Search Results

Despite the one letter difference in the titles, the Aliens franchise has always been far more of an 80s-style action series than the more serious horror of the regular Alien franchise. Aliens: Dark Descent leans far more into the action side of the series, offering meathead marines to fight against hordes of Xenomorphs after being stranded on an infested planet. While the tone and story will certainly satisfy fans of the film, anyone looking for a fun squad-based tactics game is going to be disappointed. Aliens: Dark Descent is a real-time strategy game where you control a squad of marines, traversing through different levels where you have to fight off hordes of Xenomorphs, cultists, and any other surprises you might run into. It prides itself on being a hard game, with plenty of warnings at both the title screen and during missions. Unfortunately, this insistence on random difficulty spikes is just one of its many shortcomings. While the tone and story will certainly satisfy fans of the film, anyone looking for a fun squad-based tactics game is going to be disappointed. The real-time strategy aspect is perhaps Aliens: Dark Descents biggest flaw. The top down perspective allows you to issue commands to your marines, who operate as a single unit. All the enemies move in real-time and most of them are fast and not easy to take down. Despite the fact that the enemies move quickly and come from multiple directions at once really shows how clunky the controls are. In combat, you must either let the marines auto attack enemies at random or you can give the order to focus on one specific enemy, making it difficult to deal with them once you get overwhelmed. You have special attacks and opening that menu slows the game down, but navigating between the different options takes long enough that in many cases you will be far too late. There are environmental attacks you can interact with, like shooting explosive barrels, but it takes so long to give the command to shoot the barrel, you almost always miss your window. There will be times when the game warns of an upcoming attack and you can spend time preparing for it, but there is enough random chance when it comes to your marines getting injured, abducted, or flat out killed, that it feels like reloading the checkpoint after dying and trying again isn't about a new strategy, but just getting lucky the next time. I beat one onslaught on the third try with the exact same turret setup and strategy, but a few lucky criticals let me win this time, making the whole experience satisfying. Despite the hard difficulty and the forced reloads after death, you cannot manually save in Aliens: Dark Descent, adding to the frustration. On top of the inability to manually save, Aliens: Dark Descent is a fairly buggy experience. Marines get stuck on geometry occasionally, getting stranded from their teammates. The game also crashed on me about one out of every three times I left a mission, resulting in me having to return to whatever my most recent autosave was, which usually meant replaying a section of the game. A real-time strategy game starring helpless, fragile marines sounds fun, but the slow and clunky controls makes it much harder to engage with the systems present in combat. Visually, Dark Descent feels a bit more inspired by the horror aspect of the franchise. Many of the rooms are dark and dirty, with random blood scattered about. Xenomorphs pop out of vents and random places, but the top down perspective really dulls and scares there might have been. All of the marines are voiced and despite their limited lines, there is enough machismo and dumb one-liners to give you a good chuckle on occasion. During missions you will have a variety of different objectives set around a large level. These objectives can be completed in any order and you can even extract from the mission and come back the next day. Each day that passes the planet infestation increases, but it lets you regroup, get upgrades, and even promote your marines, at least the ones that survive. The objectives vary depending on level and story, but most boil down to going to a specific location and interacting with a computer or a survivor. The survivor objectives feel the most repetitive, especially when you watch multiple different survivors in a single mission have a chestburster kill them, feeling fairly one note. The survivor objectives feel the most repetitive, especially when you watch multiple different survivors in a single mission have a chestburster kill them, feeling fairly one note. The story itself revolves around the marine crew of a ship that was shot down by the defense mechanisms of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation after its space station became infested with Xenomorphs. The Xenomorphs are introduced by a mysterious group of humans and it provides enough of a narrative hook to drive you to figure out what happened. That said, the amount of story provided in each mission can feel pretty light, drip feeding new information. Some of the more interesting game mechanics come in between missions, where you can choose upgrades for your marines, make important decisions in the health bay, and decide what to spend your limited resources on. As each day passes, some random events will occur, where you must choose to sacrifice resources in exchange for something, maybe sacrifice a crew member, or even be forced to roll the dice on a potential resource cache. These decisions feel far more interesting than any of the tactical choices made while out on mission. Aliens: Dark Descent feels a lot like some of the recent Alien films, where there are plenty of good ideas but the execution is lacking. A real-time strategy game starring helpless, fragile marines sounds fun, but the slow and clunky controls makes it much harder to engage with the systems present in combat. The atmosphere and story are strong enough that if the game was even a bit more fun to play, it would be worth checking out for fans of Aliens, but as it stands Aliens: Dark Descent is a frustrating experience. Pros: Solid narrative setup Fun B-Movie dialogue Interesting base and resource management decisions Cons: Clunky controls mixed with fast-paced real-time action Wild difficulty spikes that feel more luck-based than skill based Repetitive objectives and "shock" moments, like Chestbursters. Score: 5/10 Review copy provided by publisher Focus Entertainment. Aliens Dark Decent review is based on playing on PC. Aliens: Dark Descent is available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

On paper, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun sounds like the perfect idea—marry Warhammer 40,000’s grimdark aesthetics with the speed and violence of a boomer shooter. Throw in some awesome 2D-3D Pixel art, over-the-top gore, and call it a day. In practice and execution, these are great things, and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun has a lot to love about it, but dig a little deeper, and the repetition sets in. Confusing level layouts, repetitive fights, and spongy enemies make this a slog to fight through in anything other than short bursts. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun nails so much of what makes Warhammer 40,000 great. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a self-proclaimed “boomer shooter,” a genre that has recently exploded in popularity. In 2016 the DOOM reboot seemed to spark a fire for stripped-down, visceral, fast-paced shooters with much less focus on ammo counts, reloading, and realism. Some of my favorites, like Dusk and Amid Evil, show precisely why the genre is so full of potential. Still, those titles play constantly with perspective and level design while having considerable weapon and enemy variety. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a single-player retro shooter that bridges Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, where you can fight everything from nurglings to Chaos Sorcerers. And yet, throughout its three acts, it always feels like everything stays the same from the first act to the last. The aesthetics of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun are top-notch, and it nails what makes Warhammer 40,000 such an iconic universe. The environments are huge, with vast caverns, massive ships, and towering gothic spires. The enemy designs and animations are also excellent, with every little sprite having a variety of reactions to damage, and that doesn’t even mention the gore. The violence in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is comical. Giblets rain, blood splatters everywhere, and spinal cords and intestines bounce around as little physics objects after you explode the umpteenth cultist with your bolter. The moment-to-moment gameplay in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is very satisfying. You can feel the weight of your Space Marine in every movement. Sprinting makes you feel like an 18-wheeler with no brakes, pressing F lets you ram through hordes like a linebacker, and your melee lets you auto-zip to close enemies and chainsword them in the face. It’s cathartic, chaotic, and absurdly violent in a comically over-the-top way. So far, so good. While the visuals are lovely on a technical level, and many of the assets are fantastic, the layouts could be much better. Levels can run on for a long time and look very similar. Entire acts seem to occur in the same-looking areas, and getting your bearings in levels can become difficult. Combine that with the sprawling layouts, multiple color-coded keys, and the mountains of enemies you must fight through, and levels can start to feel like battles of attrition, especially when you consider one of the parts that kill Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun’s flow the most, the enemy health. Your basic cultists are wonderfully squishy. Dropping from high above them will instantly crush them into paste under your ceramite boots, and a single round from your bolter will immediately cause them to explode in a shower of gore. Once enemies become more robust, which happens quickly, you will face hordes of lore-accurate chaos space marines, plague toads, lords of change, and more. Unfortunately, many of these enemies are comically strong, forcing you to pump 150-200 heavy bolter rounds into them, and fights can go on for so long that enemies seem unlimited. Levels are confusing gauntlets where you fight tooth and nail against hundreds of enemies who can rip you to shreds relatively quickly but take an absolute beating to go down. Enemies are comically strong, forcing you to pump 150-200 heavy bolter rounds into them. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is incredibly fun in short bursts. All the individual components are solid, and the gameplay is excellent. The real killer here is the levels and the enemy tuning. You don’t feel like an unstoppable space marine when every few seconds you have to stop mowing down cultists to do a little dodge-dance with an enemy that takes a ridiculous amount of damage to take down and can finish you in a few hits. It breaks the fantasy of being one of the best warriors in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Maybe playing the game on easy is the best way to go? I played on hard and found the scaling to be a massive detriment to the flow of combat, but even then, changing the difficulty won’t make the levels any less tedious or repetitive. There is a lot to love about Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, but it is brought much lower than it should be by a few significant issues that plague the rest of the title. Pros: Weighty, fast combat Satisfying weapons Unique and technically impressive hybrid pixel art Punchy sound Cons: Level design Enemies have way too much health Levels have little visual variety The story is nonexistent Score: 7/10 Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is available now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. Review is based on the PC version. No key was provided by the publisher.

