Tag: Software

It’s always nice when a game clearly labels the closets, in this case locked doors, from which enemies will start flooding an area. It makes it easier to start a big fight by throwing some TNT in that direction, thrusting that it will take out two enemies, one melee and one ranged, before anything else happens. A dash and a turn then allow me to cover another entry point as I backpedal. The shotgun, although a little low on ammo, is the best way to kill up close. When shielded enemies come in, I let them close while I headshot a sniper who managed to take off some of my mouse armor. Then I shift focus to the remaining foes, move behind a crate to reload, and then execute them using the shotgun again. There are some crates nearby that will probably hold some ammo. MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is developed by Fumi Games and published by PlaySide. I played on the PC using Steam, with the title also offered on the Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation 5 from Sony, and the Xbox Seri...

Deadhaus Sonata is a vampire game that has been in development for many years now, and it’s finally in our hands, albeit in early access. While I generally like playing any vampire game that I get my hands on, Deadhaus Sonata is different because it’s directed by Denis Dyack, the creative mind behind Blood Omen and Eternal Darkness. Having someone connected to the beloved Legacy of Kain games brings a lot of expectations, so how does the game fare? Right off the bat, you will notice that despite being an indie game, the title does have an impressive scope. The game world is large, albeit formulaic and linear at times. There are various enemies coming in, and you are slowly learning all kinds of new skills. You get accustomed to the attack system, figure out how to jump and use various skillsets, and even deal with bosses you find along the way. I am a fan of the gothic style that they went with, as it adds a lot of intrigue. While some enemy types can be repetitive...

Sandbox games are always exciting to play, because aside from a few guidelines, you are free to do whatever you want. That premise is very exciting for a lot of people. Whether it’s Mount & Blade or Kenshi, there are all kinds of titles in this genre, but Valorborn is different since it adds a great medieval theme and an already beautiful, exciting world for you to explore. Unlike a story-driven RPG, Valorborn is different mainly because it pushes you towards making your own storylines. You can go ahead and rob NPCs, you can scavenge, hunt, mine for various minerals, etc. The upside is that you can explore every cave, road, building and so on. But since this is early access, there can be some issues, like getting stuck inside walls or the camera plummeting via cliffs. Saving often is important here, because some of the issues can be game-breaking. Then again, this is early access, so you have to expect crashes and missing features. However, a lot of the framework i...

Ever since I played the first MOBA titles in the early 2000s, I became obsessed with the immersive gameplay, but also the excellent replay value. These days though, we have only the major MOBA kings and few other titles coming here and there, trying to innovate. EverSiege: Untold Ages enters with an entirely new perspective, and a great blend of MOBA-like gameplay, roguelite progression, but also base management and hero-led combat. The core gameplay in EverSiege: Untold Ages is impressive and easy to understand. Every journey starts with you getting dropped into a generated world which is under attack by the Evil Master. So, what is your role here? You need to survive enemy waves, while also reclaiming territory, advancing into enemy strongholds and rebuilding the bastion’s infrastructure. What this means is that you can’t always attack, you have to carefully push the enemy but also pull back when necessary. For example, you need to power up your base, which means...

When KIBORG: Descent was announced, I was pumped to see even more content for the game, as the original was quite promising. Descent isn’t reinventing the wheel however, it’s more of a refinement to the original, as it adds 3 new environments, all of which I found to be interesting and cleverly done. Visually, the new locations are stunning, and the game certainly didn’t shy away from testing the limits of the engine. The new different enemy types are cool, certainly very creative, and the 3 new bosses are in line with the KIBORG lore. Speaking of bosses, they are the highlight of this expansion, because not only are they very intense, but they also require quite a bit of planning and thinking. That’s especially true for the last one, where you really have to test your skills in order to beat him. With that in mind, I found KIBORG: Descent to be increasingly difficult when compared to the original game. It will take a little bit to get past some of the areas you ne...

