Marvel MaXimum Collection Nintendo Switch 2 Review 6.5/10 "Welcome to DIE!"❌🦹‍♀️ @LimitedRunGames #RetroGaming

With some games featuring regional variations (JP, US, EU) and also archival details – as well as a ‘jukebox’ section – on the face of the matter, this looks like pretty decent ‘snikt!’ For your buck, but the age and design of some of the games, as well as a bare bones feel to the package in terms of the extras included does end up making things feel a little lacklustre overall, although you do get the usual save state and rewind features along with the choice of using a CRT filter.

A collection of six games from the early to mid-nineties starring beloved Marvel characters, Marvel MaXimum Collection puts the below games in one place:

1. Silver Surfer (NES)
2. Captain America and The Avengers (NES, Arcade, Genesis)
3. X-Men (Arcade)
4. Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge ( Genesis, SNES, Game Boy, Game Gear)
5. Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (Genesis, SNES)
6. Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety (Genesis, SNES)

Dead Format PC Review By Ayden 6.5/10 📼 "A 3-8 hour horror-action experience with character"

While I’m a fan of horror movies and books, I haven’t had much experience with horror games up until this last year. I put this down to it being easier to desensitise oneself to films and the written word, whereas with video games there is no option to mentally disengage. Your choices matter, when you move matters, and that is quite a bit more terrifying than simply watching a slide show of off-putting and uncomfortable scenes.

All this to say, I may have watched over 50 horror movies last year with a stony and dead eyed expression, but when it comes to games of the same genre, I’m a snivelling coward. So I can’t promise that what got me nervously pausing and gathering myself before I could again brave more of the Video Ghastlies will equally terrify you. What I will say, is that if the stress detector on my watch is to be believed, this game achieved what it set out to with me.

The game starts with scant details, other than you are on a search for your missing brother. You enter his flat and search for clues which ultimately leads you to uncovering the mysteries of a new and inexplicably dangerous VHS format, “Video Ghastlies”. After watching the first tape, you will find yourself stepping out of the flat and into its macabre reality. Whilst in these other realms, you will find new tapes and trinkets required to proceed. You do also at some point get a bone-gun that shoots teeth (don’t ask, I’m still not sure), so it’s not an experience entirely built on hide-run-hide-run. 

Thomas & Friends: Wonders of Sodor Xbox Review 6.5/10 "A beautifully realised license frustratingly hampered by technical issues and design choices" 🚂 @dovetailgames #IndieGame #GameDev

I grew up with Thomas the Tank Engine, and now – a full generation down the line – my son has taken up the mantle of enjoying Thomas and his cast of friends making their way around the gentle island of Sodor. 

Developed by Dovetail Games – the folks behind the Train Sim World series of games, they know their way around a caboose! - this is a wonderfully realised world in which the characters are absolutely TV perfect and the voice actor from the show also appears to add class to the game.

There are several modes, with exploration (free roam) mode, and a more mission-centric being the main focus. I was intrigued as to how they would make a game in which you can effectively just go forwards and backwards interesting, especially when the sim element is removed or heavily simplified, but Dovetail Games have really worked some magic here with the chapter stories, voice work, and overall presentation being spot-on.

Gear Club Unlimited 3 Nintendo Switch 2 Review 6.5/10 "a fun, if slightly bland racing game"🛻🔥🔥 @Nacon @EdenGames #IndieGame #GameDev

I’m not familiar with the Gear Club Unlimited series, but after playing a few duff Switch racers recently (I look at YOU Fast & Furious) I had a hankering for a solid arcade racer, and so Eden Games’ Gear Club Unlimited 3 very much appealed, and whilst the fundamentals and moment-to-moment driving are fun with a few positive quirks, the package as a whole feels like a missed opportunity, although huge kudos up front for not trying make this a ‘hip’ game with needless bad language and cringe-inducing dialogue, ensuring that this can be enjoyed by racing fans of all ages.

Beginning with your character winning a race against his mentor and bagging a spot in the France-based racing series that make up the rest of the game, you choose your initial car from a small selection (although you can unlock 40 cars in the game) and begin your winning streak. I went with an Abarth as my wife drives a Fiat 500, so I was flying the family flag – which turned out to be a good choice for the highway sections of the game which I’ll go into later.