A line of faceless figures follows geometric patterns across a featureless expanse, guided by the barks of a glowing Shiba Inu. They pour from a floating white door and follow the same steps to their destination, where they ascend peacefully into the air. Some fall off the artificial island this plays out on, but they’ll soon reappear to join the rest of the procession. This dreamlike vision ends every level in Humanity, and whatever you feel about the rest of the game, it’s a mesmerizing sight worth beholding. Humanity delivers perfect a-ha moments at least once per level, even if reaching them can be a drag. Humanity is the latest game from Enhance, the studio behind the excellent Rez Infinite and Tetris Effect. Like the developer’s previous games, Humanity blends surreal visuals with an enchanting soundtrack to induce near-hypnosis in players. Enhance’s other work seems calibrated to put players into a flow state — whether you’re connecting blocks in Tetris Effect or zooming through an endless virtual tunnel in Rez Infinite, the studio’s games let you turn yourself over to the pure in-the-moment feeling of play. That’s not the case in Humanity, an intricate puzzle game that demands a much more analytical perspective. Here, flow manifests both as the literal flow of human bodies you guide through its levels, and as a sort of workflow, as you must decide the perfect order to issue commands to your unwavering followers. While playing Humanity feels much different from diving into any of Enhance’s previous games, the moment when you solve a vexing puzzle has more in common with snapping a line of blocks into place or hitting a perfect note than you might expect. Humanity delivers those perfect a-ha moments at least once per level, even if reaching them can be a drag. The basics come slowly in Humanity, first learning to make your followers turn, then jump. You issue commands by running to the spot where you want the action to happen and placing an icon with a corresponding instruction on the floor. Once you’ve got that down, Humanity serves up more complex twists, like the ability to make your followers float or perform higher and longer jumps. Later levels limit the number of times you can use each command, and a significant chunk at the end of the game has you directly leading your pack of humans around instead of giving them directions. In each level, you’ll also encounter giant golden humans called Goldies, which appear in fixed spots on the map and join the crowd if your followers pass through them. Sometimes you’ll need to guide a Goldy to the exit to finish a level, and sometimes bringing them along is optional. Collect enough Goldies and you’ll unlock new skins for your followers, but you also need a certain number to challenge the final level of any chapter. A handful of levels into Humanity, you meet the Others: a group of opposing humans who will snatch Goldies away if you let them reach the prize first. Depending on the level, you’ll need to avoid the Others, beat them to the Goldy, or find a way to block their progress. Humanity doesn’t go anywhere interesting with its story and it doesn’t seem to be trying to. Before long, the Others pick up weapons, which let them destroy your followers if they get too close. Then you get the ability to give your own minions weapons. Humanity’s narrator warns you, once you pick up weapons, things will never be the same. Unfortunately, that’s true. Up to this point, Humanity is a chill experience, letting you work out its puzzles and experiment with solutions at your own pace. If your humans fall off the map, that’s fine! More will always keep pouring out of the entrance. But from the moment you have to use weapons to solve your problems, the tone takes a major shift. From here on, nearly every level is about competing against the Others, killing them before they can kill you. Messing up a puzzle solution now usually means starting all over again, because if the Others progress too far, they can destroy the gates your humans emerge from. Humanity makes a half-hearted effort at bringing this massive tonal shift into its story. Narrative is far from Humanity’s first priority — what story is there is absurd and intentionally thin, centering around your efforts to “test” humans at the whim of a cast of disembodied voices. Competition is part of that test, and using violence to triumph over superficially different groups of humans is supposed to be a step in the evolution of your followers’ consciousness. But that’s all just window dressing. Humanity doesn’t go anywhere interesting with that story and it doesn’t seem to be trying to. Even after the interminably long segment of the game where it’s you versus the Others, puzzles are still deadly and centered around destroying opponents, and failure means restarting the entire puzzle. When a single slip-up — or one unruly follower — can fail a level, replaying those same minutes over and over becomes agonizing. Humanity tells you what your followers want most in the world is the Goldies, but what they actually want most is to jump off the edge of the world for no good reason. A lot of later levels only give you a limited number of humans to work with, and if even a few are lost, you need to restart. Whether you’re waiting for the humans to carry out your commands or timing your own movements perfectly while guiding them, it can take several minutes for puzzle solutions to play out even once you know the answer. When a single slip-up — or one unruly follower — can fail a level, replaying those same minutes over and over becomes agonizing. Even at its most frustrating, Humanity is an aesthetic treat. There’s an unsettling beauty to the synchronized movements of your faceless followers and the monochrome world they march through. A few levels have you facing off against swarms of humans commanded by other forces, and they’re genuinely some of the most impressive visuals I’ve seen the PlayStation 5 produce. Similarly, the soundtrack is as gorgeous as it is unconventional. Synthesized vocals and piano dominate Humanity’s soundscape, lending an otherworldly feel to the game. Singing in harmony or pulsing frantically, Humanity’s music lends a meditative quality to some levels and a disorienting feel to others. It’s unlike anything I’ve heard in another game, which is maybe where Humanity feels closest to Rez Infinite and Tetris Effect. Even at its most frustrating, Humanity is an aesthetic treat. Despite its captivating premise, I was sorely disappointed by Humanity. What started as an enchanting puzzle game quickly turned into a frustrating exercise of throwing my faceless army against another until one prevailed. While combat is always used as a puzzle solution, not as mere violence, it turns the game against its own themes and replaces early levels’ experimentation with a demand for perfect execution of a singular strategy. Humanity is so gorgeous and bold that I’d still recommend at least trying it, especially if you have PS Plus, where it’s now available for free. If you get frustrated after the first few hours, just know it’s not going to return to its original promise, but those first few hours are still a delight. Humanity Review verdict Pros: Clever puzzles test your ability to command followers Massive crowds of humans are eerily beautiful Striking, unique synth soundtrack Cons: Shallow story seems to give up before it’s over Quickly becomes punishing and frustrating after a chill start Too much emphasis on one type of combat-focused puzzle Score: 6.5/10 Humanity review is based on the PS5 version. No key was provided by the publisher. Humanity is available now on PS5 and PC.

