The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince – Steam Review

Overview – developed by Nippon Ichi Software and Systemsoft Beta, with publishing by NIS America, The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is a hand-drawn puzzle adventure with a heartwarming story. As a princess with a magical secret, guide a prince who has lost his eyesight on a perilous journey to restore his vision. This title is available on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Steam, with links to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before if get into the review, I would like to thank NIS America for providing the copy of The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. Please note, I will be keeping the details on some parts of the game light, as I don’t want to spoil any parts of the experience. I will be referring to the game as the shortened name of Liar Princess for the sake of brevity.

Story – once upon a time, a wolf lived in the forest and sang in the moonlight, with a voice that didn’t match her monstrous appearance. This voice attracted the prince who lived in the nearby kingdom, who would listen to her singing. The cliff the wolf sang from obscured her appearance from the prince, but this was about to change. One night, after the wolf finished singing, she looked down and saw the prince climbing the cliff.

In a panic that the prince would never want to see her again, the wolf attempted to cover the prince’s eyes with her paw. However, her claws tore at the prince’s eyes and left him blind. The prince no longer came to hear the wolf sing, having been locked in the tower for bringing shame to the royal family. The wolf discovered this and broke into the castle, finding the prince in rags with his face wrapped in dirty bandages.

The sight of the prince made the wolf’s heart ache. She called out to him, with the prince realising it was the voice that would sing to him. To hide that she was the monster that hurt him, the wolf lied that she was a princess. She wanted to take him to the witch of the forest, who had the power to make any wish come true. The wolf went to the witch’s house, she was going to become a princess, who would rescue the prince from the dreary tower.

Gameplay – in Liar Princess, the main objective is for the player to escort the prince to the Witch’s house. To achieve this goal, players assume the form of the princess, allowing them to hold hands with the prince. While holding hands, the player can guide the prince through the perils of the forest, keeping him safe from harm. As the princess, players will be able to run, jump and interact with different environmental elements.

While travelling through the areas, there will be puzzle elements that need to be solved to progress. There will be switches, which will activate platforms, gates and more to open the way forward. Some of these will require multiple steps, like the player needing to activate multiple switches and plates. There will also be puzzles that require the player to perform multiple steps to progress, like using solving a number puzzle or lighting fires.

For many of these segments, the player will need to use both the princess and the prince to get through. The main way that a lot of the sections can be handled is by holding hands, with the prince following behind and letting go when needed. But as the game progresses, it will be possible to issue commands to the prince. These allow the princess to guide the prince at a distance, or when two actions must be performed.

There will also be physics based areas, like logs that need to be weighed to reach higher points, as well as platforms that will be weight sensitive. Some of the platforms will be unstable, needing to be crossed one at a time, as too much weight will cause them to collapse. For the weight related areas, The wolf weighs more than both the prince and princess, so it will be important to know when to use that weight, making it possible to progress.

Many of the areas will contain monsters, which will hurt both the prince and the princess. In order to navigate these areas, the player can transform the princess into her wolf form. When she is her true self, she will be able to use her claws to fight the monsters, slashing them to defeat them. The wolf will also be able to use her claws to interact with the environment, such as pushing heavy weights to hold down pressure plates or breaking boxes.

Alongside the puzzle solving and monster combat, there is also a heavy focus on platforming and exploration. With the princess and the prince, they are able to cross small gaps and traverse some of the bumps and jumps. There will also be moving platforms, as well as bouncy mushrooms that will launch the prince and princess into the air. It is important to take care when platforming, as Both the prince and princess can die if they fall from a great height.

It is also possible for the princess and prince to die from being attacked by monsters, with a single hit ending the journey for them. But there are ways to prevent this, with the main one being the use of the wolf form, allowing the player to fight back. There will also be the lantern, which will scare monsters away from the prince as he carries the flame. This flame does not last forever, so it is important to clear out the monsters to ensure safe passage.

While in wolf form, players will be able to jump much higher than the princess, allowing her to reach higher points and cross perilous gaps. She will also be able to fall from great heights, not taking damage when landing on the ground. There will still be points that the wolf can die, like falling into a bottomless pit, which will lead to failure. Thankfully, there are generous checkpoints, so deaths and failure aren’t a significant setback for players.

Throughout the experience there will be story segments, which give important details to the narrative as it unfolds. These interludes in the adventure, feature images behind text that is read aloud by a narrator. In the scenes, there is more depth given to the world, the characters and the events that are playing out. This is akin to that of a story being read aloud, with page turning effects that add to the charm of the presentation.  

The last thing to discuss is the collection system, as there are items that can be found throughout the adventure. These consist of golden leaves, scattered through the stages that are discovered through exploration. Players can also find flowers, which the princess will gift to the prince in special scenes. If the player misses any of the collectables, they will be able to return to previous stages, allowing players to get 100% of the items to complete the collection.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – Liar Princess has an easy to use control scheme, with the ability to play the game with a controller or keyboard/mouse. The feel of the inputs with both control options are reliable, with reactive and responsive inputs. The game also supports a variety of controllers via steam input, allowing players to enjoy the game however they want. I will say that my preference is to use a controller, as it feels the most natural way to experience the game.

Difficulty – there is a relatively soft difficulty curve with this release, offering players of all skill levels an experience that can be cleared. Some of the areas have more challenging segments, which may lead to some frustrations. This can be due to some awkward platforming and the chance to softlock progress. Thankfully, there are generous checkpoints and the option to skip stages, which take the sting out of failure a little, and they can be challenged again later.

Presentation – the artstyle for Liar Princess is beautiful, with hand drawn art that looks like it leapt from the pages of a story book. This works very well to present the fairy tale aesthetic, as it has hatch lines for shading and details that look like they were painted by hand. The sound is excellent too, with a soundtrack that builds the atmosphere, complimented by a narrator that adds an additional layer of warmth to the experience.

Final Thoughts – I had missed The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince the first time around, as it was released on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch several years ago. But I had covered the follow up, The Cruel King and the Great Hero (available HERE). So that experience made this very appealing to me, and I am happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed. The gameplay is fun and engaging, with an emotional narrative that made it hard to pull myself away from it.

The different elements of the experience are crafted well, with the visuals and presentation being my favourite aspect, as it is something of a rarity. There are some minor hiccups with the platforming, especially when trying to guide the prince, but I don’t feel like they hinder the experience. There are allowances made for those who struggle, with the option to skip stages. I am happy to recommend this game, as it is a beautiful and heartwarming experience.

In the end, I give The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince a final score of 4.75/5. This is a beautiful game, with a narrative that is emotional and engaging, alongside a challenge that can be overcome by all players, with a presentation that makes it stand out among all of the other offerings in the genre. If you want to check the game out for yourself, links to each version of the game will be below.

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Etrange Overlord – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by SuperNiche, Gemdrops and BROCCOLI, with publishing by NIS America, Etrange Overlord is a mission based action RPG, mixing tactics, real time battles and lots of sweets. As Étrange von Rosenburg, embark on an adventure through Hell itself as she tries to live her best life, with musical set pieces along the way. This title is available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Steam, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: Before I get into the review, I would like to thank NIS America for providing the copy of Etrange Overlord that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer Service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story (details taken from the official website). Please note, I will be omitting some details for the game in the review, as I do not want to spoil any of the secrets or surprises of the experience.

Story – Lady Étrange von Rosenburg is framed and executed for a plot against the royal family, waking up in Hell. Unfazed by this turn of events, she encounters demons that attempt to persecute her, combatting them with her dark arts. Through her power and charisma, Étrange quickly amasses followers, while encountering denizens of hell and those tied to her previous life. The curtain rises on the adventures of a most gorgeous and elegant villainess.

Gameplay – Etrange Overlord is a mission based action RPG, where the player travels through hell, completing mission objectives to progress. Hell itself is split into segments, making up a large overworld map, which will be opened up by completing missions. These missions are shown on the map as towers or buildings, with flags flying above them. Each of the areas of hell has multiple locations to conquer with the next opening with each victory.

The missions themselves will have a variety of objectives that can be applied to them, with the most common being enemy annihilation. In these missions, the player must defeat all the enemies within a time limit, with many of them having a boss monster appearing at the end. Then there are the more challenging objectives, like defending a specific character or capturing designated zones. All of these missions have a time limit to complete them within.

When starting the missions, the player will be able to deploy a party with a maximum of four characters. The player can alter the formation of the party for the most part, but there will be missions that have fixed members. Before the missions begins, the player will see what the core objective for the mission is, but there will be additional challenges that can be cleared. These will be obscured when starting the mission, but will be shown at the end of it.

During the missions, the player will control one of the party, moving around the battlefield and fight off enemies with their attacks. All characters have a combo attack that they can use, with characters either having a melee strike or ranged attacks. Many of the objectives can be cleared by relying on just the standard attacks, but some will require more involved methods. This is where the LANE and gadget systems come into play.

LANEs are the manifestation of musical energy, which carry support items along them for the player and party to grab. The support items consist of attack boosts, shield bonuses and health recovery, which will give the player an edge in battle against the demonic horde. There can also be items like bombs, which can be grabbed and thrown at enemies for big damage. There will also be platforms that can be ridden on, which will let the player cover dangerous gaps.

Within some of the battlefields, there will be gadgets that appear like catapults and energy generators, which will need to be activated before use. The gadgets can be important to success in missions, especially during some of the more challenging boss battles. This is due to bosses having weak points which need to be hit, these can lead to the enemy being stunned for a time. When an enemy is stunned, their defense will drop completely.

During the battles, players can pick up special items that will give them super attack charges. These will allow the player to unleash an ultimate attack with that characters, with a cinematic flourish before unleasing their ultimate skill. It is possible for party members to be defeated, having their health depleted and incapacitating them. If this happens, the player will have a chance to revive them, but this can be risky if they are surrounded.

