Tag: Software

This time around, it was the Serbs that broke the back of the Byzantine Empire. Judicious alliances and a few shrewd tactical decisions got us a favorable peace with the Ottomans. The computer then chose to focus more on Anatolia and the Middle East. This meant I had time to try and consolidate the empire, control the much-too-powerful nobility, and rebuild the economy. After years of frustration and a few small rebellions, things started to look up. My cabinet did good, although a few deaths slowed down empire consolidation, as the treasury recovered. When the Bulgarians declared war, I was confident that we could win. And then the Serbs joined in, and it became clear the Phoenix had no chance. On my next run, diplomatic appeasement will be higher on the priority list. Europa Universalis V: Fate of the Phoenix is developed by Paradox Tinto and published by Paradox Interactive. This is the first immersion pack for the grand strategy title, centered on the Byzantine...

We’ve seen rhythm games time and time again, but we rarely find one that’s very appealing and with lasting value. Rhythm Doctor is one of those titles, because it brings the excitement of rhythm games, while blending it with a medical theme that’s very difficult to find these days in videogames. At its core, the main idea behind Rhythm Doctor is rather simple. You are taking part in a remote defibrillation internship program, and you are trying to treat patients suffering from heart issues. However, you need to figure out when to use your defib unit, and there are audio cues to help you achieve that. The game starts by allowing you to calibrate visuals to the sounds you’re hearing. Then, you determine the input delay accordingly. I like the fact that you can start with calibrating, because it makes the experience feel more responsive, once everything is set up correctly. I recommend that you play with headphones, because you need to have time for every button press...

When it launched, MEMORIAPOLIS left a great impression on us, because it brought a unique perspective when it comes to city building. And its latest update called Banners & Wonders, which arrived free of charge for anyone who owns the game, takes things even further. For starters, we should note that if you have older saves from the original release, those won’t work with the new update. You will have to start a new city, which is great anyway because it offers some creative, new ideas. As the name suggests, the highlight of this update are definitely the game’s new wonders. There are 3 wonders in total, the Eiffel Tower being the one you can access right away. Then, there’s the Neuschwanstein Castle and the Statue of Liberty that you can unlock after you complete some playthroughs. Basically, you have to complete certain objectives in order to progress from one age to the next. The older wonders are called monuments now and they will help you reduce the constructi...

Getting a hot new track is the highlight of the day. After I enter the store, I talk to the employees who have shifts, listen to their concerns, then open up the jukebox, play the new song, play it again, and then make a twenty-minute playlist. This is roughly how long it takes to get through a game day filled with chatty customers and the constant search for the perfect record. My character, the new kid at the record store, is also constantly learning more about his colleagues and about the former rock star owner. And it’s always a pleasure to pick up a record, read the track list, see what the critics think, and then listen to the lead single. Wax Heads is developed by Patattie Games and published by Curve Games. I played it on the PC using Steam, with the title also on the Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation 5 from Sony, and the Xbox Series X and S from Microsoft. The video game is an exuberant exploration of music, its fans, and its power to connect people and mak...

We’ve seen a lot of superhero movies and TV shows over the past decade, but videogames in this genre are scarce. And if we see any, they are usually action-focused titles. Hank: Drowning on Dry Land tries something different, since we have a hero named Hank which is a Batman-esque superhero with a drinking problem. We follow his short, yet entertaining adventure, as he gets sucked into the game of the Unraveler. The Unraveler is one of your mortal enemies, and he is trying to teach you a twisted lesson, while placing you through a multitude of puzzles. And, of course, you also have to endure his monologues, which never seem to end. Thankfully, Hank has a unique ability to speed up or rewind time. That comes in handy, because you feel stuck in a loop and you really have to figure out what to do next, which might be a lot harder than expected. Can you do that from your first try, though? No, but every failed attempt will give you more clues, and that’s for the better...