This worthy remake makes remembering Citadel an easy thing to do. There are a lot of classic games that I feel don't need a remake, but when I heard that Nightdive Studios was making one for System Shock, I definitely didn't object. Even if you have never heard of System Shock before, I think if you have been gaming for at least a few years, you probably know of some games that have its DNA within them, like Bioshock and Prey (2017). I played a lot of the second game in the series (System Shock 2) in my teenage years and it made quite an impression on me, but I was ashamed that I didn't play the game that started it all (System Shock) until much, much later. The only issue is that I honestly never thought this remake would be released. Development for it started all of the way back in 2015 and the project went through plenty of turmoil (to say the least) along the way. However, thankfully it is here now, so let's dive into it and talk about how it turned out. System Shock 2 had ultimately spoiled me with its much-improved control scheme and overall smoother gameplay. The intro starts with the game's protagonist (an unnamed character simply known throughout the game as Hacker) sitting in their apartment and doing what any hacker worth their salt would be doing during a nice dark night: hacking. The hack they are attempting to pull off is into the files of a company called TriOptimum Corporation, who happen to have details on a neural implant that the hacker seems interested in. The hack doesn't go too well because almost immediately TriOptimum Corp guards bust in and knock the hacker out. After they wake up they are given a deal by a TriOptimum executive named Edward Diego that if they will hack into the network of a place called Citadel Station and disable the ethical restraints on the AI controlling the station (called SHODAN), then he will give them the neural implant that they were searching for. Since the hacker doesn't really have a choice, they comply. After the deed is done and they receive the implant that was promised, they are in a medical coma for six months. When they finally awaken they are on the Medical floor level within Citadel Station; this is where the game truly begins. I have to say that immediately after the hacker gets off of the medical table and stands up, I cracked a huge grin. Seeing this room updated to a more modern style while also retaining a lot of the details exactly how I remembered them really made me happy. I then opened up a supply closet, grabbed a steel pipe plus a few other supplies, and walked out into the station. To say things have gone wrong here on the Citadel would be an understatement. Since SHODAN's ethical restraints were disabled, pure hell has been unleashed here. Where there were once lively crew members, there are now only corpses and viscera. Friendly robots that used to offer food and drinks now only offer spinning blades and dismemberment. Security robots that might have been made to protect are now made to destroy anything they see. The atmosphere here is very dark and grim. Audio and text logs left by the crew on desks, shelves, or even next to their rotting remains tell the story of what happened here and what the crew was trying to do to stop the madness. Nightdive Studios definitely tried to keep the experience of this game with a lot of those gameplay conditions intact. Since the original System Shock is almost 30 years old, there are a lot of things that have changed in games within that time frame. Nightdive Studios definitely tried to keep the experience of this game with a lot of those gameplay conditions intact. Every level within the station is its own labyrinth of often confusing as well as tight corridors. Thankfully the player is given help in the form of a map that will not only show areas that have been explored, but also show off locations of some very useful things. Energy stations can be used to recharge the hacker's energy meter so that they can use energy weapons and also certain pieces of equipment like shields or boots that heavily increase movement speed. Regeneration stations that can be found on most levels of the station will work like a respawn point for the player if they are killed, but only after a switch nearby them is flipped. Junction boxes are puzzles that need to be solved in order to open certain areas or turn the power back on to a room. These puzzles come in a few different types and can be pretty tough at times. There are rare items that can be found that allow the player to skip these if they find one to be too tough to deal with. The Cyberspace sections have also returned from the original, and these are kind of like playing the old Descent games. They are simple minigames where the player flies around a virtual space shooting at insect-looking enemies; listening to pulsing music while they blast apart beams that are keeping doors within the Citadel locked. I found these to be much better than they were in the original and also a nice little distraction from the rest of the game. One new thing that was implemented in this remake is a recycler that allows the player to pick up items, vaporize them into blocks of scrap, and then run them through it in order to get credits. These can be used to buy all sorts of useful items like ammo, weapon upgrades, and boosters. Waypoints that have become common in most newer adventure games are nowhere to be found here. This game expects you to take notes based on what you see or hear. If you see a number, write it down, if you hear someone talking in an audio log about something they were trying to do, pay very close attention and write that down too because that might be what your next objective is. System Shock really doesn't hold your hand whatsoever. It was definitely designed to be a difficult game to complete, but not an unfair one. However, I do know that a lot of people aren't going to like this aspect, and it won't be an enjoyable experience for everyone. Practically every enemy type from the original is back and given a fresh coat of paint. Weapons are definitely much more fun to use in this game than in the original. There are a wide variety available including: melee weapons like a pipe and a wrench, pistols (including an energy one that is super useful), a shotgun, mag-pulse rifle, assault rifle, railgun, and the list goes on and on. There are different types of ammo and grenades that can be used and each type is effective against a certain type of enemy. The guns have a good amount of weight to them and feel satisfying to shoot creatures and robots with. Sadly the melee weapons don't have the same weight. It just never feels quite right when you hit something. Most of the time you just don't even know if you are making contact with your swings. Hopefully this gets fixed in the future. Other than that, combat felt good. Being able to lean left and right can really help keep the player from taking insane amounts of damage when trying to take down enemies. Utilizing cover like corners and ducking behind boxes is very important, so every little thing like that helps. Practically every enemy type from the original is back and given a fresh coat of paint, and for the most part, I really like the updates. Seeing the updated mutants lumbering towards me made me crack a smile just like when I saw the first room of the remake. The enemies range from mutants, to security robots, to cyborgs, to things that I don't want to spoil, including the boss fights. Let me just say that System Shock has a really nice variety of enemies and besides some of them being kind of annoying to fight at times, I don’t really have any complaints. It doesn't hurt whatsoever that the taunts of SHODAN are just as great and unnerving as in the original, with her original voice actor returning and just absolutely crushing it. I honestly think this remake is a worthy revisit of Citadel Station and even though there are a few things that new players might find frustrating, it is definitely a game that I would have to recommend and is easily one of my favorite games this year. Pros: Atmosphere is thick with horror and takes the source material seriously The enemy and level redesigns are faithful to the original and look great Exploring Citadel Station is rewarding and intense SHODAN is a standout presence as usual Cons: Some players might not like how difficult it can be Some of the level layouts are incredibly easy to get lost in due to being from a 29 year old game Melee combat lacks weight Score: 8.5/10 Reviewer played System Shock on PC. No key was provided by the publisher.