The player can switch between party members, allowing for various tactics to be deployed in the battle, it can also be helpful to keep characters from being defeated. A.I. controlled party members can have one of three directives applied to them, with Gadget, Victory and Enemies as options. The Gadget command has them focus on using gadgets, Victory directs the party to focus on the objective, with Enemies telling them to seek and destroy.

At the end of a mission, the player will receive rewards for clearing the objective, as well as bonuses for completing the bonus challenges. If the player fails the mission, either through defeat of by running out of time, there will be two options. The first is the retry option which will restart the mission, letting players give it another go. Then there is Give Up, which will return the player to the overworld, this will let players prepare before challenging it again.

Throughout the experience, there will be story scenes that push the narrative along, with Étrange interacting with different characters. There are also additional scenes that will add some additional drama and intrigue, building the atmosphere of the adventure. During the course of the game, there will also be musical numbers, where Étrange will sing about the events and her adventure. These elements add more fun and whimsy to enjoy.

The last thing to discuss is the base, which allows the player to access various facilities. In the base, the player will be able to use the shop, where various supplies can be purchased, using funds earned during play. Then there is the cooking station, where foods can be made to provide buffs for the party, which will last for a limited time. As the player makes their way through the game, additional features and facilities will be added to the game.

The last thing to discuss is the Multiplayer modes for Etrange Overlord. This adventure can be played by up to four players, offering both online and local co-op play. As the story progresses, there will be multiplayer challenges that can be played. These challenges are separate from the main game, with their own gimmicks and elements, adding more play value. However, there will be spoilers for the experience so proceed with caution.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other elements of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – There is an easy to use control scheme for this release, offering players a layout that is fairly comfortable to play with both regular controllers and the Joy-Cons. All of the inputs feel snappy and responsive, with little in terms of delay or lag during play. There is also the inclusion of on screen prompts, showing what to press to perform actions. As this is a real-time combat action RPG, everything works well and is a lot of fun to play.

Difficulty – there is a fairly challenging difficulty curve for this release, with the tight times for some challenges that can be a little rough. Sadly, the A.I. can be a little awkward during play, not making the most intelligence choices and getting swarmed. Thankfully, for those who may struggle a little, there is an option for players to activate Sweets mode, which will ease the difficulty of play. Thankfully, failure doesn’t punish the player too much.

Presentation – from a visual perspective, Etrange Overlord is gorgeous, with artwork/designs for characters and environments that really pop off the screen. There are elements of the characters and art style, alongside the setting feel like they would fit in a Disgaea title. This is likely due to the original creator of the strategy RPG being involved. Everything runs flawlessly on the Nintendo Switch 2, but I was unable to test it on the previous system.

Alongside the outstanding visuals, there is the sound which is a big part of the experience. There is a fantastic soundtrack, with music that has elements of classical, medieval fantasy and orchestral compositions. These work very well to build the atmosphere of the experience, which is combined with the musical set pieces that round it out. There is only Japanese voice acting, which is performed well and has a charm to the characterisations.

Final Thoughts – As a fan of Disgaea, this title really appealed to me as the creator of the series is behind it, with the premise or a musical RPG being rather unique. When I got to play the game, I was not disappointed, as there is a lot of fun to be had with the action, alongside a story that was just as entertaining. The action of battle was responsive, with smooth reactive attacks and special moves that were exciting, making it a joy to jump into battle.

There are a few hiccups with the game sadly, like the A.I. that can make less than intelligent decisions, as well as the fairly tight time limits. But, aside from those issues I had with the experience, the rest of the experience is well polished. There is a lot of content on offer, as well as the multiplayer adding even more value. I am happy to recommend this release to everyone, as it is a very fun time, with silly humor and a unique premise.

In the end, I give Etrange Overlord a final score of 4.5/5. This is a very good action RPG, with reactive and fast paced action, unique gameplay mechanics, a charming cast of endearingly odd characters and a narrative that is bolstered by the musical set pieces. If you want to check this release out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

FUR Squadron Phoenix – Steam Review

Overview – developed and published by Raptor Claw, FUR Squadron Phoenix is an on-rails space shooter featuring anthropomorphic animals, taking on action packed space combat. As a pilot in training, take on the enemy forces in virtual worlds, upgrade your ship capabilities and prepare to protect the federation from a looming threat. This title is available for Nintendo Switch and Steam, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank the rep at Raptor Claw for providing the copy of FUR Squadron Phoenix used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. I will be omitting some details of the experience, as I want to prevent spoiling any of the surprises and secrets the game holds.

Story – Robin is a pilot that was part of Pheonix Squadron, sent on a mission to combat a deadly threat against the federation. After a mission results in the loss of their team, Robin is assigned to the FUR Squadron for additional training. During this special training, Robin will take on combat missions through the use of Virtual Reality tech. Will they be able to hone their skills, before the threat of the Marauders is too much for the Federation.

Gameplay – FUR Squadron Phoenix is an on-rails space shooter, reminiscent to titles like Star Fox and Panzer Dragoon. The player takes the role of Robin, a new member of the Fur Squadron, who must complete a series of training missions. By completing these missions, robin will be able to prepare to battle the threat of the Marauders, a deadly threat towards the Federation. They are also responsible for the demise of Robin’s previous squadron.

In each of the missions, the player will pilot their ship through a variety of locations, each with their own distinct themes. These include an island paradise with crystal clear waters, as well as a city bursting with neon light and Japanese motifs. Each of the stages will have the player blasting wave, after wave of foes in the air and on the ground. The type of enemy will vary depending on the mission, with mechanical and organic hostiles to fight.

Enemies will try to fly into the player, or try and shoot them down with lasers and rockets. The player has a limited amount of shield, which appears at the top of the screen, being drained with each attack the player takes. As more damage is taken, the Shield meter will change from blue, to yellow to red, with the mission failing if the player is shot down. Some enemies will drop Shield power, refilling the meter a little when collected.

To combat the enemies that appear in the missions, the player will be armed with laser weapons on their ship. These cannons will have two fire modes that can be used, offering a rapid fire and charged attack will lock on to single targets. The auto fire is the most useful as the on-screen crosshair, which will hover to targets that get close to it. Many of the hostiles can be shot down with a couple blasts, but there are some that need more power.

Throughout the environments, there will be larger targets including tanks and battleships, which players will need to deal significant damage to destroy. Then there are the shielded enemies, which will be immune to the standard lasers. In order to bring the shielded craft down, the player will need to hit it with a charged attack, destroying the shield and opening them up to attack. If the player can destroy the larger ships, they will drop battery power.

As the player collects battery power, a meter will fill up under the shield bar. This will fill up by collecting the batteries from heavy enemies, powering up special weapons. The player starts off with a Bomb that will deal significant damage to enemies in the blast radius, using up a chunk of the battery when deployed. As the game progresses, more powerful special weapons will be unlocked, including a powerful laser that cuts through enemy ships.

The laser cannon and special weapons are not the only tools the player has in their arsenal, as they can also perform two aerial manoeuvres to navigate the airspace. The first is the drift, where the ship will turn 90 degrees with the wings being positioned vertically, allowing the player to slip through tight spaces. Then there is the barrel roll, which shifts the position either left or right, while providing a moment of invulnerability to attack.

Finally the ship has a unique power called Overdrive, which will charge in two ways, the first is by destroying the powerful enemy craft. Then there are the special Squadron challenges, with pilot specific challenges that can be completed. If the player succeeds, they will gain a fair amount of Overdrive charge. Once the meter is full, if activated, time will slow down for a brief time, while increasing attack power and providing shield/battery charge.

By effectively using each of these tools, players will battle their way to massive enemies that will try to stop them in their tracks. At the end of each stage, as well as in the middle of others, imposing bosses will appear. Each of the bosses have weak points that need to be destroyed, while avoiding the barrage of attacks that are unleashed. This is where the barrel roll can be very useful, as there will be big attacks that can deal significant damage.

When a mission is concluded, either through defeating the boss or the player being shot down. The player will receive upgrade points based on the score they have earned. The higher the score, the more upgrade points that will be earned, with combos for shooting down enemy craft without taking damage. These upgrade points can be spent to improve the capabilities of the ship, offering improved movement, laser damage and more in the Mod menu.

Stages can be replayed from the mission select menu, with cleared missions having a high score that player can challenge to try and improve their score. This makes it easier to earn upgrade points, boosting the improvements that players can make. But upgrades aren’t the only reason to return to missions, as there are secrets and special rewards that can be discovered. This gives players more of a reason to return to previously cleared missions.  

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – This title offers support for both controller and mouse/keyboard, with the preferred input method being a pad. Both control methods offer an intuitive and enjoyable gameplay experience, with no issues in terms of delay or lag during play. All of the inputs are laid out in a comfortable manner, with HUD elements that offer a reminder during play. By using Steam Input, there is the option to use a range of controllers, including retro style control pads.

Difficulty – This title can feel rather inconsistent in terms of difficulty, with some players having trouble getting through the missions after the introduction. However, with the upgrade system and by learning the enemy patterns, it becomes easier to get through each of the stages. Unfortunately, this may frustrate some players, as some missions can be very difficult without upgrades. But with enough patience, players can get strong enough to beat the challenges.

Presentation – Visually, this game has a bit of a retro look to it, with large chunky models, vivid colors and good use of lighting. This works well for the different environments, especially with the neon city with hologram effects. The art for the pilots is also pleasing to the eye, with voice work for them that is a mash of word like sounds, making up their dialogue. Then there is the music and effects, which work pretty well and add to the excitement.

Final Thoughts – I have played a lot of on rails flight/shooting games, like Panzer Dragoon and Star Fox, which I have had fun with. So when I was given the chance to play this, I was excited to jump into it and give it a shot. I will say I have some mixed feelings about this release, it is a lot of fun, with exciting action and fast pace shooting action. But it isn’t without flaws, as there are some elements of the game that can be a little disappointing.