Anyone who played MMOs enjoys trying out tanks, they are invincible and quite fun to play. However, these days, not everyone has hundreds of hours to pour into an MMO, yet still miss those cool dungeon raids. Don't Lose Aggro is here to bring us that in a roguelite format, making the game very easy to replay. And the cool thing is that all of this is made by a single person, too. The core idea is simple, you enter a dungeon, deal as much damage as possible and kill a plethora of enemies, then you go back to your base camp and upgrade your stats. Then, in true roguelite fashion, you rinse and repeat. There are benefits to playing over and over, since you can get permanent upgrades which will enhance your gameplay. I felt the gameplay loop, albeit simple, is very satisfying, and you will find yourself enjoying it more and more as you play. Plus, the fact that you have an AI healer alongside you and your focus is just on being a tank is great. It alleviates a lot of t...

After Ride 6, Milestone is back at it again with a new MotoGP title, and this one sounded very promising. Since this series is annualized, this year’s iteration is very similar to the one from a few years ago, albeit with its fair share of changes. One of the first things that stood out for me in MotoGP 26 is the fact that they shifted to Unreal Engine 5, and unlike most games using this engine, this one is not dealing with a lot of stuttering or performance problems. With that in mind, the previous engine was great, and the visual difference, while interesting, felt minimal in my experience. However, MotoGP 26 follows the real MotoGP World Championship schedule to the letter, and this year we get a new high-speed circuit in Goiania in Brazil. It’s a great circuit with a layout that’s rather simple and easy to understand. For me, MotoGP 26’s career mode is the most important part of the game, and it has some interesting upgrades. You have a press conference where ...

I love the constantly chirping birds. The Diindiisiwag, which translates to blue jays, are beautiful, with bright shades of deep blue covering their wings, and they travel in an unbreakable group of three. They love mischief and jokes, which they aren’t afraid to tell multiple times. That’s good, considering that even as I lack the cultural context to fully understand what makes some of them funny, the birds’ delivery is good enough to make me laugh. I’ve already talked to a few animals, and one human who’s actually a spirit that might give my character, Miskwaa, a way to get home to her grandma. Now I’m looking for ways to repair a canoe, which involves a trip underwater and more conversations with animal spirits. Let’s see if any can tell good jokes. Reclaim! Azhe-giiwewining is developed and published by Grassroots Indigenous Multimedia. I played on the PC using Steam, with the experience not available on other hardware. The video game uses an old-school point-a...

I suspect powers that activate at the end of the shop phase are the most important for a team that aims to win a run without losing a battle. I got a Crystal Ball quickly, aided by the extra shop level draw power of the dog that’s leading my team. I gave that to a Shrimpooner, which I then upgraded twice, and he’s been picking up health after each shop phase. He’s now fourth in the battle line and tends to close out battles, even when my opponent brings more powerful fighters. I'm having problems with builds that go hard on the Aristoglass and its unique ability to gain buffs when allies are brought in. Undershovels, placed last in the line and with a solid team around them, can also be an issue. I should probably drop my Gulltrader, but I really like getting cheaper cards, even if they are random. Let’s see how the next shop phase entices me to spend my hard-earned battle bucks. Lunchbreak Tactics is developed by Borealys Games and published by Borealys Games and ...

Ayasa: Shadows of Silence is a game that embraces the idea of scariness and horror, while also adding some unique touches into the mix. It’s a wonderful combination of platformer, puzzle and horror games, all grouped together to deliver something interesting, yet also quite challenging at times. You take the role of a young girl called Ayasa. You’re in a forest, and then you have to figure out what happened, and what you need to do. As soon as you start the game, you will notice that the controls take a bit of getting used to, as the game has quite the learning curve. It took me around 15 minutes to understand and get used to the controls. It wasn’t a huge problem, but it’s certainly something you want to get used to. Being in a world that’s collapsing under alien attacks, atomic fires and a purple mist is quite damning. But you have to keep on moving. The world in this game feels weird, but it also brings a rather familiar tone, which is exactly what makes it set ...