Mafia: The Old Country Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 *va bene, va bene* 🍋 @mafiagame

I missed the boat when the original Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven was fist released back in 2002, instead getting hips deep into the sequel released in 2010, of which I have incredibly fond memories of following the trials and tribulations of Vito and Joe as they make their way through the murky underworld of Empire Bay. 

The game had an incredible soundtrack, looked fantastic and had a plot that pulled me in. The sequel – Mafia III (developed by the current team, Hangar 13 – initially impressed with its technological advances, atmosphere and characters – and again, a blinding soundtrack – but for reasons I can’t recall, I sort of…fell off it somewhere along the way.

Car Go! PS5 Review By Reeg 6.5/10 🚛 @CleversanGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Car Go! is a small, simple delivery game that keeps things light and accessible. With such a vast range of genres available, is this one worth picking up?

Upon loading into the main menu, you’re greeted with three straightforward options: Start, Arcade, and Settings. While functional, the settings menu feels a little bare, notably lacking an option to adjust sensitivity. Visually, the game adopts a cute, minimal style with a distinctly mobile-esque look and feel.

A Pizza Delivery Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 *fancy a slice (of life)?* 🍕 @Dolores_Ent #IndieGame #GameDev

The first release from Spanish video game developer Eric Osuna, A Pizza Delivery is a game that overreaches its grasp, but is painfully close to being a glorious experience, blending as it does a scattered narrative with simple mechanics. 

Although, as much as certain sections of the game appealed to me, there were too many aspects that dragged my interest down, eventually making the game feel a bit meandering and light as opposed to being the vehicle to a budding realisation as the narrative would perhaps like me to believe.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 *Don’t let me drift away, babe* 🏯🚗💨 @GamingFactorySA #IndieGame #GameDev

Firstly, I have to say that whilst I didn’t fully click with JDM: Japanese Drift Master due to several issues that I’ll elaborate on below, this is clearly a game that’s been crafted with love, and has some real high points in the visual departments and world design. That said, there were too many issues to ignore and it all resulted in JDM feeling like a game that needed a bit longer in the oven to really make an impact.

The narrative of the game is told through Manga style comic imagery, a really cool touch that adds to the Japanese vibe of the game and bookends the chapters that make up the story in a fun way. The look and layout of the map is surprisingly varied as well, with some lovely touches and flourishes in the landscapes and environments that you’ll be whizzing through. 

Tiny Pixels Vol. 2 – Stormy Knights Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 “Bite-sized, princess-rescuing action” 🏰👸⚔️ @eastasiasoft #IndieGame #GameDev

A snappy, heavily timing-based adventure game that casts you in the role of a knight on a quest to rescue several princess trapped in separate castles, you’ll find yourself adjusting to the simple control setup quickly, and timing your movements, shield blocks, dashes, swipes and magic accordingly as you cut your way through the enemies ahead of you, in single-stage battles.

Agent Fall Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "A brief ‘n breezy 2D shooter for the casual player" 🔫🕵🏻‍♀️ @PufferfishDig @eastasiasoft #IndieGame #GameDev

Whilst the blurb for the game may look to convince you that this 2D run ‘n gun title will provide a serious challenge, it is actually a very short, simple and quite charming little title that provides an hour or so of blasting action, with a paper thin story that acts as an excuse to move from place to place, all the while taking down enemies in droves in single player, or co-op.

From the Website:
'Agent Fall is an action game inspired by classic titles, where you face an intergalactic government conspiracy. With aliens siding with the government, you, as an agent, must take down this dark alliance. Prepare for frantic combat, with powerful weapons, relentless enemies, and epic bosses.'

Hot Rod Mayhem Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Smooth Racing and Vibrant Visuals" 🚘🚔@CasualBrothers #IndieGame #GameDev

Kart racing is a genre that has certainly had its ups and down over the years, it feels like there have been an incredible amount – of varying quality – that have been released in the last few years alone on the Switch and Xbox, where there will always be a niche due to the focus on local multiplayer, after all – bashing around with friends is always fun!

To this end, Hot Rod Mayhem makes a great first impression, with energetic music, and a colourful customisable cast of characters as well as several vehicles to choose from, each with their own stats. 