It’s weird how close supposedly ranged units have to get to their enemies to attack. It would be nice to engulf that enemy healer in a pillar of fire, but it means I have to get my vulnerable caster a little too close for comfort to enemy units. I weaken them by throwing a grenade and regret my decision not to spend essence on giving my squad the ability to use items two times a turn. Her fireballs weaken two enemies, and I move my heavy hitters into position to finish them off. I nail the simple rhythm sequence for the first, eliminating one alpha dog. But I miss one mouse button press on my second, and I can only hope that the enemy will not do too much damage once it acts. Wardrum is developed by Mopeful Games and published by Team17. I played on the PC using Steam, with the title not launched on any other hardware. The video game mixes rhythm mechanics, turn-based tactics, and a rogue-lite structure. The beat is at the center of this fiction universe. Everythi...

Beat’em’up games are always fun and intense, and I’m always excited to hear about new entries to the genre. With that in mind, Dead as Disco tries to make them even more fun by making you sync to the tunes you’re listening to. And while the game is in early access for the time being, it already managed to create a large, cult following. Why? Because the gameplay is one of the best in this niche already, despite the content being very limited. Dead as Disco’s story is interesting, because our main character was dead, but he rose from the grave and he has to rely on what Vice, a skull like a disco ball, has to say. Of course, this is just the setup, because what matters the most is beating people up, and that’s where Dead as Disco excels. The game is incredibly fun here, because the moment-to-moment combat is very satisfying, and the attack animations are nothing short of impressive. Also, the experience itself is very good, mainly because you need to match your atta...

Ever since Amazon made the Invincible series, I’ve been extremely interested in the idea of having a fighting game based on the show. Thinking about it, the premise lends itself to some really good fights, and there are lots of characters within the lore to make up for a great roster. And here we are. Invincible VS is finally launched, and this game is actually a lot more interesting than I originally expected. Invincible VS is a 3 v 3 team fighter, and it has a 2-way combo system. When you are landing a combo, you are entering a conversation, not just executing a sequence. The defender is reading your patterns, he is finding ways to break free, and he will do his best to turn your momentum when possible. It’s a great dynamic because every combo is risky. If you hold back, you lose pressure and if you push too far, you are predictable and the opponent will take advantage of you. I like this dynamic because it adds a lot of intensity and fun dynamics to the experien...

I’ve always enjoyed the idea of exploring the Solar System, its planets and conquering places that no one ever visited before. And with Solar Expanse, you can easily do that. The game allows you to enter a space race where you’re competing with other corporations in order to mine asteroids, colonize other planets and terraform. It’s all a sandbox, so the focus is on trying to colonize the system and prevent losing. And there are plenty of loss conditions. You can run out of money, for starters. Or you don’t tackle the asteroid heading towards Earth. But the true appeal of the game is certainly the experience, the ability to immerse yourself in a sandbox and customize stuff as you go along. For newcomers, Solar Expanse’s menus can feel rather overwhelming, but in a good way. A lot of the gameplay relies on planning and then executing spaceship missions. It’s interesting to browse ships and see their pros and cons, then choose the best ones. Some of them are great fo...

I should have claimed ground at a faster pace. I focused on growth and economic research, while placing outposts that made New Pariden the fastest growing city in the world. I also pumped out enough units to fill out two armies led by capable heroes, Garrett and Ilyra Fen, while four scouts discovered the mysteries of the world. I found three spots that would be great for new cities. But by the time I cleared out the monsters and founded Raven’s Heart, Capitar and Ruvenna got the other two locations locked down. And then I lost one big army and injured my leader in a quest battle. Producing fresh troops will not take long, but I need to decide whether I want to go to war for those prime city spots or if I should focus on the core of my kingdom. Elemental: Reforged is developed and published by Stardock Entertainment.  I played on the PC, the only hardware platform on which the title is available, using Steam. The video game combines and updates previous releases in...