While this game has a lot of replay value, through the secrets and the unlocks, it can feel relatively short, with a few hours of unique gameplay. This can make it feel like a one and done for some players. Then there is the upgrade system, which is a bit of a grind to unlock all of the improvements, which may put some players off. But in general, this is a very fun game and I am happy to recommend, as it will scratch that space shooter itch.

In the end, I give Fur Squadron Phoenix a final score of 4/5. This is a fun game, with some good action and challenging boss battles, while offering a familiar but fresh experience, with all of the elements that make on-rail shooters of the style enjoyable to play. if you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.  

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Calamity Angels: Special Delivery – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Compile Heart and Idea Factory, with publishing handled by Idea Factory International, Calamity Angels: Special Delivery is a delivery service RPG with a board game twist. As Yuri, command the Cutie Angels, a delivery team that travel perilous lands to make sure packages get there on time. This title is available for PlayStation, Steam and Nintendo Switch platforms, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Idea Factory International for providing the copy of Calamity Angels: Special Delivery used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story (taken from the official website). I will be covering the core gameplay mechanics of the game, making sure to keep any of the surprises and secrets from being spoiled. I will be referring to the game as simply Calamity Angels for the sake of brevity.

Story – Delivery: a job that carries packages and emotions alike from one person to another. In world where ferocious monsters roam just outside the city walls, Yuri has just passed the guild leader’s exam. Their first assignment? Leading the infamous rookie team, The Calamity Angels. With a crew of quirky, free-spirited teammates, they set out each day to deliver everyone’s hopes and wishes. Their goal is to become the number one delivery team!

Gameplay – Calamity Angels is an RPG where the player takes the role of Yuri, a newly qualified Delivery Leader as part of the Delivery Guild. At the start of the game, the player gets to select their preferred look for Yuri, with the male Type A and female Type B. This choice has no real impact on the experience, with dialogue and interactions playing out the same. The only difference between the two is the appearance and voice used.

As Yuri, the player will lead a team of delivery personnel called the Cutie Angels, but they have the nickname of Calamity Angels. The narrative for this adventure takes place across episodes, where the Cutie Angels deliver packages around the region. At the start of the game, the Delivery team will have four members, consisting of Yuri the leader and the combat team of Ivris, Somnia and Suliya. The team is supported by Poten, the Post Fairy imbued with Omoi power.

From the guild, the player will be able to select a delivery, with a rating that is applied to them that signals the difficulty. The lowest rank is F, going up to E, D, C and further. Each delivery request has requirements applied to them, with the delivery destination, a deadline and rewards for completion. Once the delivery has been accepted from the request board, the player will be able to depart from the Delivery Guild, setting off to deliver their package.

On the world map, the delivery locations will appear, with the list starting off small and expanding as the player progresses through the adventure. There is also the shop, where weapons, armor and accessories can be purchased for the team. Weaponry will be available for all of the delivery team, with unique items for each, whereas armor and support items are for everyone. The selection will increase as the team’s overall deliver rank increases.

During each of the deliveries, the Cutie Angels must navigate the lands surrounding the city and guild, which are perilous to those who leave its walls. After leaving the guild, the world map will show up, showing the areas that can be explored. The location for the delivery will have a package icon attached to them, showing the delivery destination. When the player has selected the delivery destination, the unique elements of the adventure come into play.

As the player embarks on the delivery itself, the player must travel an overworld map in a Board Game style of progress. When the delivery starts off, the player has a set number of Omoi power, which is listed as Willpower on the map, along with the distance to the destination. Before each turn starts, the player will spin a compass wheel, which will determine the number of squares to move. This wheel is numbered from 1 to 6.

Once the compass has been spun, the player will be able to able to move the number of squares up to the result. When the player stops, the event of the square will play out. There are several types of square that can be landed on, with positive and negative random effects. These can include taking damage, restoring lost health and picking up special items. Then there are spaces that will give players bonuses to attacks and critical rate, but some will do the opposite.

Then there are the battle spaces, which will have the player engage in combat with the monsters that prowl the land. In battle, Yuri and three of the delivery team will enter battle. The battles play out in turn based combat, where the player and enemies will make their moves based on their speed. If the combat members of the party have a higher speed, they will be able to act first, but the last character to make a move each turn will always be Yuri.

The combat Party will consist of different classes, like Support/Healer, Fighter and Mage, which are the first members of the team. As the player progresses through the adventure, more members will join the team, bringing their own unique skills and classes to the table. During a turn, the player will be able to use a range of skills for combat members, including Melee attacks, Magic strikes, unique character abilities and defensive skills to prevent damage.

All party members have their own unique personalities, which can affect their behaviour in battle. Characters will have preferences for how they want to act, Like Somnia preferring to sleep rather than fight and Ivris wanting to punch things instead of use magic. Depending on the choices made, the mood of the characters will change, increasing or lowering their tension. The portrait image of the character will show how they will likely react to commands.

In a battle, the higher the tension, the happier the party member will be. If the player selects a command that the party member likes, their expression will reflect this and they will be highly likely to increase their tension. However, if the player selects an action or skill that lowers the tension, the party member may completely ignore the command and decide for themself. But if the player is very unlucky, they may just refuse to do anything at all, passing their turn.

There are basic skills that each party member will have that have extremely low costs, making them useful to employ at any time. Then we have the skills that use SP, which are special skill points, with each character having a set amount of SP for these special abilities. Some of the skills have special requirements, like Suliya the healer using Money to cast spells, which is tied to her personality. Some SP will be recovered at the end of each turn.  

During a battle, there is the chance that special ultimate powers could be used. These powerful skills and powers have hidden requirement, which will make them accessible when they are met. There are ultimate skills that will activate automatically, with no control from the player. When either skill is active, a cinematic will play out and more often than not, they will be attacks on enemies. But there are some skills that will have unique effects that impact battles.

The enemies that players encounter will have unique weaknesses, which will affect the amount of damage that they will take. These different effects can appear on the name icon for the enemies, allowing players to check what will be most effective. However, when the enemies first appear, the weakness will not show up. All of the details on enemy weaknesses to can be viewed in the Monster Encyclopedia, alongside threat level, attacks and where they appear.

Once all combat participants have made their moves, the player will be able to act. Yuri will be able to pass onto the next turn, use special items from the bag, with recover and effect items that can be used. Some effects include poisoning and burning, which will cause damage at the end of each round, increasing harm on enemies. Finally, the player can attempt to retreat and escape, but if this fails, the player will be unable to try and escape the next turn.

Usually combat will end when the enemies have their health reduced to zero. However, there are special creatures called the Omoikurai, a race of monster that is drawn to Omoi energy. These creatures are deadly and must be weakened by the party first, attacking them to reduce their energy to zero. When all of the creatures are knocked down, Yuri will be able to engage her Relic Weapon, slamming it on the OmoiKurai and defeating them for good.

When a battle is completed, the player will receive rewards for defeating the enemies. These consist of Kit, the money of the world, special items and experience points. The most important reward from battles is Omoi Power, which will extend the number of turns that players have to make the delivery. Be careful when it comes to items received in battle, as there are limited slots in the delivery bag, so not all items can be collected.

If the player fails the battle, they will be given two choices, to try again or retreat from the battle. If the player chooses to try again, they will be able to give the battle another shot without penalty. But if the player instead decides that they want to escape the battle, they will lose some of their Omoi power and be at a disadvantage. This makes the choice to retreat a strategic one, as players must decide if they want to risk the delivery being late to get out of fighting.

Throughout the delivery routes, there will be special spaces that players can visit, like the shop or treasure spots. These options will give the player a chance to collect rare items, while buying and selling what they have on them.  Another special space that can be visited is the post box, where players can collect packages and return them to the Guild for a bonus. But just like the items, if there aren’t enough slots in the bag, they cannot be collected.

Once the delivery is completed, the player will be able to go back to the guild to collect payment. There will be the standard reward for just clearing the mission, but if the player has Omoi power remaining, a special bonus will be provided to them. The bonuses for collected packages from post boxes will also be awarded here. If the player doesn’t want to go back to the guild, or wishes to collect more items, they can explore the routes freely between deliveries.

If the player is able to accomplish specific criteria, they will be able to rank up their overall delivery grade. The criteria to achieve this includes completing specific delivery requests, achieving a set number of experience points and the total number of deliveries reaching a set target. When the party increases the rank, they will become stronger, unlocking new skills to use in battle as well as improving their general stats and capabilities.

The last element of the game to discuss is the team menu, which can be accessed in the guild and on delivery routes. Here the player can change the active party members, selecting from those who have joined the team. This can be done on the fly, allowing injured characters to tag out for those who are fresh, which is useful when low on support items. Equipment can also be modified in this menu, and skills can be viewed to check the options for battle.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – as this is a mix between board game and RPG styles, this game is very simple in terms of controls, allowing players to just pick it up and play. There is a lot of menu navigation that is needed, which is responsive and easy to get through, with inputs for features on screen. There is one slight hiccup with the inputs and that is during the map navigation, as they don’t always get picked up using the direction buttons. But this is a minor issue.

Difficulty – this title has a rather gradual difficulty curve, where the monsters and battles will scale with the progress of the player. The intensity of battle and the damage done by enemies, won’t overtake the player in most situations. But there are events where deadly enemies may appear, causing full party wipes and defeat, leading to a loss of power during deliveries. Thankfully, the game is rather generous with items and restoration, so defeat can be infrequent.

Presentation – Calamity Angels is gorgeous, with character designs and artwork from Kei Nanameda, the character designer behind Mary Skelter and Death end re;Quest. This gives the game a sense of familiarity, maintaining a distinct look to the cast of characters that is easily recognisable. The overworld, environments and event scenes are also gorgeous, with a great use of vibrant color and classic fantasy elements, adding to the charm of the experience.