Beyond the Ice Palace 2 Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Worth a go if you go mental for this stuff" ⚔️ @PQubeGames #GameDev #IndieGame

Beyond the Ice Palace 2 has a heritage longer than many people reading this have been alive. The original BTIP was released in the Stone Age (1988) for the first mass-market home computers, including the Commodore siblings C64 and Amiga, the Atari ST and the ZX Spectrum. You take the role of the Cursed King, champion of the gods, raised from the dead in order to whip and grapple your way through your decaying kingdom.

Caligo Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Striking Visuals and Imagery, with Heavy Iconography" 🕯️🗼 @Krealit_team @Pinkerator #IndieGame #GameDev

"Jane's tent was a bitch to put up but it was a hit at Glastonbury"

One of the most visually interesting walking simulators that I’ve played, Caligo begins with your unknown player character being beckoned forth by a masked entity through a series of locations to meet a mysterious individual. 

The first thing you’ll notice is how crisp and interesting the game is visually – with each area you pass through being rich with things to take in, as well as the occasional, scattered collectible item to pilfer. 

Mortisomem Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Bite-Sized Brazilian Folkloric Horror"

A new title on console from solo developer David Pateti, Mortisomem casts the player in the role of protagonist Donald Barnes, a merchant in Brazil during 1917 who walks home from his local one night to discover that the feared Mortisomem is after him. 

Long believed to just be a story designed to scare children into behaving, it becomes clear very quickly that Donald Barnes is up against a supernatural force determined to hunt him down, and this is NOT a harmless kid’s tale.

Dog Man: Mission Impawsible Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Full price? You’d be barking mad" 🐶 @MindscapeGames @F84Games #IndieGame #GameDev

I have to admit, I had never heard of the Dog Man franchise, I was very much unaware of Dav Pilkey’s books, graphic novels and the upcoming animated film. As such, I approached Dog Man: Mission Impawsible as a pure platform gaming experience, and as such – found it pretty middling in terms of gameplay, interesting in terms of presentation... but I did balk <bark? - Ed> at the asking price.

Dog Man Mission: Impawsible begins with the titular character getting called back into action, and re-banding his old companions in a bid to save their town, each has their own skill to surpass certain obstacles, as well as their own weaknesses. From that moment, the game reveals itself to be a pretty standard platformer, very accessible, and with a generous learning curve for younger / newer players, but overall very much not deserving the premium price tag that is attached to Dog Man Mission Impawsible.

Tap Wizard 2 Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Tap Wizard 2 Didn’t quite manage to cast its spell on me" 🧙‍♂️💥🧙 @Top_Cog #IndieGame #GameDev

The trailer for Tap Wizard 2 struck me as a game akin to Vampire Survivors, and as I’d wet my whistle on that particular genre during my end of year Switch mini-review round-up, I quite fancied another game with the same flavour. Digging deeper into Tap Wizard 2 reveals that it is actually an ‘idle’ game, a genre which is more suited to mobile devices – from which this is a port – and so I wondered how it would fare on consoles. It turns out that whilst the design and charm is there – it does feel that the mobile market is perhaps the best place for Tap Wizard 2.

The game begins with you choosing your wizard and their six powers from a choice of various elements, from then on, your wizard will engage in endless waves of combat with enemies in ever-increasing numbers and strengths as you incrementally increase your stats, powers, and abilities.

Visually the game features some tasty pixel art and runs very smoothly. The chiptune audio is catchy, but on a relatively short loop, although you can flick between a few different ditties in the menu. What you cannot do, though, is turn off the rumble on your controller, this is of note as the controller constantly rumbles throughout the game, and you can’t put your controller down or it’ll rumble off the table and onto the floor. This wouldn’t normally be an issue, but as it’s an idle game with a lot of downtime, it would have been a nice feature to include.

Whilst primarily an idle game, you can take direct control over your wizard as he wanders his way around the single-screen battlefield, and you’ll find that you’ll survive longer and get more pick-ups this way, as the AI-controlled wizard tends to just either move in a sweeping circle, or stay in the centre of the screen, ignoring the many chests that pop up full of goodies. 

Another minor niggle is that the left thumb stick – this controls the on-screen cursor, the right thumb stick handles manual wizard movement – seems to always start offscreen at the bottom left, which is a bit odd, the centre of the screen would be preferable for initial cursor placement.

The number of various panels, inventory areas, unlockables, upgrades and bonuses etc. is laudable and certainly adds a sense of progress to your quest, but the time-locked lore / narrative reveal is so overly verbose and lengthy that I got more irritated than intrigued upon reading. 