A new formula breathes life into a stale horror staple. If you told me the next Amnesia title would remind me of Darkwood, one of my favorite games of all time, I wouldn’t believe you. To my surprise, Amnesia: The Bunker follows a similar flow to that indie great; you gather fuel, keep a generator running, and make frequent runs for resources while avoiding threats. While the franchise has typically been in the realm of borderline walking simulators, and outside of the original Dark Descent, the series has stumbled every step of the way. Frictional Games brought the existential dread to a peak with Soma’s smart storytelling, but the formula was wearing thin, and Rebirth did little to dissuade longtime fans. Enter Amnesia: The Bunker, a stripped-down horror survival game that does a lot with little. The Bunker brings back fear in a big way, taking cues from survival titles, classic horror games like Resident Evil, and more inspired sources, such as Alien: Isolation. The mix is a surprisingly potent brew of procedural scares, creative problem-solving, exploration, and resource management, making for a truly tense and terrifying romp. In The Bunker you play as a French soldier in WW1, trapped underground with your comrades, you wake up after being wounded, and everyone is missing. Unfortunately, there is something else in the bunker with you, and it has stalked and killed everyone. Your only goal is to escape, but the monster will hunt you every step of the way. Whereas previous games in Frictional’s catalog have followed a linear structure, The Bunker lets you loose in a semi-open world based in a small underground complex. You can explore freely; even the codes, certain items, and elements are randomly generated every playthrough. If anything, The Bunker plays out like an immersive sim as much as a survival-horror game. You set out from a central room, running around the bunker, exploring, collecting resources, and returning to the center to rest and store items. The catch is that there is a generator you must keep fueled up, and if it runs out, the lights go dark. The Bunker plays out like an immersive sim as much as a survival-horror game. This is where those Darkwood comparisons come in—making runs, keeping the lights on, and surviving by the skin of your teeth in a reactive world. Whereas usually, it is attracted to loud noises and specific actions, if the lights are out, it is free range for that murder cow. This is where the tension lies; as you explore and collect resources, you must use fuel, but if you stay out too long, you’ll wander back through a maze in the dark. Every element of The Bunker is timed, but careful play left me with a good supply of fuel, and it was rarely an inconvenience on the normal difficulty. Ultimately, when it was running low, it only served to ramp up the tension and my enjoyment of the game. The more that goes wrong in The Bunker, the better. The Bunker is driven by systemic gameplay. The titular location is open, and for the most part, progression is not blocked by specific items or requirements. Doors can be beaten down with stones, blown up, smashed in, and more. Solutions are varied, and creativity is rewarded constantly. There are many tools and a lot of fun physics that drive every interaction; you can even block off the monster with debris or use it to your advantage to clear paths. This is a game that is all about experimentation. When you leave the safe room, you save, and all progress from then on until the next time you return is on the line. Stay out too long and get killed, and you may lose a lot, but you will gain knowledge, and your wasted resources will be returned. While it can seem like a steep price, it is much better than being stuck in an unwinnable situation out in some dark corner. The Bunker never lets up. It is soaked in tension, worships at the altar of making you squirm, and does it with a smile. The game’s star is the monster, which I found to be pleasantly predictable to some extent, but also truly terrifying. It constantly surprised and scared me, but I was incredibly careful and, as such, only ever caught faint glimpses for most of my run. It only increased the tension when I finally faced it, but it always remained a threat. You have tools to fight back for the first time in the series, but they serve only to slow down the creature. A precious bullet only slows down the monstrosity and provides a brief respite. The best you can ask for is that it decides to run off in pain instead of finishing you off in a fit of rage. Ultimately, it felt fairer and more consistent than the Xenomorph in Alien: Isolation. While the AI in that game is far more adaptive and intelligent, that doesn’t necessarily make it fun to play against. Isolation was full of long-winded chases, instant deaths that felt incredibly unfair, and waiting in lockers for 5-10 minutes as the alien refused to leave. That experience is also stretched over a dozen or more hours. But this isn’t a takedown of Isolation, an excellent game for many reasons, but it only highlights what The Bunker does right. It is a much tighter game that only lasts 5 or so hours before the credits roll, but the tension is so thick the whole time that you could cut it. The monster feels fair in a way the alien never did, but it is no less terrifying. This is a game for horror fans with a masochistic streak. The Bunker does many things right, from its intricate level design to its rich atmosphere, but the overbearing adherence to horror eventually makes it wear on the senses. Being isolated in a pitch-black bunker with only a murderous beast as company can run you down quickly, and The Bunker never lets up. It is soaked in tension, worships at the altar of making you squirm, and does it with a smile. While this is appealing, it is a lot to manage, and this is a game for horror fans with a masochistic streak. Find the best pair of headphones, sit in the dark, and get your creative thinking cap on, because The Bunker is a survival horror experience to rival the best in recent memory. When it all comes together, when your back is against the wall, gun drawn with a single bullet left, and the beast is bearing at you down a dark hallway, that is when this game sings. In those moments, it reaches the heights of the genre greats and its progenitor. Pros: Rich, nightmarish atmosphere Procedural, emergent gameplay Addicting, terrifying loop The monster Cons: Aged game engine Light story Too intense at times 8.5/10 Reviewer Played on Microsoft Windows. Amnesia: The Bunker is available now for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. No key was provided by the publisher.

A unique setting and creative combat make this open-world horror hybrid worth the plunge. Ghostwire Tokyo was released a year ago with a fairly positive response, but the game wasn’t without issues. I found it a unique, intriguing romp through a wonderfully realized Tokyo filled with fascinating yokai and fun side quests. While all those elements remain, Tango Gameworks has seen fit to update the original game with the Spider’s Thread. This sees the introduction of a new rogue-like mode and numerous other improvements to combat, traversal, and the overall experience. With this free update, Ghostwire remains just as exciting and unique within first-person open-world games, but now with fewer caveats. So, what exactly does the Spider’s Thread update add? Firstly, it sees the addition of the titular mode, Spider’s Thread. The rogue-lite mode sees players tackling randomized rooms and objectives floor by floor. In between, there is the opportunity to upgrade and unlock skills and gear to help players progress. The mode isn’t anything particularly unique, but it is well-made, and it lets you explore the combat and mechanics of Ghostwire without any of the open-world elements. There are many handcrafted challenges, new encounters to engage in, and limited story elements, making it an excellent addition to an already dense game. Still, it is ultimately not what makes this update worth it. I found the campaign's quality-of-life improvements and new abilities more impactful. With this free update, Ghostwire remains just as exciting and unique within first-person open-world games, but now with fewer caveats. Even the most straightforward additions, like being able to dodge and parry counter enemies, take the unique Ghostwire combat and make it genuinely great. The actual shooting still feels slow and stiff, but a generous lock-on helps alleviate it, and with the new abilities, combat flows more naturally and feels much less like a shooter and more like a hybrid magic/melee game. With combat cleaned up, the rest of the game can shine, and none of Ghostwire has lost its luster. The visuals are still dense and detailed, with every street filled with things to collect and interact with, making for a faithful recreation of downtown Tokyo. Performance issues still hamper the game, as it seems to strain against the constraints of consoles at every turn. The city is full of reflective surfaces and wet rain-slick streets, perfect for raytracing, but it is a mixed bag. There are numerous performance modes, but few are worthwhile. With the frenetic pace of the combat, it is hard to recommend anything that drops the framerate below 60 fps, but if you can swing with a variable