The sound for the game is also fantastic, with music that fits each of the event scenes perfectly, with soft melodies and dramatic musical stings. Then there is the intro theme, accompanied by a fun opening animation to introduce the characters, as well as an ending theme that caps the experience off perfectly. There is English and Japanese voice acting available, with dubbing from Bang Zoom entertainment, who have dubbed Kill la Kill, One Punch man and Madoka Magica.

Final Thoughts – I love playing unique and different RPG titles, especially those from Japan as they will often go in unique directions. Calamity Angels was no different, with the weird, wacky and different approach to the usual RPG mechanics. I very much enjoyed the board game delivery, as well as the unpredictable battle mechanics, although this may frustrate some players. while it may appear clunky on the surface, after a short while, it all falls into place.  

Then we have the story, which pulled me in and made me want to know what happens next, right to the end. It also has that fun quirk factor, with distinct and charming character personalities that are uniquely their own. My personal favourite is Somnia, the sleepy and adorable sword fighter, who made me laugh with how goofy she was. I am happy to recommend this game to everyone looking for a unique RPG experience, especially those who are into board games.

In the end, I give Calamity Angels: Special Delivery a final score of 4.75/5. This is a charming and fun RPG experience that has humor, drama and a unique gameplay system that makes it stand out, while it may not seem like it would work, the game really does deliver. If you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to each version will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Lost Gems – ZOOM! (Mega Drive/Genesis)

Hello and welcome to another instalment of Lost Gems, the series where I discuss classic games that have been abandoned, forgotten or removed from distribution. This week I will be covering one of the earlier releases in the Mega Drive/Genesis Library, originally released for home computers in 1988 before being ported in 1990. So let’s take a look at ZOOM!, an arcade puzzle game developed by Discovery Software and ported by SEGA.

Disclaimer: While the discussed here is no longer officially on sale, there are ways to obtain the game. This can be either through the second hand market, or via unofficial digital roms/rips. I do not condone or promote Piracy, so there won’t be any links to roms or rips of the game being covered.

So with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general game experience, then give my personal thoughts on the title.

About the game

Zoom is a grid based puzzle game, where players control Mr Smart, who is on an adventure to save the world. The Space Phantoms have captured Earth, setting up force fields around the planet. Now Mr Smart must skate across these fields to destroy them and save the planet, while out running and outsmarting the space Phantoms that are chasing him. But be careful, because any contact with the wiggly Phantoms will stop Mr Smart in his tracks.

The objective for this game is very simple, the player must move across the grid based fields, tracing the lines on the field. The grids are set up into squares, which will glow when all four sides of the square are covered. By tracing all of the lines and making the whole grid glow, the field will be cleared and the player will move onto the next. The game is made up of 36 fields, separated into 6 stages for players to challenge during the course of the game.

As the player moves across the fields, there will be Space Phantoms that appear to stop the player. There will be Rowdy Fingers, a disembodied hand that will chase the player endlessly, trying to kill them. But players will also encounter the Spiler, that clears lines away, the Charm that slows Mr Smart down and more that will get in the way. These enemies will appear at the start of the stage, with contact against all but Charm killing the player.

To avoid the Space Phantoms that the player has two options available to them, with the first being the jump, which will allow Mr Smart the ability to dodge enemies. This skill will let the player jump to different parts of the field, as some of them will have gaps and breaks in the grid. Then there are the rubber ball attacks, which will be thrown backwards and knock the Phantoms back a little. These are limited so it is important to use them wisely.

During each of the fields, there will be items called Goodies that players can collect. These appear rather frequently, with Candy that give points, Mushrooms that recover from Charm and the Banana that slows down Phantoms. But there are more powerful items to get, the Hour Glass freezes time, the Sun will give invincibility and the Star provides a random Goodie. The most powerful item is the Wing, which will clear the stage, but they are very rare to see.

Each of the fields have a time limit, which will vary from screen to screen. The timer adds some pressure to the stages, as clearing the field before the timer expires provides a score bonus. But if the time does expire, there will be an increased number of Phantoms, with several spawning onto the field. Thankfully, to compensate for this, there will sometimes be increased numbers of Goodies appearing, giving players a chance to finish the level.  

As this is an early arcade style game, the focus is on earning points to set a high score. So there are special score bonuses that can be earned during play. The most basic is to make one box flash, earning 10 points, but if a pair is lit 40 points will be scored. If the player is able to chain box flashes, they will get a multiplier for the number of boxes in the combo. This applies to both single and pairs being lit up, offering the chance for big scores.

The score and combos are important to making it through the stages, as players will earn additional live based on point milestones and hidden combo bonuses. If the player does lose a life from being caught by a Phantom, they will revive on the field to try and finish the stage. The player will start with four lives, with bonus lives keeping the game going. If all lives are lost and a game over occurs, the player can continue from the start of the stage they reached.

There are four game modes for this title, with the 1 player mode being the main focus of the game. Then there are the multiplayer modes that can be enjoyed with a friend or family member. There are three multiplayer modes, with alternating play, where players share a single control pad or a pad each. Players can also enjoy simultaneous competitive play, with players working together in the main game and for scores in the competition mode.

Personal thoughts

ZOOM! Is one of those unique games that was released during the early years of 16 bit graphics, offering a rather unique game experience. There is a pseudo 3D style to the game, with the grid fields rotating in and out of the screen during level transitions. It also uses a perspective that attempts to emulate 3D depth, with sprite scaling when the player/enemies move around the stage, zooming in and out depending on the position.

I have fond memories of this game, remembering it as a kid and playing a lot, but not being too good at it. I had owned personal copies of it with a loose cartridge that was lost, but I had managed to obtain the Japanese version complete in box. I returned to the game over the years, getting better at it, but I have yet to clear it without relying on the use of save states. This is due to it being a pretty long game, with no passwords or save batteries.

This game has plenty of content in it and I have a lot of fun with it, but sadly the audience and critics of the time didn’t enjoy it as much. There was a lot of negative response to the game, with critics comparing it to games from earlier systems, which I feel is undeserved. It may lack some of the bells and whistles that other games had, but it has a lot of content and an enjoyable challenge. Everyone can pick the game up, which is what makes it a good, fun time.

Unfortunately, while the game may be easy to pick up, there are some minor hiccups with the movements which can lead to some frustrations. It is possible to miss turns and get caught by enemies, which is similar to console versions of Pac-Man, where movement can be sloppy. But after a little while, it is easy to adapt to these little flaws. If you are going to play the game with third party controllers, you may have a better experience during play.  

The original version of the game on home computers came out two years ago, and you can see the difference. While the grid based stages are still present, with the Pseudo 3D look and perspective, the sprite work and audio is relatively simple. The SEGA port improves on all aspects of the release, offering a more vibrant and charming experience. The sound does get a little repetitive, with the voice sample of “come on boy” being the only voice line.

It seems there is a lack of popularity for this release, which is reflected in the cost of the game on the secondary market. The price for the Pal and Japanese Mega Drive release, as well as the NTSC Genesis versions are low, making it easy to pick up for those interested in the game. The game has also been lost to time, with no ports or re-releases of the game since the Mega Drive/Genesis release, even lacking a Virtual Console release.

I have a lot of love for this game, as it is one of those unique and fun titles from the 16-bit console boom. There is a charm to the game, with the catchy melodies for the game, easy to pick up gameplay and plenty of content. It is unfortunate that there appears to be no information on the developer, meaning it is possible that there may never be a new version of the game. But it may be picked up by someone and get a new chance at life.

If you have enjoyed this feature, then please stick around and see what else catches your eye. I cover a wide range of games in reviews, get special previews and put out regular features. I have Lost Gems, Retro Revival where I discuss re-releases and the occasional Gaming Oddities piece, where I cover weird and wacky titles. So stay a while and have a look around.

Homura Hime – Steam Review

Overview – developed by Crimson Dusk and published by PLAYISM, Homura Hime is an anime style action game, mixing reactive hack and slash action and bullet hell tension. As the Exorcist Homura Hime, travel across the human world and the demon realm on missions to exorcise the supernatural, facing dangers at every turn. This title is available exclusively for the Steam Platform, with a link to the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank the rep at EVOLVE PR who provided the copy of Homura Hime used for this piece, via the Terminals service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. Please note, I will only be covering the core gameplay of this release, as I do not wish to spoil any of the secrets and surprises of the game.

Story – in a world where humans and demons coexist, Souls harbouring strong emotions and deep regrets are transformed into Archdemons upon death. These beings corrupt and contaminate the world around them, creating lesser demons. Five powerful Archdemons threaten the world, so the High Priestess deploys the “Flame Princess” Homura Hime and her aide Ann. Together, they embark on a divine mission to defeat the demons and purify the world.

Gameplay – Homura Hime is a 3D action adventure, where the player takes control of the eponymous Excorcist. The adventure takes place over several chapters, starting with Homura Hime being tested in her skills as an Exorcist. After this is completed, the player will be transported to the Mihare Shrine, the base of operations for their missions. Each of the chapters will each of the chapters will start here, before departing to take down their target.

To begin each mission, the player must enter the Gate which will teleport them to the target location. At the start of each mission the journey, adding background to the mission that is about to unfold. When the player lands in their target location, they will need to reach the target and eliminate them to complete the mission. Each of the missions will be split into sections, where the player will need to clear objectives to progress.

The objectives can be as simple as reaching a designated point, or finding items during the mission. But the completion of these objectives is easier said than done, as there will be numerous hazards that will threaten Homura Hime. As the player traverses the human and demon realms, they will encounter deadly enemies that will try to stop them. Throughout the game, the player will encounter demons that must be slain to advance.

