delivered characters to really sell the final product. While they make sense, some creative decisions negatively impact the game as a whole. Still, sci-fi fans will have a great time with Fort Solis, even if it takes a bit to get going.
While not perfect, RIDE 5 certainly has bags of potential. If you're willing to put in the time to get to grips with its punishingly realistic gameplay, then there's the reward of some truly exhilarating first person racing that will have you on the edge of your seat.
If you can look past the point & click mechanics which influence the game's poor pacing, there is a great story written in Frank and Drake. As you indulge in a thrilling conspiracy, you will come out of this game feeling an emotional obligation to its characters, and the will to find out the truth hidden in its multiple endings.
It's always great to see a sequel improve on the original while keeping the spirit of the original alive. I loved my time in the crazy world of Blasphemous 2, with plenty of secrets to find and great combat that keeps you on your toes. Though its story could be a little more cohesive, it doesn't take much away from the overall product. Blasphemous 2 is easily one of the best indie titles of the year.
In the end, though Dust & Neon nails the fundamentals of a twin-stick, looter shooter it feels far too limited, familiar and simply isn't ambitious enough to stand out from its genre peers. Though still reliably satisfying to play at times, Dust & Neon just doesn't offer anything new.
Honestly, it feels churlish to chide Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew for being too similar to Mimimi Games previous output, not least because this enormously talented studio has a track record of kicking out superb stealth strategy offerings and has once again fashioned a relentlessly engaging tactical stealth effort that is absolutely at the apex of the genre. With Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew however, I'm not sure the concept has ever been executed with this degree of charm and that's something Mimimi Games should be roundly congratulated for.
Moving Out 2 reeks of charm and goofy heart, which makes for a winning recipe when coupled with gameplay that matches perfectly. This may not be a title that everyone will enjoy, but anyone looking for a fun break from norm or love goofy games have something special to find in Moving Out 2.
Gord is an impressive marriage of base building, adventuring and storytelling across a ruined world fraught with horrors from Slavic folklore. Though it's more than a little rough around the edges, such issues aren't enough to considerably tarnish the uniqueness of what developer Covenant.net has wrought here.
A fantastic game worthy of being a proper sequel brimming with gorgeous visuals, immersive exploration, engaging combat, deep mechanics, and packed full of content which exceeds that of the average Indie Title. If you are looking for a Zelda-based adventure, look no further than Oceanhorn 2: Knights Of The Lost Realm!
Despite some small hiccups with the general presentation of the game, Marble It Up! Ultra offers a fully featured package of over 100 intricately designed obstacle courses for players to learn and overcome.
If you're looking for an action RPG with a sophisticated martial arts slant that unfolds in a fantastical alien world with a driving central narrative that invests you in the key protagonists with ease, then Clash: Artifacts of Chaos is absolutely deserving of your attention.
It speaks to the level of ambition on display here - not to mention a tolerance for risk - that Everspace 2 essentially jettisons the roguelike mechanics of the first game in favour of a much more open and looter focused shooter and is all the better for it. A superior sequel in every way, Everspace 2 delivers on the premise hinted at in its predecessor with aplomb, even if the story campaign that anchors its super looter shooter beats seems to be little more than window dressing for the other impeccable aspects of its design.
Atlas Fallen suffers a few mishaps along the way, with enemies able to do cheap shots, modernized fast travel limitations, and a rather empty map. At the same time, there's a fun story here that keeps you moving forward, and combat itself feels visceral without being over-demanding. This is a great entry point for newcomers to the genre. Atlas Fallen has high fantasy alongside simple but intricate combat. It may not make game of the year by any means, but it certainly makes a good impression.
While slightly too short for its own good, Venba is an exciting cooking narrative game exploring Tamil food. It tells an important, yet heart-wrenching story of a family as they struggle to fit in a new country.
High On Life is dirty, rambunctious and a hell-load of fun. While the comedy, writing and voice acting will not be everyone's cup of tea, the self-referential, meta humour really tickles me silly. It's nice to play a game that does not take itself seriously, pushes the boat out a little and strays from the mainstream cookie-cutter formula. I had a lot of fun with High On Life, its not perfect by any means but it did it's job and kept me truly entertained throughout.