refresh rate TV or play on PC, I highly recommend checking out all the bells and whistles. The visuals are still dense and detailed, with every street filled with things to collect and interact with, making for a faithful recreation of downtown Tokyo. Ghostwire Tokyo: Spider’s Thread continues Tango’s legacy of unique monster designs and horror elements, but it strictly adheres to Japanese folklore and creates a unique identity. Where past games felt like Resident Evil worship, Ghostwire carves its own path. Enemy designs are unique and varied, and genuinely unsettling without being ultra graphic or disturbing in a way many enemies seek to be today. The blood and guts of Dead Space, Resident Evil, and other contemporaries are nowhere to be seen in Ghostwire. The game focuses more on a spiritual and spooky atmosphere as opposed to outright terror and, as a result, feels more like a fun romp on Halloween night than a terror-filled sprint through a haunted house full of chainsaw-wielding degenerates. While the world, visuals, combat, and tone are unique and arresting, the same can’t be said for the story. It does its best to justify the Yokai all over Tokyo. Still, other than that, it plods along, following MacGuffin after MacGuffin, stringing your protagonist along as a hapless nobody imbued with cool spirit powers thanks to being possessed. Nobody is particularly memorable, hampered by the stilted storytelling that plagued The Evil Within and The Evil Within 2 (to a lesser extent). Ghostwire sings when you explore and soak in the rich atmosphere; the side-content, in particular, has you dealing with unique Yokai, making you feel like some Tokyo ghostbuster. It is a compelling fantasy but can’t compensate for the lack of quality writing. It feels more like a fun romp on Halloween night than a terror-filled sprint through a haunted house full of chainsaw-wielding degenerates. Ghostwire Tokyo: Spider’s Thread may be a free update, but it is integral to taking a good game towards something truly great. The few additions to combat genuinely help the game flow, and new missions and a roguelite mode are just the icing on the cake. Tango Gameworks is dedicated to making Ghostwire a worthwhile game, and it won’t be long before it sits in a similar cult classic spot as The Evil Within 2. I hope that Ghostwire gets a sequel one day because it is one of many titles on the cusp of something extraordinary, but it just needs a little more room to grow. Pros: Incredible Visuals Fun, unique combat Great enemy design Some interesting side content Substantial, free content updates Cons: Combat can still feel stiff Storytelling leaves much to be desired Repetitive mission design and structure Score: 7.5/10 Reviewer played the game on Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X Ghostwire Tokyo: Spider’s Thread is available now on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. No key was provided by the publisher.

Engaging mechanics, nostalgia for fans, OK writing. I have been playing Fire Emblem games since the Game Boy Advance days, which has given me enough time to pick up on the tropes of the series, which include blue-haired, noble protagonists; misunderstood manaketes; bizarre and unnecessary mini game mechanics; evil dragons; the “Fire Emblem,” a term that has a different meaning in every game, and a cast of archetypal soldiers There’s a reason they have these tropes—they’ve worked. Fire Emblem has served as a relatively niche Nintendo franchise, gradually growing in interest with the release of Awakening in 2012 only to explode in popularity with Three Houses releasing in 2019. Fans tend to fall into two camps: those that are looking for “chess as a dating sim” and players looking for “Nintendo-hard” tactics. Engage caters toward the second category, and wears every Fire Emblem trope proudly on its sleeve. Engage’s story is very typical Fire Emblem fare. There are warring nations, the threat of an evil dragon king set on taking over the world, and your noble protagonist, fighting to bring peace. After Three House’s unique and compelling narrative, I found this one a little lackluster, though I did enjoy travelling between the four nations and getting a bit more of the sense of cultures within this Fire Emblem world. There are also some surprising moments in the narrative that are made compelling with the reinforcement of game mechanics, which I would’ve loved to see even more often. The longer I’ve played Engage, the more invested I’ve become with some of the characters, appreciating surprising nuances to them or bucking of traditional stereotypes (like Pandreo the party animal priest, Seadall the male dancer, Rosado’s cute aesthetic and Panette’s masking with nobility culture). While they largely fit into the Fire Emblem archetypes, I found myself getting attached to Kagetsu’s wholesome positivity, the free-spirited fun of Solm’s people, and Merrin’s “that was cool, was it not” vibe. The combination of characters with specific Emblems also became particularly satisfying for me, having my favorite pairings while also becoming pleasantly surprised with new discoveries as I obtained Paralogue bracelets. Mechanics are where Engage really shines. Engage is a beautiful game when it comes to visuals and sound design. The integration of familiar music from previous games on Emblem paralogue maps was a good nostalgia trip, and I felt a surge of dopamine at the gacha-esque arcade sounds from employing Emblem rings. The addition of character and Emblem ring animations was a nice touch for making the units come to life. The designs are even more anime, culturally ambiguous and over-the-top than usual Fire Emblem fare, but this didn’t bother me for very long and became more of a charm as I played on. While the voice acting is fantastic on some characters, others were a bit jarring (I’m looking at you, Tiki). All that said, mechanics are where Engage really shines. I was skeptical of the addition of the Engage rings at first, but found they added an interesting dimension of complexity and individual approach to the tactics of each map. Additional terrain effects like poisonous geisers and volcanic cratars also add new levels of strategy to Engage’s maps. Engage’s character types also play with new combinations of abilities, which are further diversified when adding in type bonuses from Engage rings. The possibilities feel truly endless, making me eager to replay this game with different team compositions and bond strategies. Additionally, recent Fire Emblem games also include worlds and mini tasks for in-between maps, and while Three House’s Garreg Mach Monsastery interludes largely felt enjoyable to me, Emblem’s Somniel felt like something I couldn’t ignore but didn’t exactly look forward to checking into. I loved being able to train individual characters with Emblems, inheriting bond effects from the rings, and some of the new forging possibilities, but felt annoyed at times, having to go between the Somniel and the maps to do these things. I also feel baffled by Fire Emblem’s need to always add some new, strange mechanic in these spaces. For Fates this was the “blow” support mechanic, and for Emblem, it’s the polishing of the rings. Why do I need to polish the rings? What will happen if I don’t do this? I had no idea, so I returned to polish in fear of awakening the wrath of the Emblems. All in all, Engage is a fun game, particularly those who have a history with the franchise. As I write this review, I realize I’m perhaps unfairly critical of Emblem in ways because of it following the success of Three Houses. It’s not a fair comparison because Engage has different priorities. Nintendo alternates between providing Fire Emblem games that prioritize the characters with those that serve long-time Fire Emblem fans who are most interested in challenging tactics. Engage is in the second camp. It’s much more interested in mechanics, tactics, maps, and nostalgia. So it’s not necessarily fair to judge it based on not being Three Houses. It’s a different game, with its own unique sense of fun. Despite my picky complaints, I thoroughly enjoyed this game and will likely come back and replay. All in all, Engage is a fun game, particularly those who have a history with the franchise. Folks who have been with the series for a while will appreciate the inclusion of classic favorite characters, as well as the nods to past game soundtracks and maps on the Paralogue maps. Those who play for engaging maps and mechanics will not be disappointed, but if you’re wanting more dating-sim in your chess match, you may find this game’s characters lacking. Pros: Engage rings, terrains, bond skills and new class types provide fun tactical possibilities Characters like Kagetsu, Alcryst and Veyle are wholesome sweethearts that must be protected Skirmish and training maps keep up the challenge Nostalgic nods for long-time Fire Emblem fans Fun combination of the old and new Cons: Story and writing is mid-tier Most characters are one-dimensional, making support conversations less motivating Somniel is tedious and post-battle 3-D renderings are superfluous Using pact ring risks being friend-zoned by your favorite character Score: 8/10 Fire Emblem is now available exclusively on Nintendo Switch, which is what the reviewer played on. No key was provided by the publisher.