As Homura Hime travels each area, there will be encounters where a barrier appears to block the path. When this happens, the player will need to defeat the demons that appear before they can move on. In battle, the player has access to a light and heavy sword strike, alongside a ranged attack called Blessed shot. The strikes can be linked in a combo, allowing for rapid attacks to be unleashed for maximum damage against the demon horde.

It is also possible for players to launch enemies into the air, following up with aerial strikes and slamming them down. Then there is the Blessed shot, which uses spirit energy to eliminate the enemy forces, gradually draining their life bar. If the energy runs out, players must wait for a moment for the bar to refill before ranged attacks can be used again. To make targeting enemies easier, there is also a lock-on mechanic to focus on the demons.

The enemy attacks will be relentless, but players have two ways to be able to avoid taking damage. The most important defensive manoeuvre is the parry, which blocks attacks that are highlighted in red giving a chance to block them. If the strike is successfully guarded, the player can move quickly in any direction, with the ability to chain multiple parries together. However, not all attacks can be blocked, which is where the dash comes into play.

Throughout the adventure, there will be enemies that can unleash a hail of bullets upon Homura Hime, increasing the challenge of battles. The shots will appear in bullet hell style patterns, covering large areas and causing significant damage. Then there are the yellow marker attacks, which cannot be parried so the player will need to dash out of the way. It is important to keep an eye on the type of attack happening, as some can switch between yellow and red strikes.

When fighting enemies, many of them will have a stun meter above their health bar. This will be depleted by damaging them, or by successfully parrying their strike. When the bar is fully drained, the enemy will be stunned for a brief time, taking more damage from slash attacks. However, some enemies will have shields, which can be blue or red. The blue shields need to be broken with Blessed shots, whereas the red are destroyed with slash attacks.

Most of the enemies that will be encountered can be destroyed simply by beating them down. But there are some stronger demons that will take more to defeat. These monsters have a purple portion on the lower end of their health bar, becoming enraged upon reaching that point. Enraged enemies will create a domain, where they must either have a Blessed shield broken, or have a flurry of attacks successfully parried, setting up a counter attack.

Once enemies within the domain are open to attack, players must time a strike to be able to unleash a flurry of slashes on the target. This will break the enraged state and escape the domain, slowing time to be able to chain strikes for maximum damage. As time is slowed, a Diamond will be filled from slashing enemies, allowing for a finishing strike to be used when full. This slowdown can also be activated when red shields are broken.

Over the course of the game, the player can also unlock enhanced Blessed Shots, which will change the way that it works, with three total shots available. Then there are the skill attacks, which offer close and long range attacks, alongside the ultimate Daydream Mirage ultimate strike for massive damage on enemies. The special skills and ultimate attacks are charged by slashing enemies, or by successfully parrying attacks, making combat frantic and exciting.

Defeating enemies will drop a currency called Konpeito, which can be used with the in game merchant (explained further below), as well as health pellets to recover from damage. As the last enemy falls in a battle, the player will get a rating for the battle, which is based on the performance and score that is earned during combat. The highest rank that can be earned in arena battles is Perfect, with scores being tallied for all battles during the mission.

While battles are an important part of the experience, there is also an emphasis on platforming and exploration. Throughout the missions, player will find areas where they will need to jump and dash, covering perilous gaps including bottomless pits. To help cover large areas, there will be interaction points, including air markers to launch Homura Hime and blades in walls that can be grabbed. To reach these points, the parry button can be used when in range.

Alongside the platforming and general navigation of the different locations, there will be light puzzle and challenge sections. These include plants that need to be destroyed to open paths, floors that will disappear and sections where players need to avoid touching the ground. Players will also encounter the friendly demon Nurikabe, who will need help as he blocks the way, needing an item to be returned before letting them pass him.

There will also be special challenges, including optional battles that players can discover while they explore. The most common optional battles are the ambush events, where enemies will appear out of nowhere and attack Homura Hime. Players can also find timed trials, where they need to chase unique creatures and catch them before the timer expires. Clearing these optional challenges can provide great rewards for the player.

 Scattered throughout the locations, there will also be treasure chests separated into two colors. There are blue chests that contain a large amount of Konpeito within, but there are also the special red chests that have fragments inside. There are two types of fragment that can be found, with green life fragments and blue spirit fragments. When three of a fragment is collected, the player will gain a permanent increase in their life or spirit meters.

Within each chapter, the player will encounter powerful boss opponents that will have their own unique attacks, bullet patterns and gimmicks. These battles are incredibly tough and will have the player locked in a unique arena, where they must effectively dodge and parry attacks to survive. The enemies in these battles will often have phases that they will change between, altering their attack patterns and making them increasingly deadly.

During some of the boss fights, there will be perspective changes, where the camera will go into top down camera angle, needing to avoid a hail of bullets from all directions. There will also be the domain sections, where the enemy must be parried or hit with blessed shots while avoiding unblockable attacks. In the parry domains, if the player gets hit or misses the parry window, they will be kicked out of the domain, this also happens with lesser demon domains.

When the last battle of the mission/chapter is cleared, the player will be returned to Mihare Shrine after a cutscene plays out. Then the mission results screen will appear, showing the performance in all of the battles, an overall time and the total score for the chapter. The player will get a rating for the mission with the highest ranking being perfect. After each of the chapters, the player will be provided a reward, with special upgrades and money being handed out.

Between missions and chapters, the player will be able to explore Mihare Shrine and prepare for the next stage. While in the Shrine, the player will be able to interact with the different residents, including Kushinada who operates the Shop in the shrine. She offers a variety of options for players to purchase in exchange for Konpeito and Senbei, a special currecy collected during missions. The items will vary in price, making purchases a strategic choice.

The most versatile upgrade that players can get are combo moves, which will expand the attack options that can be chained together in battle. By upgrading the combos, players will be able to mix up light and heavy slashes, which will expand the flexibility of combat. Skill attacks can also be purchased from Kushinada, which needs the Senbei as well as Konpeito. There are four skill slots to use, allowing for players to customise their loadout.

Kushinada also offers special support items for purchase, with the Omamori talismans being the most useful. The Omamori are special support items that can be equipped, which will provide benefits like increased attack and improved health. These talismans have a cost attached to them, with a limited number of points that can be applied to equip them. Up to five Omamori can be equipped, offering some flexibility to the system.  

Kushinada will also sell life and spirit fragments, full gems and a special item called Hanami Dango. The Dango is a very special item that will come in handy during very tough battles, especially during bosses as they are used as revival items. If the player falls in battle, they will be given the option to return to main menu, continue from a checkpoint or use revival item. By selecting revival item, the player will get right back in the action but at a cost penalty for doing so.

Last to discuss is the Journal, which will collect various information and documents that have been collected in chapters. These files will provide background story details to the events that occurred, expanding the depth of the narrative. This gives players looking for lore, adding more of a reason to explore the areas. There will also be a log of all enemies, tutorials and key items, which can be viewed from the Journal menu when pausing the game.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – This game supports both controller and Keyboard/Mouse, with the game recommending the use of a control pad for play. The recommended way is the most comfortable, as it allows all of the inputs and actions to be accessed easily. This also allows for Steam Deck support, but I was unable to test this out. The Keyboard inputs work well, but don’t feel as natural as using a regular controller, due to the slightly awkward layout.

Difficulty – there are two difficulty settings for this game, with an easy and normal setting. The Easy setting is adjusted to ease the experience, but the Normal setting is the full experience. This is a solid challenge, with some difficulty spikes during Boss Battles, optional encounters and challenge sections which get very tough. Thankfully, there are generous checkpoints, as well as upgrades and Dango items that can ease some of the challenges.

Presentation – visually this game is gorgeous, with an anime inspired look to the experience with cultural elements from both Japan and wider parts of Asia. The look of the characters, environments and details are vibrant, really popping off the screen with the amount of detail to them. The game flows almost perfectly, but there are some minor issues of slowdown, especially when there is a lot of attacks and effects on screen during combat.

The sound is really good, with atmospheric sound for many of the areas, alongside beautiful and haunting compositions when exploring the demonic realms. There is also an excellent set of boss themes, including a special vocal track that appears during a key part of the game. This game also has excellent voice work, with a lot of dialogue all in Japanese that is performed well. But the sound isn’t perfect, as there is some unfortunate crackling at times during play.

Final Thoughts – I am a big fan of action games that utlize the 3D hack and slash style of combat, with games like Devil May Cry being a comparable. I saw the announcement for this and I was excited to give it a go. That excitement was not misplaced, as this is possibly one of the best action games I have played recently, with combat that was reactive and a lot of fun. The combat is a lot of fun and the unique mechanics keep it exciting throughout the experience.

Then there is the story, which pulled me in and made me feel a whole range of emotions, which can be very rare for a game. All of the elements work well, with the combat, platforming and narrative set pieces keeping me engaged the whole time. But there are a couple hiccups with the sound, as well as unfortunate bugs that can soft lock the game, requiring loading the game. However, I am happy to recommend this game to everyone who enjoys 3D action games.   

In the end, I give Homura Hime a final Score of 4.75/5. This is a fantastic 3D action game, with unique gameplay mechanics, a beautiful art style, intense action and an emotional story that kept me invested, making it an early contender for one of the best games of the year. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.

Link to steam version (HERE)

Retro Revival – Arcade Archives: Rave Racer (Various)

Hello again and welcome to the latest instalment of Retro Revival, where I discuss classic games that have been brought to modern platforms. These can be via HD Remasters, emulated ports and titles that are part of ollections. This time will be a follow up to a previous feature, covering a sequel to the original Arcade Ridge Racer that has been a long time coming. So let’s take a look at Rave Racer, now available through Hamster’s Arcade Archives/Archives 2 series.

Disclaimer: the games that are discussed in this feature have been purchased by me, so the opinions presented within are my own. There has been no sponsorship of the content in this feature. There will be links to the different versions available provided at the bottom of this feature, where possible.