I found that the game was best played as I was cleaning my flat, having it on in the background and popping back every few minutes to maybe take over manually, and click through, selecting all of the things I’d unlocked whilst idle.

SUMMARY

It’s a game that’s too uninvolved to sit and fully engage with, and not engrossing enough to boot up and check in when playing on the Xbox, without the instancy and casualness of mobile play. 

I’d be interested to see what developer TopCog comes up with next, as I feel there’s a lot of talent and promise there, but on console, Tap Wizard 2 doesn’t quite click for me.

6.5/10

💧MELTING💧

Neon Blood Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "The spark of something beautiful" 🧠⚡️ @ChaoBrainStudio #IndieGame #GameDev

Neon Blood was one of those games that struck me the moment I first watched the trailer, a beautiful blend of 3D environments with 2D characters, that supposedly melded that cyberpunk aesthetic with detective-based adventure, on paper – and on screen – it looked to be a winner. Sadly, as much as there was in Neon Blood that really drew me in, there was just as much working against my enjoyment.

Set in an alternate, distant future, the player is cast in the role of detective Axel McCoin, a burnt-out detective who regularly uses the fictional drug Spark to cope with extreme pain caused by his failing bio-implants. Mostly dismissed by his superiors, Axel (cool name ) gets embroiled in a series of murders that hint at a larger conspiracy…

Super Rolling Heroes Deluxe Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Keep on rollin’ baby" 🧶 @solidneongames @JanduSoft #IndieGame #GameDev

A fun and polished casual title, Super Rolling Heroes Deluxe is a game about downward momentum. You must control your colourful, rotund buddy as they tumble down mountains avoiding spikes, traps, and pitfalls in a bid to make contact with the jewel at the end of each stage, thus completing the level.

Controls are simple, you can backpedal slightly, slow yourself down, or hop as you roll down the hills, smashing up the tiny houses, cars and structures that litter your way. The music is light and gentle, matching the pastel colours that are a breeze on the eyes. The animation and scrolling is also a very smooth 60 fps, which adds to the flow of the game.

Unfortunately, whilst there are various cosmetic unlockables that you can purchase – and side roads that lead to the extra gems etc. that act as in-game currency, the environment never really changes, and aside from the game getting trickier, you’ll find yourself passing the same structures and items over and over, meaning that there’s no real sense of progress beyond the numbers of the levels changing. 

You can adjust the difficulty to make it more of a challenge, but a little could have gone a long way here, with maybe differing weather conditions affecting your traversal, and some more dynamism and variety to the environments themselves, or the inclusion of hectic multiplayer races. 

SUMMARY

All that said, this is a fundamentally sound game that is fun for short blasts and is perfectly priced – but lacks that little something extra to make it a strike.

6.5/10

💧MELTING💧

Flint: Treasure of Oblivion XBOX Series X Review 6.5/10 "A voyage with a touch of seasickness" 🏴‍☠️🦜 @PlayFlintGame @_SavageLevel_ #IndieGame #GameDev

A game that presents itself fantastically in some ways, but fumbles the bottle of rum over the side of the vessel in too many others to make it completely smooth sailing.

Flint: Treasure of Oblivion has an opening segment that certainly grabs your attention, as the game opens on a raft adrift in the ocean and we are introduced to Captain Flint and his hulking second in command, Billy Bones. They’ve clearly been at sea for a while with no food or water, and Flint finally loses his mind and decides he has no recourse other than to devour his best friend. 

It’s a fun and novel way to introduce the basic mechanics of the game as you chase your erstwhile companion all over the tiny raft. Luckily for all involved, in the midst of this debacle a ship sees the duo and takes them aboard…

Europa Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "Its visuals, charm and story do enough to lift it above average" 🌏 @EuropaGame #IndieGame #GameDev

Having seen the trailer and played the game, I can tell you right now that it's not possible to review Europa without mentioning Breath of the Wild, so I won't try. This game, like the aforementioned (Linked, you might say) Nintendo smash, is an open-worldy, puzzley platformer. 

The game has you play Zee, an android, as you explore the breath-taking views of the eponymous moon of Jupiter. You're guided through the journey by the voice of your deceased creator/father, who speaks to you through his journal, pages of which you gather as you progress.