Cassette Beasts rises above an ocean of Pokémon clones through unique mechanics and a rollercoaster of a narrative. Pokémon clones have grown in popularity in recent years, because of both the growing popularity of the series and the resentment building with some of the series' older fans. Many of these games focus so hard on trying to match the king of monster collecting games, that they forget to have their own personality. The same can't be said for Cassette Beasts, which has the structure of a Pokémon clone, but far more depth and individuality than the word clone would suggest. Cassette Beasts takes place in New Wirral, a remote island where people from different worlds wash ashore, supposedly stuck in this place between worlds. Here, monsters roam free, but people have learned to transform into them using cassette players and tapes. You can use cassettes to record different monsters, adding them to your roster. You and a buddy must explore the land, defeating different Ranger Captains and Archangels, in an effort to improve life in New Wirral and possibly find a new way home. Immediately, Cassette Beasts sticks out with its unique, semi-apocalyptic setting. Random buildings and people have found their way here, forced to survive and live together, adding to the other-worldly feeling of the game. An abandoned shopping mall and miscellaneous buildings are strewn about, providing a distinct setting. The world isn't particularly big, but it provides a non-linear method of exploration and many secrets hiding in it. The art-style harkens back to Game Boy Advance style graphics, with a bit of a modern flair. These aren't just NPCs meant to guide you through quests, they are people, who have baggage and faults they have to deal with. The battle system is unique, with the entire game fought in double battles. The reason for this quickly becomes clear in the Fusion mechanic, which allows you and your partner to become one, creating a new monster out of whatever two you have on the field. This new beast has all of the moves and both types of the combined monsters, allowing for experimentation and creativity. Cassette Beasts also handles its typing and effective moves differently. Instead of a good type match up doing more damage and vice versa, effective attacks apply different buffs and debuffs. This system adds another strategic level to combat, encouraging strong type matchups without letting you one-shot enemies with ease. Catching new monsters has its own interesting twist too. While they are easier to catch when lower on health, this action takes an entire turn. One of your characters returns to human form, making them vulnerable. Every attack dealt to the target and dealt by the target affects the percentage chance you have to capture their recording. Monsters also can't be knocked out while you are trying to capture them, so instead of trying to get them as low as possible without emptying the health bar, you can go all out. You can also experiment with different move combos and strategies, letting you make adjustments fight to fight, keeping the battles fresh long after you have seen every monster the game has to offer. While the battle system helps carry this excellent indie title, the story is where it truly shines. You still have a quest to take down the equivalent of Gym Leaders, but you are also tasked early on by an Archangel to take down the rest of the Archangels. Doing this will give you and everyone else a way back home, but these battles are tough. The Archangels are manifestations of human feelings, adding a layer of static and fuzz to the screen when near them. Characters comment on how just looking at these abominations hurts and that's relayed to you through their obtuse and other-worldly designs. It's quickly clear that something else is going on in New Wirral and uncovering the mystery is exciting. The monsters of Cassette Beasts all feel like plausible animals, but the Archangels are clearly something ethereal. An important aspect of this melancholy world is the music. The tunes can vary from the type of up-beat battle-theme you might expect, to more sad pop music. Cassette Beasts also occasionally adds vocals to its soundtrack, which adds to the mysterious--but still sad and a bit lonely--vibe, matching the feel of its world almost perfectly. Voice acting is pretty minimal in Cassette Beasts, but many of the partners you can explore with have a few vocal cues, giving them even more personality. There are six different companions who can serve as your partner in both battle and exploration, each setup with their own unique beast to use in combat. These partners are more than just options in battle though, each have their own storyline to chase in New Wirral, which typically lead to some sort of revelation about their own shortcomings. These aren't just NPCs meant to guide you through quests, they are people, who have baggage and faults they have to deal with. You can advance your relationship through spending time together, increasing your fusion abilities and deepening your bond, giving you a reason to spend time with the whole cast. "Cassette Beasts is a fresh take on the monster collecting genre, featuring both whimsical creatures and actual floating nightmares in its surreal world." Gameplay is split into three parts; battling, exploring, and puzzle solving. Battling is easily the most enjoyable of the three, enhanced by the sticker system. Stickers function as the moves a monster can use, once stuck to their cassette. These moves can come in rare forms, providing either passive buffs or chances of additional attacks. Stickers can be added and removed from monsters freely, so long as the type matches, giving you a ton of flexibility. You don't need to worry if a new move is going to be worse than the move it replaces, because you can always swap back. You can also experiment with different move combos and strategies, letting you make adjustments fight to fight, keeping the battles fresh long after you have seen every monster the game has to offer. Exploration starts strong in Cassette Beasts, setting you loose into the open world, free to explore in any direction you please. Things start to fall apart when the movement abilities are introduced. You get the ability to glide, dash, swim, and more, but many of these abilities don't control particularly well. You are often tasked with platforming puzzles to reach new areas, which never feel particularly satisfying to complete due to the jank. Making a jump after a few missed attempts doesn't feel good because you aren't sure exactly why you missed the first few times. Puzzles come into play inside a few key locations and in the train stations, which are the lairs of the Archangels. Many of the game's puzzles are relatively simple, with the solution obvious the second you enter the room. This makes the process of completing the puzzle feel tedious, even if it's pretty short. Other puzzles are far more obtuse, with the answer not exactly feeling satisfying due to its bizarre mechanics. Luckily, you will spend far more time battling than solving puzzles in Cassette Beasts. Another place the obtuseness of Cassette Beasts comes through is the quest system. Once a quest is given, a marker is placed on the map for you. Many of these come from getting rumors from townsfolk, something that seems interesting at first. The idea that you can find something new and engaging from talking to NPCs in town sounds great. But in reality, this system just becomes a task of finding which NPCs in town have a green question mark above their head, which is refreshed whenever you rest to heal your party. Cassette Beasts is a fresh take on the monster collecting genre, featuring both whimsical creatures and actual floating nightmares in its surreal world. A double battle system with dozens of different buffs and debuffs creates a need to be more strategic and its story goes far beyond a desire to become champion or to just catch 'em all, but you can still do that too if you want to. A few shortcomings in the quest systems and platforming hold it back, but only slightly. Cassette Beasts proves itself as far more than just a knockoff, and is instead a brilliant game in its own right. Pros: The double battle system has great depth Story is full of unique twists and turns Excellent soundtrack and world design Endearing cast of characters Cons: Either uninteresting or obtuse puzzles Tedious quest system Bad open-world platforming Score: 8/10 Cassette Beasts is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Reviewer played on Xbox Series X via Game Pass.