So with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general gameplay experience for the game, with some details behind the scenes where possible, then my person thoughts on it. Please note, the Arcade Archives 2 version of Rave Racer is the copy I own, so I will be discussing features that are only available in this version.

About the game

Rave Racer is the second sequel to the iconic Ridge Racer, a full 3D racing game with an emphasis on high speed racing and tight drifting. Unlike the first Ridge Racer, there are four different tracks available for players, with both configurations of the Ridge Racer track, alongside two new races for players. This title also features View Change, where players can switch between bumper view and behind the car, giving players a choice of perspectives.

The four different race tracks have difficulty tied to them, with the races designated as Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and professional, although this is not shown. At the default settings, the races all have three laps with a max speed of 230KMH/143MPH. In these races, the player will face off with 11 other competitors, with one of them being the rival for the race. Before selecting a track, the player can select manual or automatic gear change.

However, if the player presses down the view change button, they can access the T.T. Time Trial race. This is a head to head race against a single opponent, where the player must beat them to the finish line, just like a regular race. But this one is different as the speed is increased to 255KMH/159MPH, adding a little more challenge to these races. There is also a mirror mode, which can be accessed via code during the countdown for a race.

The returning Ridge Racer track and its variants are the same as before, with some cosmetic additions, like billboard signs promoting other Namco titles. These include signs for the original Tekken, Alpine Racer, Cyber Command and signs for classics like Pac-Man and Sky Kid, all of which were available in arcades at this time. Players can also see people watching the races, further adding life to the world the races are taking place in.

The new tracks of Mountain and City maintain the same details, which makes all of them feel like they fit together in a cohesive place. These tracks also have alternate paths that players can take intentionally or not, with some of them taking longer to reach the finish. All of these elements make the game feel like a natural evolution of the series, further building on the foundations of the previous games. There is also a brand new soundtrack for this game too.

As the player races through each of the tracks, players will need to keep an eye on two different timers. The first being the race timer, which will run during each of the laps, with a best single lap and total race records that player can challenge. Then there is the time limit, which will count down as the player is racing and end the race if it expires. To extend the time, the player will need to pass checkpoints on the track, extending the time to reach the finish line.

If the player is able to finish a race in first place, they will get an interactive minigame where the player can knock over cones. This lasts for less than a minutes, but is a fun little bonus for players to have some fun with. If the player is able to get the best time in a T.T. race, the player will be able to enter their name into the rankings. These rankings will show up during the attract demo, but sadly the game doesn’t save the rankings that players enter between sessions.

As this is part of the Arcade Archives line of games, there are additional modes and bonuses that players have access to. This includes the addition of adjustable dip switches, where players can change difficulty and lap settings for all the different tracks. By changing these settings, the game will adjust to match, increasing the opponents in the races and the time target for Time Trials. This allows players to have more control over the experience.

Then there are the game modes that players can access, with the main mode Original Game, having the option of Japanese and English versions. These are available as SD and DX variants, which are based upon the cabinets that were released. The SD variation only uses a simple up and down gear shift, however, the DX version features a more complex gear system for maximum realism. Both variations are the same aside from text that appears.

There are also additional game modes that players can take on, with the Caravan and High Score modes, where players will be able to compete with players globally. In Caravan mode, players have 5 minutes to get the best score possible, counting the distance as Milage points. Then in High Score, the player must get the fastest time during a stage. The last challenge is Time Attack, where players race all of the tracks and record the best time for each.

Unique to this release is the multiplayer mode, available in 2 or 4 player split screen available in the Japanese or English version of the game. When playing this mode, the active players can challenge the single player mode, or they can accept link mode for competitive play. When playing either mode, the players will have car colors based on their position. This car setting can be altered in single player, which has 8 colors to choose from as the multiple systems could be linked.

There have been a few quality of life additions that have been added, which is standard for Arcade Archives releases. These include the ability to save and load freely, as well as the ability to rewind the game to fix mistakes. There are also visual settings, that let players modify the way the game looks, with CRT filters and settings, including the ability to add screen noise. These features and the Dip Switch access make the experience highly customisable for players.

Personal Thoughts

Ridge Racer is one of my favourite arcade racers of all time, alongside games like Daytona USA and SEGA Rally Championship (those will be covered in the future). So when Rave Racer was revealed during a recent Nintendo Direct, the excitement was there immediately. There was a little bit of a wait, but as soon as I got the chance to pick it up, I immediately grabbed it and didn’t look back because this is a very special game.

Ridge Racer was released in 1993, with a numbered sequel as Ridge Racer 2 in 1994. Then in 1995, Rave Racer was released in the arcades on the Namco System 22 Arcade Hardware, offering single machines or Dual cabinets in Standard and Deluxe varieties. The Dual Cabinets are special, as you could connect up to four of them in sequence for 8 player multiplayer games. This was a year after SEGA released DAYTONA USA, which had an 8 player variant.

What makes this game as special as it is, is the fact that it has been locked to the arcades officially since 1995. This release marks one of the longest gaps between release in arcades and the home, although there was unofficial emulation out there which kept the game alive. I had tried to play it in the past, but the emulation was not there at that time. This however feels natural, with Hamster doing another excellent job bringing the game to the modern hardware.

This game is a big leap over the previously released Ridge Racer, as there are four playable tracks, multiplayer and the inclusion of view change. The gameplay feels near identical, which is good as any of the skills gained from playing the first game can transfer to this. Just be aware that this game is a little tougher, as the A.I. for the rival racer can be a little aggressive. It takes a little while to get used to the new tracks, but they are a tremendous amount of fun.

The racing flows perfectly, as it has that amazing sense of speed, which is felt when drifting around corners and taking tight turns. There is sadly a little bit of a downgrade with the tracks, as the day/night transitions for the Ridge Racer track are missing. But they do make up for this by expanding the tracks visual details, like the billboards, spectators and Namco references/imagery that are added.  This makes it feel more lively when racing.

I very much enjoy this game and while I still prefer the original Ridge Racer, there is plenty of content on offer in this release. It expands on everything that was implemented in the original, with the experience being very satisfying and a lot of fun to play. Playing Solo in handheld or on TV has that rush of speed, showing off the excitement that players in the arcade experienced. Just make sure if you play multiplayer, you use a TV as the player screens can be pretty small.

This is another home run from Hamster, making another game that has been saved from obscurity, and the hope I had for more games in the Ridge Racer feature was not misplaced. The fact that Namco gave the green light for this to be released, makes me happy and I do hope they let more of their classics to be released. Maybe we will see games like Tekken, Alpine Racer or Cyber Command in the future, all of which are featured on billboards in Rave Racer.  

If you have enjoyed this feature, then please stick around and see what else catches your eye. I cover a wide range of games in reviews, get special previews and put out regular features. I have Lost Gems covering forgotten games, more Retro Revival features and the occasional Gaming Oddities piece, where I cover weird and wacky titles. So stay a while and have a look around. Links to the game are below.

Link to Nintendo Switch 2 version (HERE)

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 5 version (HERE)

Link to Xbox version (HERE)

THE NEWZEALAND STORY: Untold Adventure – Steam Review

Overview – developed and published by Bitobit under license from Taito, THE NEWZEALAND STORY: Untold Adventure is a full remake of the classic arcade game about the little bird on a big adventure. As Tiki, go on an adventure that covers the forests, caves and labyrinths, all to save Phee-Phee and the other Kiwis that have been kidnapped by the Wulrus. This title is available exclusively on Steam with a link to the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of THE NEWZEALAND STORY: Untold Adventure that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. I also wrote a feature on the Japanese Exclusive Mega Drive version of the game, which you can find (HERE).

Story – in the land of NewZealand, the Kiwi bird Tiki, his girlfriend Phee-Phee and their friends lived in peace. But one day, their peace is shattered by the Wulrus, who captures the Kiwis ready to take them away. But Tiki manages to escape from the Wulrus, and he sets out on a mission to save his love and friends. To do this, he must navigate the different parts of the Islands, encountering deadly hazards and dangerous enemies that seek to stop the rescue.

Gameplay – NEWZEALAND STORY: Untold Adventure is a full remake of the classic arcade platformer, where player must control Tiki in each of the maze like stages, split into worlds. The objective for each of the stages is to reach the goal to save the captive Kiwi, encountering deadly hazards that could stop him. Tiki must run, jump and even swim to make his way through the labyrinthine stages, avoiding spikes and enemies that will appear.

The enemies that Tiki will encounter are minions of the Wulrus, including spike monsters, pig men and even sentient fire. Many of these enemies will appear through magic doors, often riding upon flying vehicles, with balloons being the most common. These air vehicles can be stolen from enemies by shooting them down, allowing Tiki to navigate some areas with ease. But the enemies will often be able to fight back, with their own projectile attacks.

Then there are the water sections, where Tiki must go under water to reach different places. While under water, Tiki will need to navigate tight paths with enemies that can hurt them. There will also be an air meter that players need to keep an eye on, as they will need to refill it by reaching air pockets. Enemies can appear where the water ends, effectively trapping Tiki, but he can spray water at them to knock them down.

As the player shoots down enemies, they will drop items that can be collected for a limited time. Items are split into three different types, with the most abundant being fruit providing points that get added to the total. Then there are the weapons, which offer unique combat opportunities for the play, with bombs, lasers and more that can be picked up. The Power-ups are rare, but offer big benefits, like a temporary time stop and enhanced speed.

The weapons will stay with Tiki after being picked up, but will be replaced if another is picked up and if the player loses all their lives, they will be reset to the basic Bow. The items that drop are random, meaning the player may pick up weapons without realising, changing the strategy on the fly. If the player reaches the end of stage, they will find the trapped Kiwi waiting for them, usually a single touch away from being saved by Tiki.

However, the Wulrus is not the only big bad threat in this adventure, as there are powerful bosses that are waiting at the end of each world. When the player enters the boss space, a warp gate will appear and the player will be sent to an enclosed arena to fight the boss. In this new version, the bosses have been altered, with multiple boss phases that increase the difficulty. There are even escape sections where Tiki needs to reach an exit point in a hurry.

In the different stages, there will be various secrets and alternate paths that players can take. This can lead to rewards for exploration, like secret warp gates, that let the player jump ahead. There will also be bonus points and letters that spell EXTEND, which will provide an extra life when complete. But it is important that players don’t take too long, as there is a time limit to the stages, which will lead to a sudden death situation if it expires.

As this is a remake, there have been several changes made to the experience. The first big change is the inclusion of the world map, which will let players move around the stages, unlocking them as they are cleared to be replayed. Then there are the changes to core elements of the experience, replacing the one hit deaths with three hits before death, as well as altering the checkpoint system. When the player dies, they start at the beginning of the stage.

There are also alterations that have been made to the physics, performance and general feel of the game. The rapid fire mechanic of the original game has been removed, which means that the player can no longer send out quick shots to quickly kill enemies. This also affects the flutter, where players could mash jump to allow Tiki to float, leading to only a little push that may or may not help. But the changes to the game don’t stop there.

The hitboxes have also been changed, with areas that would otherwise be easy to get through are harder, if not impossible. As Tiki can no longer walk through areas with spikes on the ceiling, which he would pass in the original, causing damage and death quickly. Enemies have also been affected, like the spikey monsters which can no longer jump through platforms, rendering them ineffective. There are also odd changes that affect the experience.

Mentioned further up is the warp system, with the gates being hidden in the original release. Yet, in this version they are sign posted with golden sparkles, making them easy to find and less secret than before. The Heaven secret stage is also included, but no longer has the signature music for this section. It also doesn’t appear to follow the rules of the original game, appearing as a bonus stage at random when the player dies instead of when the last life is lost.  

If the player does lose all their lives, they will get a game over, their score will be reset and they will be kicked to the main map. If the player has used warps to progress, they will be returned to the last cleared stage, often rendering the progress meaningless. The general game feel of the original content feels awkward, which may be due to the game being updated from sprite to 3D models. The checkpoint differences also make it feel off at times.

Then we get to the new content, which consists of the new boss battles as discussed above, a new world and new gimmicks for that world. Between the final two worlds of the original game, players will challenge a mining themed world, which heavily borrows some stage design from the prototype. Then there is the Drill, which replaces all other weapons as the main gimmick, with players being able to dig and fight a shark like animal with a Drill nose that jumps from the ground.

The new contain doesn’t add a great deal of substance to the game experience, as it is made up of a world that has recycled elements. There is a new boss and the drill gimmick, which are fun and quirky challenges but they are the only elements that feel new. While this additional content is a nice touch, it doesn’t feel like it fits the original experience. Sadly, these are the pitfalls when it comes to remaking an existing title.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.  

Controls – while the original arcade version of NEWZEALAND STORY is tight, responsive and feels good to play. This title sadly doesn’t have that polish, feeling slippery at times and the inputs have an inconsistent delay to them. Due to these issues, the general game experience lacks that polish and fun that made the original such a joy to play. It supports Controllers, but needs steam input to make it work, but there is mouse and keyboard support as an option.

Difficulty – the arcade game is tough, with the one hit deaths, so it wasn’t a surprise that there are extra hits to alleviate the tension. But while it attempts to ease some difficulty with this change, the changes to the physics nullify the good intentions. Tiki has a bigger hit box, which makes it easier to hit traps, take damage from enemies and die from spikes. The removal of the checkpoints also make the game harder than it should be, which becomes very frustrating.

Presentation – visually the new assets look pretty nice, but don’t have the same charm as the original sprite work. The environments are done well, but some of the details have been lost, like the sign posts that point the player on their way. It can look a little choppy without Vsync enabled, which is unfortunate, but is easily remedied. The sound is okay, but only has a few music tracks, with the main theme playing in all stages, including heaven which is disappointing.

Final Thoughts – I have a lot of love for NEWZEALAND STORY, having played many version of it over the years. So I was very, very excited when this was first announced, as it would allow a whole new audience to experience the adventure. But sadly that excitement was misplaced, as the general game experience just feels off. The overall experience feels like it takes one step forward and two steps back, with any improvements coming at the cost of polish.

Most of the game can easily be handled, but there are sections that just feel unfair to play through, due to the hit box and physics issues. Sections that were originally shortcuts are now unusable, due to spikes that Tiki can’t pass and Ice is no longer slippery. Then there is the new content, which is nice, but it doesn’t add a great deal to the experience. I don’t know if I can recommend this game, as it does a lot of things right, but so much wrong unfortunately.

In the end, I give THE NEWZEALAND STORY: Untold Adventure a final score of 3/5. This is an okay attempt to remake a classic platformer, with a lot of promise and some clean visuals, but there is an unfortunate lack of polish which brings the overall experience down. If you do want to check this game out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.

Link to Steam version (HERE)

BOULDER DASH 40TH Anniversary – Steam Review

Overview – developed and published by BBG Entertainment, Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary is a special celebratory release of the classic puzzle game, about grabbing gems in dangerous caves. Take on a selection of brand new stages, while also having the option to experience new ports of the classic games that established the series. This title is available on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and Steam, with a link to each version at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound fpr providing the copy of Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. There is no real plotline to this release, so I will be going directly into covering the gameplay experience. I will be referring to the release as simply Boulder Dash for the sake of brevity.

Gameplay – Boulder Dash is a puzzle game, where players need to collect Gems to be able to clear the stage. To do this, the player digs through the ground on the stage, dropping Gems and boulders while avoiding being crushed. The player can move through the ground in four directions, going up, down, left and right as they dig through the ground. If the player is able to collect enough Gems, the exit will open and the can be cleared.

As the player moves through the stages, there will be various dangers within each of the stages. These include the boulders that will fall and crush the player, but there will also be enemies that will appear in stages. These include the butterflies and fireflies, which will move around the stage and kill the player if contact is made. The enemies can be used to the advantage of the player, as they can be used to destroy walls by dropping boulders on them.

If the player drops a boulder on a butterfly, they will explode and turn into Gems, allowing the player to reach the target for the stage. There will also be gimmicks, like the Amoeba, which will expand through the stage, turning into either boulders or Gems when they can’t grow anymore. Then there are the hidden mechanics, like the magic wall, which will turn boulders into Gems when falling and passing through it. Boulders can also be pushed if there is a gap next to them.

As this is a puzzle game, there is a lot of strategy that is needed to figure out the right way to approach things. This can also be pretty cryptic, as the game doesn’t tell players the path they need to take, leading to players having to figure things out for themselves. This can lead to repeated deaths and fail states, including getting trapped or having boulders block Gems, preventing them from being picked up having to restart the stage.

Once the stage is cleared, the player will be given a rating from one to three stars, based on the score earned in the stage. The main meat of the experience is the 12 special worlds, made up of brand new content for players to dive into. These worlds consist of 20 stages each, with 6 of them being created in house, alongside 6 collaboration worlds. Each world is unlocked from the start, having three stages to play, opening more as they are cleared.

Then there are the four classic worlds that have been added to the game, with 20 stages from Boulder Dash 1-4, utilizing the classic graphics from the time. There are options for Atari, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum and Apple II styles of graphics, which can be set in the options menu before playing. These bonus stages will be very challenging, as some of them have a trial and error approach to them, where players will need to figure out the puzzles.

The included stages are not the only ones that players are able to play, as there is a construction kit for players to make their own stages. This feature allows players to share their creations with players around the world, offering the possibility for endless content opportunities. The star system is also applied here, offering additional replay value. The community and main game stages have a simple ranking system, with the highest score being listed as the world record.

As this is a special anniversary release, there is special content that has been added. There are six characters that have been included, with characters that are based on concepts, box art and in game sprites. There is also a history section, which covers some of the details behind the creation of Boulder Dash, the impact of it and some of the different releases. They also direct players to view a video on the series, created by DJ Slope of Slope’s Game Room.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – there is a pretty simple to use control system, using both keyboard and controller inputs for the gameplay. To play the game, the player only needs to use four buttons to move, with a button to interact in the four different directions. The keyboard inputs work well, but for a more classic feel to the gameplay, Steam Input can be used to play with different controllers. Inputs can also be reassigned, letting players change them based on preference.

Difficulty – this game can be quite challenging, due to the cryptic nature of some stages. Thankfully, there is a pretty in depth tutorial for the first world, which explains the game mechanics to players. Due to the trial and error nature of the puzzles, the player will probably die a few times when trying to figure out what to do. This can be frustrating to some, but there are infinite retries, so players can continue to try until they figure it out.

Presentation – from a visual perspective, this game looks pretty good, with a distinct style to it that gives it some personality. There is some good use of color and lighting for the game, which further adds some charm to the game. The classic stages utilize the classic sprite work from the originals, with some having support for the classic systems listed further up. For sound, there is some decent music, which plays over all stages with bright and up beat melodies.

Final Thoughts – I have played Boulder Dash in different forms over the years, like the Commodore and Game Boy, having some fun with them. So when this was offered, I was happy to give it a try and I was pleasantly surprised. The new content is a lot of fun, although it is a tough if not tougher than the originals. Then there are the classic stages, which have been implemented well offering a time capsule of the past, which is a wonderful touch.

Now I have to say that this game won’t be for everyone, as it is one of those games that can really frustrate. This is due to the way that players must figure things out, without any hints or support for the solutions. Unfortunately, this will be the tipping point for many players on if they want to pick it up. However, for those who are looking for a challenging and strategic puzzle game, then I can happily recommend this game to play.

In the end, I give Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary a final score of 4/5. This is a good celebration of the Boulder Dash series, offering players a new experience, while also showcasing the content that made it so popular when it first emerged in gaming. If you want to check out this release for yourself, a link to each version will be below.

Link to Steam Version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to Xbox version (HERE)

Book of Korvald – Console Review

Overview – developed by Punching Donut and Shady Corner, with porting/publishing by Eastasiasoft, Book of Korvald is a side scrolling action adventure, taking place in a bloody Nordic landscape. As Korvald, embark on a violent rampage against the church and eldritch horrors, beyond human comprehension on a mission of revenge. This version of the game is available on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Book of Korvald that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Mature Content Disclaimer: The Book of Korvald is intended for mature audiences, with the game receiving a 17+ rating for the game. This is due to the inclusion of strong language, suggestive imagery and dialogue, alongside graphic scenes of violence blood and gore. If you are uncomfortable with this content or under the rated age, please check out the other content on offer on this site.  

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. I will be only covering the core elements of the gameplay, as there are many hidden secrets that I do not want to spoil for players. This version of the game is modified from the original PC release, which has explicit adult content in it. That material has been altered/removed from this version of the game to comply with guidelines and rating boards.

Story – this is the Saga of Korvald, the Norse Scribe and his alliance with the eldritch entity Qhroth’un. Korvald’s village is destroyed, his family slain and he is branded a heretic, condemned to death by the church. During his imprisonment, Korvald is approached by Qhroth’un and an agreement is made, giving him the power to free himself. Now Korvald sets out on a bloody campaign to avenge those killed, but there are more sinister forces at work in the shadows.

Gameplay – Book of Korvald is a side scrolling action adventure, similar to titles like Castlevania and Ender Magnolia, offering a large interconnected world to explore. As Korvald, the player must explore the different locations, inspired by 9th century Scandinavia during the crusades. With over 30 areas to carve a bloody path of revenge through, including towns, forests, dungeons and the imposing stronghold of Ribe Cathedral.

During the course of the adventure, the player will need to complete objectives that will push the narrative forward. These will be marked on the world map and segmented maps, which is rather expansive showing doors, pathways and markers for the objectives. There will be the main objective for the player to pursue, alongside secondary objectives that provide special bonuses. Some of the side missions can be done at a more leisurely pace.

There will be elements of platforming and exploration during this adventure, with the player needing to jump, double jump and climb to reach new heights. There will be hazards and various dangers that the player will need to avoid, including instant death traps and pits. When exploring, some areas will be inaccessible without upgrades, or will need to be unlocked by meeting set conditions. This adds an element of backtracking to the adventure.  

As this is a side scrolling action game, there will be enemies that appear throughout the different locations, attacking Korvald as they try to bring him down. In order to survive the fights with these enemy forces, Korvald can wield a variety of weaponry. These include Swords, Axes, Whips and Spears, which are equipped in the main hand as the main form of attack. Then there are the off-hand weaponry, like Shields and Throwing Knives as support weapons.

Each of the main weapons will have a relatively simple combo, dealing various levels of damage based on their level and their rarity. Off-Hand weapons operate in a slightly different way, with special attacks that use Korvald’s spirit energy. There will also be pieces of Armor that can be found, separated into parts that can be equipped individually. The quality and rarity of gear will influence how effective they are, improving the chances of survival.

The last part of the equipment system to discuss is Artifacts, special unique items that will provide a range of benefits. These include magical powers that can harm enemies, provide benefits, but be warned as some of them may just be cursed. By equipping these items, the appearance of Korvald will change, allowing players to customise the look to their liking. To equip items, the player must navigate the inventory, with slots for all of the different pieces of gear.

By equipping gear, the player stats will be affected, altering the strength, defense, luck and more which will strengthen Korvald during the journey. When picking up different gear, the player will get to see if the items will offer positive or negative stat boosts, with red for negative and green for positive. Gear and items can be collected from downed enemies, boxes and chests, with a rarity system that can be affected by Korvald’s luck stat.

It is also possible to find Alcohol, medicine and scrap items during the adventure. When using Alcohol, Korvald will become drunk, which has the chance to affect his other stats, lasting for a limited time when the bar is full. The Medicine will restore health that is lost during combat, allowing Korvald to survive the dangerous encounters against enemies. Scrap will be added to the player inventory, with various uses for players to discover.  

Korvald will also be able to collect gold throughout the adventure, which is added to the players balance when it is collected. The gold can be used to purchase special items and equipment from merchants, who can be encountered throughout the world. There are many uses for gold, but the most important is in the Ribe Tavern, which becomes a base of operations for Korvald. The Tavern is run by the sister of Qhroth’un, who offers several services.

In the Tavern, Korvald can buy alcoholic beverages, as well as purchase upgrades for the Tavern, providing different facilities that can be used by the player. She will also be able to give the player quests, which will provide gold upon completion. The upgrades for the Tavern will be operated by NPC characters encountered during the game, needing to complete set objectives to recruit them. When the Tavern is unlocked, the player will also activate Fast Travel.

There is also a crafting system, where players can craft weaponry, armor and even foods. This system is a little cumbersome as the parts needed to create items can be hard to obtain, this leads to players needing to grind and search to find the needed items. There is sadly no way to know if the recipe has been unlocked yet, unless the player manually checks at a crafting point. This is the only blemish on an otherwise well rounded out equipment system.

As this is an action RPG, Korvald will unlock new skills and abilities during the course of his journey. The main way to obtain new powers, is through defeating boss opponents, who are powerful enemies that can annihilate Korvald if the player is not careful. The abilities that are unlocked can open up new areas, like a slide that will provide safety from traps, and a teleport that can cross large gaps. These are key to progressing through the game.

Players can also collect talent points, which can buy upgrades on the skill tree. These include increased chances of getting rare items, improved stats and faster recovery of special attack power. Many of the talents will have more than one level to them, which will increase the power of the skill attributed to it. Then there are the unique skills which will have only a single level, giving Korvald special powers that will be important to survival.

Then there are the Rune Stones, which are ancient stones that are imbued with magic. When a rune stone is discovered, the player will be able to learn new magic powers. These powers offer both passive and active effects, the passive effects will be active at all times, letting the player use them freely. But the active effects can only be used when the Rune meter is full, unleashing a powerful magic attack against enemies, with only one that can be equipped at a time.

The last mechanic to discuss is the “Urge” system and companion system, which causes Korvald to be overwhelmed by an insatiable lust. At set points during the course of the adventure, Korvald will encounter various maidens that he will lay with. When this happens the game will fade to black, before transitioning to the next section, with a few exceptions. These scenes will push the narrative forward, as they occur at key points of the story.

Many of those who Korvald lays with will become available to be recruited, allowing them to accompany Korvald on his journey. There are many companions that can be recruited, with each of them having their own unique powers, that can be called upon when they have enough energy. This makes them very useful during combat, as they can be of great help during boss battles. Many of the Companions can be called to action freely, switching between them on the fly.

This is not the only way that the system can be used, as Korvald can use his power of seduction to gain secondary allies. When the urge meter is full, the player can unleash the built up energy, seducing an enemy maiden and causing them to follow Korvald. This will last until the recruited companion is defeated, with only one secondary companion that can be Seduced at a time. Having two companions can improve the chances of Korvald’s survival.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – there is a pretty easy to use control system with this release, with easy to use inputs for the combat, movement and platforming. Throughout the game, the player will be given tutorials on the inputs, which can allow the player to get acclimated to them quickly. Everything feels snappy and responsive, with all controllers used, including the Switch 2 Joy-Cons feeling comfortable to use. In general the game feels good in action.

Difficulty – Book of Korvald has multiple difficulty settings, with the lowest two offering a relatively straight forward experience. However, the higher up in the choices the player gets, the more brutal the experience will be. At higher levels of difficulty, the enemies that the player encounters will be siginificantly more deadly, with the capability to wipe the player out quickly. Thankfully, there are checkpoints that will allow the player to get back into the action upon death.

Presentation – there is a unique style to the visuals with this game, with highly detailed, hand made sprites for the game world and characters. This is part of the original design as an adult game, with the variety of maidens having soft, appealing faces and sex appeal to them. This is contrasted by the stoic males and horrific abominations, which are equally as detailed in terms of quality. The attention to detail is incredible, there are even “special” paintings in the background.

Then there are the combat effects, like the blood and gore, which is over the top like everything else, especially when enemies are reduced to bloody skeletons. Last is the sound, with some excellently implemented music and ambient sound, which fits the experience very well. There is also a lot of voiced dialogue present, with performances from various independent voice actors, including Pixie Willow, Pear Blossom and Sed21.

Final Thoughts – I had been aware of Book of Korvald during the development of the PC version, having had a chance to see and play little snippets of the game. So I was already familiar with the title, but sadly I didn’t have the time to fully commit to it. So when this game was announced for consoles, I knew it was my chance to give it a proper look. I can safely say, that this is a worthwhile action game, with a lot of passion and care put into it.

There is a lot of work that has gone into making the Book of Korvald, which is apparent from the detail in the sprite work, environments and general setting. The gameplay and narrative are also fleshed out very well, with the game feeling fully complete even if the sexual elements of the PC version are omitted. There are elements of the original version still here, with the sex appeal, suggestive content and lust mechanic still present.

This title is very good, but unfortunately the game is not without some minor flaws. There are some elements that are a little cumbersome, like the crafting system, which isn’t explained very well. I will also say that the objectives are a little awkward to find, needing to go between two map menus. But these are minor complaints and don’t hurt the main experience. So with that said, I am happy to recommend this game, there is so much depth and content to enjoy.

In the end, I give Book of Korvald a final score of 4.5/5. This is one of the few adult titles that have successfully made the jump to console, with a lot of substance to the gameplay and narrative, offering a satisfying yet bloody action experience. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)