When I think about Diablo, I think about the idea of a “Podcast Game” — the kind of experience people like to just vibe with. Pressing buttons feels good, the numbers go up and you don’t have to think much. For me though, Diablo is my “Wife Game,” something that has come to represent bonding time and gaming together with my spouse. So it was weird to play Diablo IV with my wife removed from the experience entirely, plucking along by myself while she was barred from co-op. It was also weird knowing my progress would be nuked after Blizzard’s review access period ended. Basically to review Diablo IV, I had to completely alienate myself from the reasons I like to play these games in the first place. 6 Weird right? That’s on top of all the internal miasma of baggage wrought by Activision Blizzard’s whole existence in the industry in Current Year. The lawsuits, unionization efforts and merger drama are still ongoing. This discourse has been going for multiple years now as fans, media, influencers and even devs had to confront twisted brambles of ethical scrutiny. What does purchasing, covering or engaging with this company’s products mean? Who is supporting who by doing what? Diablo IV’s launch will give more oxygen to these dilemmas without a doubt. As for myself, a writer in this world of shrinking opportunities and layoffs, it’s simple. I got a family to feed so let’s rip this bandage off, baby. I was always able to make the “return to town to sell junk” parts more fun with a little wardrobe detour. Bandages are probably a scarce resource in the world of Diablo IV; there is blood everywhere in this turbo-edgy videogame. Lillith, the game’s antagonist, opens the whole story emerging from a weblike portal made of three entire dudes’ blood reserves. As the player you often have to stand on blood-draining pedestals to activate certain events. Major story sequences are telegraphed by hauntingly beautiful flower petals billowing in the wind, but also the petals are blood (definitely not flowers). There’s blood all over the environments, enemies are covered in blood (and spill lots of it when you hurt them). Blood, blood, blood. It’s like a Herschell Gordon Lewis movie in here. Part of this feels like the team at Blizzard reacting to the past. Diablo III was a more colorful game that was criticized for looking like World of Warcraft. Diablo IV doubles down on grit, realism and darkness. It’s a gorgeous game for sure, one of the most impressive in the whole action RPG genre in terms of visual fidelity. But it’s also extremely dour, which is kind of a bummer if you actually liked the splashes of color in the last game. But there’s also no weird nonsense like the real money auction house (although there will be a Battle Pass-like structure later), so in my eyes it’s a fair trade. Diablo IV feels like a complete game at launch, and one that offers a staggering amount of both content and freedom to tinker with my character. Diablo IV doubles down on grit, realism and darkness. Customization feels like a huge deal in Diablo IV, greatly expanding the options I have to make my experience feel more personal. There’s a fairly robust character creation system to start things off, one that finds a comfortable spot to provide options without compromising fidelity. After that though, you can transmogrify your armor to your heart’s content, without having to bleed (heh) money and scramble for resources like dyes. This was easily my favorite part, as I was always able to make the “return to town to sell junk” parts more fun with a little wardrobe detour. There’s also an interesting degree of customization in the game’s skill tree, depending on what you’re looking at. For example as a Barbarian you have several different weapons, and some skills will let you choose which weapon is used. It’s weird minutia buried in a menu, but stuff like that is wild to see not only considered but implemented. That sense of freedom coats Diablo IV’s core gameplay as well. The map is an open world, gradually filling out as you explore without having you load up different zones. And that map is ludicrously populated with stuff to do, whether you’re just messing around, advancing the story or running around with other players. We saw some of this in Diablo Immortal (and other MMO-like games) with world events. There’s also a ton of big dungeons that offer “Aspects,” rewarding you for veering off the critical path. Smaller chunks of content like Cellars and Lillith statues that provide permanent stat bumps are scattered all over the map too, giving completionists plenty of food. Diablo IV feels like a complete game at launch, and one that offers a staggering amount of both content and freedom to tinker with my character. As a reviewer working on a limited time frame, with progress deletion looming on top of a spoiler-averse wife and ADHD, I hated Diablo IV. I was never a big fan of the series growing up, only really getting into it as something my wife loved. But I came to enjoy the loop of slaughtering mobs, finding loot and not listening to NPCs vomit dull lore at me. Relaxing and bonding with my significant other with gaming rules! Now, I’ve had the parts I like taken from me and replaced with existential pain and stress. Oh boy! So that’s why, with sadness in my heart, I give Diablo IV a five out of ten. Just kidding! Obviously there’s no such thing as an objective review, but while my personal experience was flavored by despair, I’m also capable of taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. Once the full game comes out and I can jump in there and engage with it how I like, I know it’s gonna be a blast. There are so many new ways to just goof around and customize my character, and so much more stuff to engage with, I can’t wait to take my time with it alongside my partner. Diablo III was fun too, but it didn’t have the juice to motivate starting over or continuing to play. Diablo IV could easily be a more semi-permanent fixture. And that’s an exciting prospect for me, even after hours upon hours of grinding through it already. Besides, I played Rogue instead of Barbarian so this barely counts as a dry run. That’s the fascinating thing about games like Diablo IV. There’s so much of it, and so much context, I can see so many ways it can be meaningful for players. It’s because of that near-perfect mixture of agency, progression, social texture and depth. The fidelity and polish afforded by Diablo being… Diablo is crucial as well. Diablo IV is a tremendous game in scale and scope, but it still feels authored and managed instead of bloated and frivolous. That it was put together amid so much external and internal strife and holds together as well as it does is a mind-blowing accomplishment. I’m beyond stoked to start it for real soon. Pros: Gives players tons of agency Big map full of content that doesn’t feel bloated or stale Top-shelf production values Cons: Storytelling is delivered dryly outside of cutscenes Lots of complex menu-drilling Arguably overcorrected tone Score: 9/10 Early review access was provided by the publisher, and was played on PlayStation 5. Diablo IV is launching on June 6, 2023 for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 and PC. The Early Access launch is June 1.

What’s the point of dreams when the world is ending? Goodbye Volcano High may be about anthropomorphic teenage dinosaurs, but the question at its heart couldn’t be more relevant today. The latest from experimental studio KO_OP, Goodbye Volcano High is a visual novel/rhythm game that follows a teen dino named Fang as they prepare for the most important show of their life. They join bandmates Trish and Reed, all while finishing high school and trying not to worry about that asteroid passing perilously close to Earth. While Goodbye Volcano High sometimes gets lost in the weeds, its heartfelt story and kickass music kept me engaged till the end. The first, most obvious, point to make about Goodbye Volcano High is that it looks and sounds phenomenal. If you’ve played a lot of visual novels, you’re probably used to a standard format for dialogue, where still images of characters take up most of the screen perched on top of a text box. Goodbye Volcano High chucks that convention out entirely, instead turning every interaction into a fully animated, fully voiced scene. You could easily mistake it for an animated film if it weren’t for the frequent dialogue choices. Music to my ears Goodbye Volcano High puts a few novel spins on dialogue. For one, there’s a timer on most choices, so you’ll need to quickly decide what to say (or not to say). Fang isn’t exactly the chillest protagonist, either, which leads to some interesting quirks when you’re choosing your lines. Sometimes they’ll get flustered and dialogue choices will switch positions while you try to select one. Things that are harder for them to say might make you hold down multiple buttons or tap rapidly to select them. Fang will often say more than your dialogue choice indicates as well, which at first felt frustrating when their tone was different from what I expected, but all these effects end up as the perfect way to embody a moody teen who’s not entirely in control of their own big mouth. Goodbye Volcano High’s voice acting is just as good as its art — not a single performance falls flat — though some audio problems do spoil things a bit. The quality of its sound recording varies wildly, with some lines coming out sounding like they were recorded in less-than-ideal environments or with lower-quality equipment. Not a single performance falls flat — though some audio problems do spoil things a bit. This is likely due to how much the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person recording sessions in film and games. Clipped lines and audio cutting out early are also fairly common occurrences. Despite the uneven voice quality, the same problems don’t seem to have plagued Goodbye Volcano High’s music. That’s fortunate because music plays a major role, as you’d expect from a story about a band. Fang’s band, Worm Drama, is headed for the local Battle of the Bands, where the best act will get to play at the upcoming CalderaFest in front of an audience of thousands. As the deadline looms closer, Fang struggles to write an entirely new set for the concert and convince their bandmates to show up to practice. Throughout the game, as Fang practices their new songs and finally plays them at the Battle of the Bands, Goodbye Volcano High becomes a rhythm game with a few different mechanics. You’ll need to match notes coming from the sides of the screen with one joystick, pull down on both sticks when two arrows drop down on either side in tandem, and hit face buttons in time as they appear onscreen. It can be overwhelming to play so many different kinds of notes at once, which, just like the quirks of some dialogue choices, made me feel like a teenager struggling to learn something new. Goodbye Volcano High’s musical sequences usually come at emotional high points, and they contain most of the game’s best moments. As you perform, you’ll sometimes just watch scenes of the band playing. But, in the most effective of them, you’ll instead see a collage of moments that are on Fang’s mind as they play. They tell the story of why they wrote this song and what’s on their mind as they sing. It’s an extremely effective way to bring Fang’s emotions to the forefront and I only wish there were more of them in the game. Growing pains of Goodbye Volcano High Unfortunately, Goodbye Volcano High’s story is a little more uneven when it’s being told in a more traditional way. Writing believable dialogue for teenagers is a task I don’t envy. However, for the most part, Goodbye Volcano High does it well, only occasionally veering into “How do you do fellow kids” territory. But while the writing stays sharp, the story being told loses its edge near the middle of its roughly five-hour runtime. Even as Goodbye Volcano High’s story stumbles, it soars emotionally. Goodbye Volcano High centers on teenagers coming to important crossroads in their lives while they can’t even be certain they’ll be around after high school. They all have different ways of dealing with stress, from ignoring it to sinking into depression. I can’t imagine a more potent or timely story to tell right now, but instead of honing in on that powerful hook, Goodbye Volcano High meanders. In a couple of extended sequences, the gang plays a Dungeons & Dragons homage that’s not nearly interesting enough to sustain its length. It ends up feeling like a half-hearted metaphor that just takes time away from the real story. When the focus comes back to the core story, Goodbye Volcano High runs out of steam. The game ends with a few cathartic conversations and a final performance, but nothing feels resolved as the credits roll. Everyone essentially just decides to stick with their friends and do the things that they would have done anyway if the world weren’t ending. That’s not a bad idea. But, the path they take to acceptance doesn’t have nearly enough drama for its impossible high stakes. Goodbye Volcano High is rough and uneven, but it still contains some of the best individual moments I’ve had with a game all year. Even as Goodbye Volcano High’s story stumbles, it soars emotionally. By the game’s finale, its band drama and apocalypse plotlines alike were running out of steam, but I still felt every bit of Fang’s anger and hope and joy as they played their final song. Of everything it gets right about teenagers, Goodbye Volcano High most seems to understand the turmoil. Friends fight and make up, confess their crushes then push each other away, sink to their depths but still show up when they need to. Likewise, Goodbye Volcano High is rough and uneven, but it still contains some of the best individual moments I’ve had with a game all year.

Unity grabbed the shovel, started digging, and won't stop. New Reviews on GameCrate! More News from GameCrate! This Week on The Gamer Lounge: BALDUR'S GATE 3 - SpeedFIGHT Competition The Gamer Lounge played Baldur's Gate 3! The game may be a strong candidate for Game of the Year... but have you ever tried to play it... REALLY FAST?!

In a race with Forza Horizon, The Crew Motorfest comes up a bit short The Crew Motorfest is the latest iteration in the popular franchise. In the past, with the first two games, you have been able to race across the United States. Being confined to one location in this game removes some of the allure of the originals.. Once you are able to do so, bring up the world map. This is the hub where you will find all of the events. Interestingly, the map is interactive as you can see cars racing down a road on the map. Activities in the game will include either a car, boat, or plane. Follow Along the Multiple Stories with Playlists For starters, there are the Playlists. Different playlists represent car cultures from around the world. Despite the game being in Hawaii, they found an excellent way to give this international flavor. One great example is the "Made in Japan" playlist. In addition to the Japanese one I just mentioned, there is one for "Dream Cars," another for "American Muscle," "Hawaii Scenic," "Rule the Streets," and more. Each has its own vibe, with the "American Muscle" category giving you a history lesson on American muscle cars as you complete activities. Every playlist that is available in the game is available from the beginning. However, some of them might require that you buy a specific vehicle. Challenge Yourself Throughout Hawaii These playlists are only one part of the equation. You will also see different "feats" available as you explore the map. Feats are a part of the free driving experience. They can begin automatically by passing through a gate with a suitable vehicle. In addition to those different "feats" available to you, there are also thematic challenges. If you are going through the Japan playlist, for example, you might encounter a challenge called "Nihon No Hashiriya." In this challenge, you must drive 15 minutes above 150 Km/h in freeride at night. Battle It Out Online in Multiplayer If you want to test your skills against other players, you can do so with a couple of different modes. There is the "Grand Races," which are races with up to 28 players. These are in three separate sections and will take approximately ten minutes. The second option is the Demolition Royale. This is a battle royale for The Crew Motorfest. You "fight" in crews of four and have up to eight crews, meaning there can be up to 32 players here. The Crew Motorfest is accessible in other ways as well. You can have it on the easiest mode, where there isn’t a challenge. On the flip side, you can put it on the hardest difficulty available and have to fight for every inch as you battle it out. Other accessibility options include subtitles and controlling how they look. There is also a color blind mode, a high contrast mode, a chance to change the text size, and more. It Isn’t Always A Smooth Ride Through Hawaii One issue I had is that since you do have to always connect to Ubisoft's servers, the quick resume feature on the Xbox Series X doesn't matter. Another irritation for me was not being able to select your starting location. Ideally, I would like to pick up the game where I left off, but you always have to start in the same spot. Unfortunately, you can't freely use the fast travel system until after you have completed ten playlists. There was an instance where the game got hung up and could not stay connected to the server, but that was a rare event in all of my time with this game. If inactive for too long, you will get booted out of the game and sent back to the menu. I understand this is probably to manage server load. Chances are I will get kicked out of the game though if I have to get up to do something. Closing Thoughts Overall, The Crew Motorfest is a fun game. If they could fix those issues I discussed with a patch, I would enjoy the game more. I recommend downloading the demo and checking it out since this is a departure from the standard Crew formula. Do you have any thoughts about The Crew Motorfest? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on X, Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, Instagram, and HIVE Social. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes!