Warshmallows – Steam Review

Overview – developed by You Run Limited and DigitalMania SA with publishing handled by Bonus Stage Publishing, Warshmallows is a 4-player platform battle game with online and local multiplayer capabilities. Take on others in frantic battles to be the last one standing and unlock additional characters, skins, weapons and stages in this creative party title. This title is available on the Steam service with console versions planned for the future (no details available at time of publishing), a link to the game will be available at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Bonus Stage Publishing for providing the copy of Warshmallows used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. This title is focused on multiplayer with no story so I will be omitting that segment.

Gameplay – Warshmallows is a fast-paced multiplayer battler that is a mix of Smash Bros and Worms, combining fun platforming action with shooting combat where the last one standing is the victor. The objective is to eliminate your opponents so you are the last ‘mallow standing, using a selection of guns, ammo types and special skills to outplay your opponents in a variety of colorful stages. Each of the playable characters has their own unique look and skills that can be employed in battle.

The majority of the game is based around the online multiplayer, with free for all battles in public lobbies where the first player to survive 5 rounds as the last one standing is the winner. To eliminate other players you have to hit them with shots from your weapon, knock them into the out of bounds area or force them to be hit by another players attack. Attacks are limited with weapons having a limited number of shots, which can be replenished by picking up ammo drops and other weapons during matches.

Every character has their own unique super skill that they can use, which can drastically turn the tide of battle for both better and worse. The skills include changing all shots on screen to your player color making you invulnerable for a moment, creating a wall to deflect shots and even reversing all current bullets on screen. These skills can be incredibly useful but be careful as poorly timed use of skills can lead to defeat, so learn what each super does to maximize their effectiveness.

 Be tactical in use of weapons and specials as one hit to your ‘mallow and you are out of the round with no way to return to combat. If you do get hit, you can get in the way of other players and try to get them hit in a pseudo revenge mechanic but it is much better used in the two-on two team modes that can be accessed with local/online private matches. On that note, the local play on the same system is fun and online play can allow for friends to have a fun time when separated (although I couldn’t private online play out).

Players move around the stage by jumping, dashing and flying to an extent, giving plenty of evasive options when trying to survive the hail of bullets that you will encounter. The matches are fast and frantic with bullets shooting around the screen in all directions, to make the combat a little more intense and in some cases easier, Warshmallows uses automatic bullet time. This system activates when bullets get close to the characters, activating every time a shot is within striking distance.

When starting the game for the first time you have access to four characters, a single weapon/ammo type and one selectable stage. During online play with others the player profile will level up, unlocking new stage options and increasing the options to customize your experience. Having unlockable content and missions for players to complete is a great incentive to play online, as the player can earn coins for winning matches and completing missions that can be used to buy new items.

The gunplay and performance is really good with the public lobbies, on lower end hardware the game runs very well and isn’t very demanding on hardware with a stable framerate. The game connected to other players well and there was no lag for the most part with only occasional problems, which was a positive for the overall experience and I hope a healthy competitive scene flourishes. The gameplay is solid and fun with a lot of content for players to unlock, with a ranked system that encourages practice and continued play.

The only issue that I found with the game was that there aren’t any options for public lobbies. Public play is entirely dependent on the players active at the time, which is unfortunate as there is an inability to choose the region you want to play on and you can only play one game type. This isn’t a major issue but it is something that would have made the online play a little easier to manage for those who don’t have a group to consistently play with.

Now with the gameplay covered, I would like to move onto the other aspects of the game starting with the controls.

Controls – there is two setups for players to use with Warshmallows, a controller and keyboard/mouse option. The keyboard and mouse was better in my experience as I felt that it was more accurate for fast paced battles, with fast movement and easy to use inputs spread across both hands. The controller setup is comfortable for those who want to use a gamepad. The inputs are comfortable with the movement/aiming spread across the thumbsticks and face buttons. The shooting and specials are responsive in battle using the shoulder buttons, this gives the combat a reactive and intuitive feeling.

Presentation – the visual style of this release is bright and vibrant, featuring a cast of unique characters and a diverse selection of stages that each stand out on their own. The graphical presentation works well for a wide range of hardware, giving players on a budget a chance to enjoy this game. The soundtrack is catchy and the sound effects have a good amount of weight to them, which combines with the art style to create an experience that allows it to stand out from other games in the platform battle genre.

Final Thoughts – I really enjoyed my time with Warshmallows. The unique mix of platform gameplay and intense gun play made for an exciting experience. The fast-paced action kept me on my toes as I battled other players online, which gave me a heart pounding rush at match point as one shot can be the difference between victory and defeat. I can happily recommend this title to fans of party games, platform battle titles and those who are looking for a new competitive game to pick up.

In the end, I give Warshmallows a final score of 4/5. This is a fun platform battler, with a colorful cast of characters and a variety of unlockables to work towards when playing with others. The overall gameplay is exciting and has the potential to build a healthy competitive scene for players of all ages. If you want to check this out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.

Link to the Steam version (HERE)

Kill It With Fire – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Casey Donnellan Games and published by tinyBuild Games, Kill It With Fire is a crazy first person action title, with spiders appearing everywhere and the only solution is FIRE. This game combines frantic action, destructible environments and a variety of ridiculous objectives to complete. Kill It With Fire is available on the Nintendo Switch and all other major platforms, including Android and IOS, links to each version of the game will be at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank tinyBuild Games for providing the copy of Kill It With Fire that was used for this article. 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. I will be skipping the story segment and I will be going straight into the gameplay section.

Gameplay – Kill It With Fire is an objective based first person action title that takes place across 9 levels. The core objective of each level is to exterminate spiders while using a variety of tools, with players having access to a wide variety of weapons and items at their disposal. Starting the game with just a clipboard, introducing a Hairspray/cigarette lighter combo in the first level and from there the insanity escalates with the addition of guns, explosives and even gasoline to eradicate the creepy crawlies.

Every stage begins with a single room and a starting objective. As the player increases their spider body count, new doors will open and expand the area that can be explored (and exploded) with an exit at the end of the level. The objectives can be as simple as exterminating a set number of targets, killing targets with a specific weapon or they can be as ridiculous as dropping an anvil on a spider in homage to the Looney Tunes cartoons.

Players are encouraged to cause as much chaos as possible as every object that isn’t bolted down can be picked up, thrown and set on fire. Heck, the walls, toilets and most windows can be completely obliterated by throwing objects at them or simply shooting at them with a revolver. This sandbox-like approach gives the player a lot of freedom to experiment, allowing them to approach each mission the way they want to. If a spider is hiding in the toilet, blow that porcelain throne up and

New objectives can be picked up by activating pieces of paper that are scattered around each level, finding and completing objectives will unlock containers that contain new weapons, supplies and even a challenge called Arachno-Gauntlet. The special challenges can only be accessed by completing all of the missions for that level, with the trigger being a stereo playing hard rock music. All completed objectives will be saved if the player finishes the level or wishes to restart due to making a mistake, but other progress is lost.

The vast majority weapons and items in the player arsenal have a limited amount of ammunition, with some pick-ups for additional supplies being hidden in the stages. Melee weapons have infinite uses, so you won’t be stuck if you run out of fire or bullets in a level which takes some of the pressure off during intense sections. The player can also pick up power-ups and upgrades for equipment, which can be assigned with points earned by completing objectives and collecting hidden batteries during each level.

The upgrades include additional equipment slots on the hot bar, new features for the spider finder device and even Goose mode (inspired by a specific untitled game). All of the upgrades will help the player in their quest to hunt down and kill all their targets with fire, because the spiders will be hiding in cupboards, under cushions and behind picture frames. So you will need to hunt them down in order to exterminate them all and move on.

There are some ways that the game can help however, with sound cues to tell you that there is something close, along with the spider scanner that will alert you when your targets are nearby. Be careful when trying to kill the spiders with firearms and other weapons though as they can be spooked, causing them to run and hide under objects and in other rooms. Effective search and destroy tactics will help you in your objective, but then again, so will throwing Molotov cocktails at everything.

The movement is a little slow and feels like you are wading through wet cement at times, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but can be a hindrance if you are trying to quickly aim at spider that is running away. Sadly there is no way to alter the sensitivity of the look/turn axis of the player, which does cause some issues during the more intense moments. Luckily the game does compensate for this slight immobility by providing an item in game that slows everything around you down.

This title can be a little short for those who just want to get to the ending and put it down. However, for those who want to get 100% completion and uncover all the secrets there is a fair amount of content included for the price. The Arachno-Gauntlet is designed to be replayed to improve times/scores and the destructive nature of the game can be great fun with kids, trying to see what is possible when trying to blow everything up in each stage.

There isnt really that much in terms difficulty with Kill It With Fire, there aren’t any failure condition aside from the Arachno-Gauntlet which have a time limit. The only things that could present an issue are the very occasional crashes and slowdown, due to the amount of effects that happen on screen when fire is involved. These are minor inconveniences but can take the player out of the game, causing any progress that has been made in a level to be lost if the game does crash.

The variety of weapons, environments and challenges that the player will encounter works very well in this title. The comedy of the destructive environments and ridiculous fire effects tie the experience together, adding depth to the gameplay and giving it a unique charm of its own even though it is a little flawed. Now I will be moving onto the other aspects for the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – the controls for this title are effective, with reactive inputs that don’t have any lag during play. When playing the game with a pro controller it can be very comfortable, but unfortunately the Joy-Con inputs aren’t as pleasant, especially in handheld mode as the thumbsticks aren’t as big as other controllers. It would be a little better if there was a way to adjust the sensitivity of controls, but the game is perfectly playable as it is.

Presentation – the visual style for Kill It With Fire has a low poly style to the graphics, with chunky, mostly detail free models that give it a very retro aesthetic as the only details are text and some logos. The spiders have their own color coded look that allows the player to easily distinguish between each type, helping players see what they are doing in both docked and handheld mode. The performance of this release is pretty solid for the majority of the experience, aside from the minor issues that I mentioned above.

The text on screen can be a little difficult to see, although the Nintendo Switch zoom feature can mitigate this although it is a little irritating. The sound for this game has a nice balance to it, with skin crawling plucking sounds that add to the tension when searching for spiders. This use of tense sounds is implemented expertly, potentially causing some mild panic when trying to find the spiders that are needed to open up new areas and/or the exit.

Final Thoughts – during my time playing Kill It With Fire, I enjoyed the sandbox style to the game and the freedom that is given to players with the ability to interact with almost every part of each level. The variety of weapons, level settings and objective types is fun and keeps the experience fresh during play. I can happily recommend this game to everyone, especially those who are looking for a fun game on a low budget as there is plenty of content in a modest package.

Please Note: the quality of visuals shown in the trailer may not match the Nintendo Switch version due to hardware limitations.

In the end, I give Kill It With Fire a final score of 4/5. The action is fun and frantic with a selection of ridiculous weaponry, upgrades and spider types that give a lot of freedom to the player. The destructive element of the game is a delightful touch that makes the experience that much more entertaining to play. If you want to check it out for yourself, links to each version will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Link to Xbox One version (HERE)

Link to Steam Version (HERE)

Link to Epic Games version (HERE)

Link to IOS version (HERE)

Link to Android version (HERE)

Hellpoint – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Cradle Games and published by tinyBuild Games, Hellpoint is an action RPG in the vein of Dark Souls with a dark sci-fi atmosphere. Take on the role of a nameless human stranded on a derelict space station, battling monsters and hellish abominations in order to uncover the mysteries surrounding the nightmare unfolding around you. This title is available on all major platforms, with cross-generation compatibility with the newest systems. Links to all versions of the game will be at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank tinyBuild Games for providing the copy of Hellpoint 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. Please be aware, images used are from the Hellpoint press kit and may not match the visuals of the Nintendo Switch due to hardware limitations.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting off with the story. I will also be discussing only the core elements of play that will be experienced within the first few hours of the game, this is to prevent spoilers or ruin any of the excitement of a blind playthrough.

Story – set in deep space, a space station called the Irid Novo has been caught in a quantum cataclysm called “The Merge”. In seconds the entire station was plunged into chaos as parallel universes collided, merging them together and bringing with it the horrors of other dimensions that have invaded the Irid Novo Station. After the cataclysmic event, a nameless being called the Spawn awakes on the station and must solve the mysteries of the Merge, battling against the abominations that stand in their way.

Gameplay – the gameplay style of Hellpoint is similar to game in the Souls series, with intense hack and slash combat, action RPG elements and hellish boss battles. The core focus of the gameplay is split between exploration and combat, pitting the player against the monsters that have been created by the cataclysm. The large space station is split into sections that the player can travel between, with checkpoints called breaches scattered throughout the Irid Novo station.

The game starts with a tutorial that teaches the player the mechanics of the game, introducing the systems that are used throughout the experience. This tutorial walks the player through all of the controls, providing simple challenges that will be faced during the story. The game teaches the player about combat and equipment by providing a set of weapons for the player to learn, along with information on the how armor, shields and other items work during progress.

There are more systems and mechanics that have a distinct “Dark Souls” feel to them that shows the inspiration provided by the games of FromSoftware. For example, the player can run, side step and dodge roll which are movements that have become synonymous with games in the Souls series. One more mechanic that is implemented in DS games and many other action RPG titles is the use of meters to manage the three vitals of Health, Stamina and Energy.

Here is the information on how each vital stat is used in the game;

  • Health – the most important stat that players must pay attention to. This shows how much damage the player can take before death, the lost health can be replenished by using the Healing Injection item. The injection is limited however and can only be refilled by hitting enemies with attacks, meaning the effective use of healing is an important for survival (other healing and restorative options exist, but I don’t want to ruin any surprises).
  • Stamina – this meter controls the capability of the player spawn to attack and defend, with each attack, dodge and jump using up the stamina meter. If the player guards attacks with a shield, then each attack will use up the players stamina, but if the meter runs out when the player attempts to guard they will be stunned and they will be unable to block.
  • Energy – the Hellpoint version of magic, being used to activate skills with weapons, firearms and special weapons called catalysts. This resource can be depleted quickly when using energy attacks and guns, with the only way to replenish the energy bar being successful attacks on enemies.

Inside the opening areas, the player will encounter several types of basic enemy that provide enough experience to get used to the mechanics of battle. This gives players the chance to practice each maneuver that they can use, allowing them to get used to the systems that will be used most during the course of the game. This includes the collection and use of Axions, a currency that is earned by defeating enemies and used for a variety of purposes, from leveling the player, upgrading gear and more.

Enemies that are defeated will also drop items when defeated, with different drop rates that depend on various hidden factors in game. The player can also collect items that are scattered around each area, some hidden in plain sight and others in more sneaky places requiring some puzzle solving skills to obtain. It is important to collect every item that can be found as the player can collect Axions as items, allowing the player to build a stockpile for later leveling and upgrades.

However, the tutorial doesn’t give enough information and details in some situations, causing difficulties that can negatively impact the overall gameplay. Unfortunately the tutorial doesn’t cover character death, which is likely to cause issues for new players. In Hellpoint if the player dies in combat or from a hazard, then all Axions are lost and the counter is reduced to zero. The Axions can be reclaimed, but there is a catch to this.

When a player loses their life, they will respawn at the last checkpoint they interacted with but a ghost will appear of the last life played before death and it will attack the player. The ghost will be using the same gear, weapons and attacks that the player was able to use before death. If the player is able to defeat the ghost they will gain bonus Axions and a Healing Injection charge. However, if the player dies at all before reclaiming their Axions from the point they died they are lost entirely.

The death and ghost mechanics aren’t explained or if they are then there is not enough detail, as I was unable to find any indication of the effects that death have on the play. This gives the impression that the developer expects players to be aware of how a “souls like” game plays, which I am unsure if this is the intent. The inspiration of dark souls and difficulty level also translates to the boss battles, pitting the player against monstrous abominations that will try to destroy them in seconds.

The boss areas are indicated by an orange glow that acts as a barrier, only allowing the player to pass if they are prepared to do so. When crossing the barrier the boss will immediately jump into action when spotting the player, assaulting them with a slew of strikes that can wipe out a health bar in seconds. Each of the encounters will have a different arena that is suited to that enemy and test the skill of the player, with success providing rewards that allow them to progress a little further in the story.

Now with the core of the gameplay covered, I want to discuss some other mechanics that the game implements during play. These will be covered in bullet points for brevity, these mechanics are as follows;

  • Breach – the checkpoints that the player uses which are scattered around the Irid Novo Station. These points are opened by interacting with them, with breach points being located behind obstacles, after bosses and at transition points between areas. The breach allows the player to affect the world and level their spawn up by spending Axions to increase all essential stats like health, stamina and energy, with equipment focused stats that effect the ability to use weapons (explained further below).
  • The Observatory – this is the safe zone/base camp where the player can upgrade weapons and craft equipment from collecting materials during exploration.
  • Weapon leveling – players are able to level the weapons that they have in their possession in a couple ways. The most common is to gain weapon experience from combat, all weapons have at least one combat milestone that will unlock new passive skills and/or weapon skills that can mix up combat.
  • Equipment Proficiency – some weapons, armor and gear have specific stat requirements that will prevent them from being used effectively. If the player doesn’t have their stats at the correct level then the equipment will be ineffective, putting the player at a disadvantage and can weaken the player if poor choices are made.
  • Crafting – crafting recipes can be found throughout the space station, which can be crafted using a dedicated section of the Observatory. Materials for crafting are obtained from enemy drops, hidden drops and by dismantling other items in the player inventory.
  • Conductor – a conductor can be attached to equipment to improve the overall quality and can also be leveled to make it stronger. The conductors can be found while exploring and also crafted in the Observatory, where the upgrade bench is also located.
  • Parallel Echos – throughout the station, hand prints can appear when connected to the internet allowing the player to get hints from others that leave them. The messages that can be left use an in game language of symbols that allow everyone to try and communicate to others regardless of language.
  • Solar Cycle – there is a clock system that changes the environments that the player encounters, strengthening enemies, providing better rewards and altering other aspects of the game. There are several instances of this clock, but I think it would be best to experience first-hand.

The last thing that I want to mention before moving on is the multiplayer aspect. There are two different multiplayer systems that can be accessed, local play and online multiplayer. I have been unable to test either of these play styles but I can provide some minor details.

The local multiplayer uses a split screen gameplay system, but for some reason I was unable to access this no matter how I tried to do it. The game says that you can do so by pressing the + (start) button on a secondary controller, although this just didn’t work. The second way to play multiplayer is to use the online service, you can place invites for others to join in order to help or use a code to jump into a PVP battle with other players. Sadly, I was unable to try this game mode either.

Now with the gameplay covered to an extent I am happy with, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the difficulty.

Difficulty – Hellpoint is a brutally tough game, with death facing the player spawn at every step. The monsters will overwhelm you, beating you down and reducing your life to nothing at any chance they get. This game also implements one of the hallmarks of a “souls like” action RPG title, the arena boss battle. These battles will test the player and they can be so tough that players could lose many times when trying to get past them, with brutal attack patterns that can decimate a full health bar in seconds.

Controls – the controls are comfortable, with easy to use button inputs that react very well in combat and during exploration. There are no issues with lag or confusion with multiple button inputs during tense encounters. I tested the game with both Joy-Con controls and a pro controller, they are both very comfortable, working well when playing the game in both docked and undocked system modes. The controller inputs can be remapped, allowing the player to set the button layout to their preferences.

Presentation – the visual style of the game is a mix of Lovecraftian horror meets Event Horizon. The Irid Novo features large sprawling spaces that give a feeling of loneliness, contrasting with dense industrial zones that feel oppressive and claustrophobic at times.  The graphics look good for being a downgraded Nintendo Switch port, with enough detail to the monsters that the player fights and the equipment that can be wielded by the spawn.

The overall quality of this port is good for the most part, however there are several flaws that can affect the gameplay experience. In game, the text and HUD elements that appear during games can be too small to read well or distinguish what is happening at times. These issues with the display and on screen text are worse when playing the game in handheld mode, which could be worse when playing on the Switch Lite system. The second issue is a fairly big problem, which is the performance of the game.

At several points during the game, the frame rate can drop hard, causing stutter and lag when there are many entities/effects on screen, leading to difficulties in the gameplay in some areas of the game. There is also an issue with hit detection at times, I am usure if this was intended or a bug, but it does negatively impact the experience during play, leading to unfair deaths often.

Unfortunately the performance requirements of the game on the Nintendo Switch can be so taxing on the system (especially in handheld mode) that it can cause the game to crash, closing the game entirely. On a positive note, I want to point out that these issues have been raised with the developers and they are trying to fix it.

The last thing to discuss is the sound which is really good, with atmospheric sounds and wonderfully orchestrated compositions that fit each environment. The best part of the soundtrack is the boss battles, with musical set pieces that give a sense of tension and intensity to these encounters. There is a unique language used for the dialogue in game, with haunting and distorted voices that add to the atmosphere with each line that is spoken in a dialect that sounds like ancient Latin.

Final Thoughts – I have very mixed feelings about Hellpoint. On one hand I am very pleased with the majority of the experience, as the gameplay is reactive and flows really smoothly most of the time. However, the performance issues unfortunately killed the excitement that I had when they occurred, as they really pulled me out of the game when the frame rate dropped or the game crashed. I do have hope that the patch the development team has promised will fix these issues in the future.

I don’t think I can recommend this game right now, but if you are a fan of Dark Souls and games that are similar to it, then I advise that you look into the game for yourself because the gameplay is solid for the most part. There is a diverse range of weaponry, enemies, bosses and environments that are very impressive from an independent studio that has done their best to bring their game to the Switch. It is just unfortunate that the limitations of the Switch and some performance issues hurt the experience.

In the end, I give Hellpoint a final score of 3.5/5. The gameplay is engaging and works well with reactive combat, intense boss battles and a haunting atmosphere that persists throughout the experience. It is just unfortunate that some issues affect the overall quality of gameplay at times, which can disrupt the flow of the game but the developer is working to fix these problems. If you want to check out the game for yourself, links to each version of the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Link to Xbox One version (HERE)

Link to PC/Stadia versions on official website (HERE)

Castle Kong – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed and published by Drowning Monkeys Games, Castle Kong is a retro styled arcade platformer in the style of the classic Nintendo title Donkey Kong. This game is a tough as nails platformer that is designed to test the skills of players, with three lives and only one credit, can the PauperBoy save PrincessGirl from the evil BaronMan. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch and Steam service, links to both versions of the game will be available 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 Castle Kong that was used for this piece. the provision of this title has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Important Announcement: There will be a special high score tournament from the release day on Feb 25th until May 25th 2021. A total of $3,500 of prizes will be available for the top 10 players on the leaderboard when the tournament ends, you can find information about prizes and the rules for it (HERE).

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. There is no real story in this title, so I will be moving straight onto the gameplay section.

Gameplay – Castle Kong is an arcade platformer with a retro flavor, featuring 22 levels that are made up of 4 unique stages. The player must rescue the princess, completing the stages over several cycles that get increasingly difficult the further the player progresses. Each early cycle introduces new stages, adding more elements and obstacles for the player to overcome, with the later cycles settling into a pattern when all stages have been cleared once.

The player has very limited options for movement and defense from enemies. The first is jumping, which allows the player to cross gaps and get over obstacles, but if a jump is missed and the player falls they will die. The player also has access to a power up in certain stages, this is a pitchfork that can eliminate some enemies that appear in stages, the character is still able to climb ladders but cannot jump.

The last thing I want to discuss is the arcade mechanics that have been included in this title. First, this is a very tough game, with players only having three lives (one extra can be earned during play) and no continues which means failure will reset the game. Second, the game can be played in vertical or “Tate” mode when the Nintendo Switch system in tabletop mode. The special vertical mode can be selected from the main menu but is reset upon game over.

Finally, we have the high score system and cross system leaderboard capabilities, allowing global competitions and real money prizes to be offered to those who want to compete. In stages, the player can collect the letters to spell KONG and give a point boost, along with a bonus for quickly clearing stages to earn big points. The high scores are a great way to add a reason to play the game, giving players the incentive to play against others in order to get higher up the leaderboards.

With the gameplay covered, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – the controls for this release are very simple, using only the d-pad/thumbstick for movement and the A button for jumping. This basic set up allows for play in a variety of ways, from single Joy-Con to an arcade stick, with consistent button inputs that work well. Having tested the game with a selection of controllers, I can advise that either an arcade/fight stick or a controller with a d-pad is the best way to go.

Presentation – the visual style for this release has a very retro look to it. Graphically, Castle Kong looks close to what arcade games of the 80’s were capable of with a little more flair, giving a modern yet nostalgic feeling to the experience. The sound for this title has uses chiptune and some synth sounds in order to emulate the music and effects from older games, this works very well and ties the whole package together very well.

Final Thoughts – when I first sat down to play Castle Kong, I expected an arcade styled game that was overly hard for the sake of it. I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case, as the challenge presented is rewarding because you get that feeling that you can just go a little further if you practice a little more. This works wonders as every stage has its own patterns that have a little unpredictability to them, but otherwise can be learned over time.

The overall presentation, quality of gameplay and the inclusion of a worldwide cross platform leaderboard all combine to create an excellent game. This title offers players a chance to compete for a place in the global top 10, fostering competition in a healthy way that anyone can participate. For that I can happily recommend this game. However, the extreme difficulty of the game is the only minor flaw to this title as it could put off some players and there is no way to alter the challenge.

In the end, I give Castle Kong a final score of 4.5/5. This title is a throwback that does everything a retro inspired game should, giving a challenge that is both rewarding and punishing to play. The gameplay feels like it’s from the 80’s, the presentation emulates the games that came before it quite well and the online leaderboards will hopefully build a good competitive community. If you want to check this title out for yourself, links to the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Azur Lane Crosswave – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Felistella in partnership with Compile Heart and Idea Factory, Azur Lane Crosswave is an action shooter set in the world where cute girls fight with battleships. This title is an enhanced port of the Steam/PlayStation 4 release, with bonus content included in the package. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch as both a standard version and a “Deluxe” release, links to both versions of the game on Switch, along with the other platforms will be 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 Azur Lane crosswave 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. Please note, the version covered in this piece is the standard release of Azur Lane Crosswave, so I will only be covering the included content.

Special Announcement: the Swimsuit Neptune DLC character will be free in North America until March 16 11:00am PDT and in Europe until March 12 (no time given). This DLC content is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch and will only be available for a limited time, so pick it up while you can.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting off with the story of Azur Lane Crosswave.

Story – Azur Lane Crosswave takes place in an alternate universe setting, following the exploits of new recruits Shimakaze and Suruga as they train and battle with characters from the Azur Lane franchise.  The following details were taken from official sources at Idea Factory International.

The four nations of Azur Lane: Eagle Union, Royal Navy, Iron Blood, and Sakura Empire. The military of each nation marched towards yet another season of diligent training. Suddenly, in the middle of their normal routines, a Joint Military Exercise was enacted. In this monumental event, a select few from each nation were chosen, causing all of them to train even harder in anticipation of rigorous battles ahead. But how did this event come to exactly? Are there ulterior motives at play?

Gameplay – the core gameplay to Azur Lane Crosswave is reminiscent of games like Virtual On, with roaming battles that take place on the oceans of the game world. The intense battles are made up of over the shoulder arena-style combat, with the player having a variety of attacks/skills available to them. There are four playable modes that the player can access in the game, however only the story mode is accessible from the start of the game.

Here is a breakdown of the game modes that are in Azur Lane Crosswave;

  • Story Mode – play through the story of Azur Lane Crosswave, laid out in several chapters that explore the exploits of Shimakaze and her partner Suruga, build a fleet and take on powerful opponents in battle. Playing through the story allows players to unlock new characters, game modes and other bonuses. The story mode introduces the two protagonist ship girls, with additional main units and supports that can be unlocked which I will discuss later.
  • Important note: please be aware that more main ships are available at the start with the DLC and included bonus content on the Nintendo Switch version.
  • Extreme Battle – take on preset enemy fleets under various battle situations, with over 100 total battles to take on. Rewards are given for completing the battles, based on their level of difficulty.
  • Photo Mode – arrange characters in different poses and on several backdrops, allowing for players to create stunning images and recreate scenes from the anime freely.
  • Episode Mode – view special story events that take place between the many characters of the game, giving greater details about the happenings at the joint military event. There are more than 50 stories to discover in this mode.

Now with the overview of the game modes covered, I want to go into more detail about the story and core gameplay.

The story mode is where the majority of time will be spent playing the game, exploring the narrative that is exclusive to this release. The player takes on the role of the rookie ships Shimakaze and Suruga, battling the other members of the cast. In story mode, the game plays out through various events set out on a large map that can be explored freely to locate the chosen event, along with items that can be picked up while moving between events.

Story events are visual novel style segments where the narrative of this title is told, using anime styled portraits to depict each of the characters. There is two types of story event, major events tell the main plotline, progressing the narrative forward. The second is sub event, conversation segments where other characters are shown, telling different stories and fleshing out the world that the player experiences during the course of the game.

Battle events are as described, battles where the player pits their forces against a designated opponent. The combat stages have their own story sections that tie into the major plot events, usually setting out the opponent that the player will face. Before entering battle, the player will be able to set up their party for that encounter, choosing from the main ships and support ships. Main ships are the playable characters whereas the support ships purpose being to use skills to aid in the stages.

The main units each have their own weapons that can be upgraded and switched as the game progresses, allowing for the characters to get stronger. Players are able to select up to three ships in both the main and support categories, however the game only provides two main ship units for the player to use (not counting bonus DLC characters). New characters for both classifications can be unlocked during the course of the game extending the options available to the player in battle.

At the start of a battle, the player will be given an objective to complete, which can be a single large combat encounter or several smaller fights that chain together. The requirements to clear each stage are to eliminate a set number of enemies, with a boss battle to clear the stage successfully. When the stage is cleared, the player is given a ranking based on their performance and rewards that are suitable for that ranking.

Rewards include items that can be used to strengthen ships, money for purchasing items, points to unlock new characters (which will be discussed further in the review) and experience points to level up the party. Characters will level up when experience is earned, providing stat increases over time to boost the strength of that unit. Cleared stages can be replayed in story mode, providing more chances to level up the ships in the player party and easing the challenge of tougher stages.

In the stages, players have access to different attacks based on the type of ship that the player is using, however all characters share the same set of basic inputs and the ability to lock onto enemies. The basic layout for all main ships is two armament attacks, two special skills and a defensive move which is either a dash or a guard. The skills and some armament attacks have a meter that charges up before it can be used, so learning what weapon works best for each situation will aid in taking down each of the enemies that are faced.

The effective use of character skills and attacks are the key to victory in battles, with experimentation being the best way to find out what works best. During stages, if the player has more than one main ship in their party then they can switch freely between them, allowing for more strategy to be used in combat. Learning what each character in the party is capable of can help clear out enemies quickly and effectively.

The last thing I want to talk about is the resource management and shop/dock system, starting with gear upgrades. One of the rewards that players can earn is upgrade parts, which can be used to power up the equipment/skills and increase the benefits for that ship. The cost of upgrades increases over time, making power-ups more expensive the stronger the weapon gets, so effective management of all earned resources is important. Next to talk about is the shop.

Another resource that players earn for completing battles is money, which is spent on upgrades, but more importantly in the shop. There are two functions in the shop, the Shiranui that allows players to buy/sell items and the Akashi Laboratory. The lab is the more important part of the shop, because here the player can exchange items for rewards, obtain upgrade materials and unlock new equipment by trading in blueprints.

The final thing that players earn is A Points, a special currency that is used in the Dock mode. These special points are earned at a lower rate, but are worth the effort to earn because they are used to unlock new ships. The cost for new character ships can range from as low as 50 points to as high as 1000 points needed to unlock, giving a reason to replay battles more often to fill out your collection of cute ship girls as quickly as possible.

In total, there are more than fifty girls that can be unlocked separated between the Main and Support categories (with more added through DLC). This huge roster covers many of the fan favorite characters from the four nations, offering a diverse range of options for all players to work towards unlocking. There is even a bonus combination system that will give the player a boost depending on the party composition, rewarding the player for experimenting and collecting different ships.

Now with the gameplay covered to an extent that I feel I am happy with, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game.

Difficulty – when starting a new game, the player is presented with three options (this can be changed during the game). The settings are easy which is for those more interested in the story over combat, normal which is the most balanced choice offering a moderate challenge and hard for those who want a punishing experience. All three options can have any difficulties mitigated by grinding and powering up the characters, easing up some of the more challenging encounters.

Controls – the controls are effective in their simplicity, using the thumbsticks to control movement of the character and camera with ease, along with the buttons/triggers being used for attacks and skills. The inputs and reactions all work well, with zero lag in combat, making for a comfortable experience in all system setups. Although there is one minor issue that I found during play, when using any attack or skill, there is a lack of feedback through vibration which would have made the overall quality of gameplay better.

Presentation – the visual style of Azur Lane Crosswave uses a mix of 2d Anime art for the narrative and menu sections, contrasted with the 3d models and environments used for the battle stages. Graphically, the models used for each character works well, bringing life to the different ship girls but unfortunately the lack of diversity to the stages is a minor let down. The performance of the game during the combat is stable and optimized well, unfortunately the text is a little small so it may be difficult to read in handheld mode or on the Nintendo Switch.

The sound for this release is very good, with a high quality soundtrack that utilizes a navy motif throughout and traditional bright, happy compositions for interactions and heavy rock sounds for more intense moments. The story is fully voiced and the characters have voice samples that play during stages. All lines are acted very well and use a very talented voice cast, I was unable to find out if the voice cast for the anime and the game are the same or share voice actors, so I am unable to comment on it.

Final Thoughts – during my time with Azur Lane Croswave, I gained an appreciation for the characters and world presented as this was my first exposure to the series. I can say that the story is engaging and something that I will happily return to in the future for a secondary playthrough. The action flows well, but has the potential to seem repetitive for those who want more variety to the action. However, I can happily recommend this to people who like arena style battle games and visual novels in general.

The characters, world and overarching narrative are all crafted excellently and there is so much more hidden away that would make this review much, much longer if I were to cover it. The work that the development team has put into this title is very impressive and I have nothing but positive feelings from the overall experience. There were a few technical hiccups during play like the lack of vibration feedback in battle, but it wasn’t serious enough to sour the experience.

In the end, I give Azur Lane Crosswave a final score of 4/5. A fast paced and intense arena style battle game, featuring exciting combat and depth of gameplay that brings the world of Azur Lane to a whole new dimension. The story is crafted well, the characters all fit together and the artwork is simply breathtaking.  If you want to check the game out for yourself, links to all versions of the game will be below.

REMINDER: the Neptune swimsuit DLC will only be available for a limited time and is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch system.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Gal*Gun Returns – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Inti Creates and published by PQube, Gal*Gun Returns is a remaster of the original schoolgirl themed rail shooter that was exclusively released in Japan on Xbox 360 and PS3. This version of the game features all DLC that was released for the first version, alongside new artwork, enhanced textures and a new gallery mode for players to collect over 250 illustrations from the game. Gal*Gun Returns is available on the Nintendo Switch and Steam Service, links to both versions of the game will be at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I want to thank PQube for providing the copy of Gal*Gun Returns used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this article, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Mature Content Warning: this title is rated mature, with sexual themes, suggestive content and adult language. If you are below the recommended age or find any of the content offensive, please use your own discretion on whether or not you wish to continue reading.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review starting with the story.

Story – Gal*Gun Retrurns takes place at the Sakurazaki Academy. The apprentice cupid angel Patako has been tasked with shooting a chosen target with a Pheromone Arrow to graduate. Her target is Tenzou, a regular second-year student who has no experience with girls. However, there is a mistake and Patako accidentally hits Tenzou with over a dozen arrows, making him the most popular person at Sakurazaki Academy.

An unintended side effect of the Pheromone Arrows is that Tenzou has become attractive to every female in the school, with girls chasing him down trying to confess their love to him. But, there are girls from his life that he likes and he only has until sunset to confess his feelings to his chosen one. Now, Tenzou must connect with his true love by the end of the day or be resigned to a life of loneliness, all while navigating the dangers caused by being “Way Too Freakin’ Popular”.  

Gameplay – Gal*Gun Returns is an on-rails shooter, similar to the classic arcade light gun titles like Time Crisis, Virtua Cop and The House of the Dead. The core of the gameplay involves shooting the girls that assault the player while the camera moves on a pre-determined path. At the start of each new story mode playthrough, the player chooses one of four girls that will determine the main stages that appear and the story that unfolds.

Once the girl is chosen, the player will follow their route that follows a specific set of stages, with general paths that link the character specific areas together. The number of stages will vary depending on the path chosen, however each playthrough has character specific boss mini-games that add some diversity to the overall gameplay.

While traversing the various levels zones of Sakurazaki Academy the player will be under constant threat from lovesick girls. They are persistent and can attack the player in two ways, the first is by hitting the player with a gift and the second is a projectile shout that damages from afar. To defeat their pursuers, the player must hit them with the Pheromone Shot to give the girls “Euphoria”, rendering them incapacitated at that time.

There are three types of attack that the player can use in shooting stages. The pheromone shot by itself is capable of dealing with all enemies that can be encountered, although it is a little easier to defeat strong enemies by hitting their weak points. Each girl has two weak points that can be hit with shots, the first (called sensitive spot) deals increased damage and the second (called most sensitive spot) can incapacitate enemies in a single hit. This special attack is called the Ecstasy shot.

The last attack that is available is the Doki Doki Mode, a special mini-game that is activated by filling a heart on screen with each girl subdued. When in the Doki Doki Mode, the player can interact with the girls in a rather risqué way, zooming in and out like a camera lens and shooting weak points to fill a Doki Doki Gauge to give the target euphoria when full before the heart meter runs out. Success will give the player specific effects depending on the girl and activate Doki Doki Bomb, giving all girls on screen a sudden Ecstasy shot.

During stages the player will encounter four types of girl, each separated by color that determines their position in the academy and their overall strength/threat to the player. The classification of each type of girl is as follows;

  • Red – these are first year student, the lowest threat to the player and can be defeated in a couple shots.
  • Blue – these are the second year students, a little tougher than the first years taking more shots from the Pheromone shot to defeat.
  • Green – the toughest students that take a lot of hits to be defeated, these girls are the third year students and can be relentless when attacking the player.
  • Black – these are the toughest enemies that function like mini-bosses, they are mostly female teachers, but have some special variants depending on the route.  They take a hell of a lot of hits and have tough to hit weak points.

All enemy girls that the player comes into contact with can be hit with a shot from Doki Doki Mode, so effective use of the special attack can help clear large encounters and tough enemies quickly.

Outside of the core shooting gameplay, there are dating sim style mechanics that the player will encounter. When the player has chosen their girl of interest they will interact with them, having dialogue options that will either positively or negatively affect the progression of the story. This adds more depth to the experience when playing story mode, allowing for players to become invested in the narrative of each girl.

Along with the dialogue choices that affect the game, there is also a “quality” system, where the player will gain and lose points in four categories depending on specific factors. The initial score is set by a quiz at the beginning where the player answers questions about Sports, schoolwork, fashion and “adult” interests. The answers will determine that starting score and can impact the progression of the story for the chosen girl, but can be altered by strategic use of the Doki Doki Mode to manipulate the scores.

Away from the story mode, there are more activities that can be explored. The first is score attack, which is essentially arcade mode where the player chooses already completed stages or a whole route and tries to get the best score. Next are the collection and dressing room modes, two modes that allow the player to look up information on the characters in game if unlocked and to change their clothing styles respectively.

The last parts I want to talk about is the Gallery and Doki Doki Carnival. Gallery gives players the chance to use golden feathers earned from other modes, to unlock promo art, in game images and special features (that I won’t spoil). Doki Doki Carnival, which is also called DDC is an extra play mode, locked off from access unless certain requirements have been met. DDC is the major fanservice part of the game, while also being a tough and challenging experience in its own right, with its own narrative and I feel that it should be experience first- hand so I will end it there.

Now with the gameplay covered to a degree that I am happy won’t spoil it for players, I want to move onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – Gal*Gun Returns has a very simple yet effective control method, using the thumbsticks for movement, along with the face buttons and triggers for shooting, zooming, etc. The controls are all input focused, which unfortunately means a lack of motion movement being an unfortunate omission. When playing the game, the inputs have no lag but the movement is a little sloppy at times and cursor movement can be twitchy. However, the Pro-Controller and Joy-Cons provide a solid experience no matter the setup of the system.

Difficulty – there are two difficulty settings the player can choose from when starting story mode. The Newbie lover option is the normal setting where the player takes regular damage and most girls are taken down easily, the other is Season lover which increases damage and the girl’s health. During the stages the difficulty will increase over time, introducing tougher enemies for the player to battle and this feels natural, providing a good challenge to players regardless of the difficulty chosen.

Presentation – Gal*Gun Returns has the classic 3D anime style look to it, with big eyes, bright colors and the many tropes that are found in high school/harem anime shows. The use of fanservice, risque dialogue and revealing costumes that can be applied gives the game an ecchi (lewd) feeling, fitting the overall tone and presentation of the game well. The animations, artwork and overall visual quality of this release is very high, providing a solid experience with zero lag or framerate issues.

The sound design and voice acting for the game are excellent. The four girls that the player can pursue each have their own themes that fit their character well. For example, the guitar playing Aoi has a J-Rock style track that plays in several arrangements throughout her route and has a special ending version when completing a run (the same for the other girls too). The game is fully voiced for all female characters that are encountered, with excellently acted segments from all cast members that tie the whole experience together for me.

Final Thoughts – many years ago, I had the chance to try the original Gal*Gun release on the PlayStation 3 when the game had first been released, thanks to the region free nature of the system. What little experience I had made me want to play more of the game, but due to the language barrier I wasn’t able to do much. The release of Gal*Gun Returns has given players (including myself) a chance to experience the title that started the franchise, which translates very well to the Nintendo Switch, allowing for the action to be taken anywhere at any time.

The stories, gameplay and overall quality of the game are outstanding. The only negatives that I could find during my time playing the game were the shortness of some character routes, the twitchy movement of the controls and the lackluster attempts at humor in some parts. However, these minor issues don’t detract too much from the experience, so I can happily recommend Gal*Gun Returns to anyone who loves rail shooters and fanservice.

In the end, I give Gal*Gun Returns a final score of 4/5. The long awaited remaster of the classic high school themed shooter finally gets a western release, the action, story and characters are fun, with enough depth to keep the player engaged throughout. The remastered visuals, sound and overall quality of this release fit the Nintendo Switch and Steam perfectly, making the game worth the investment. If you want to check the game out for yourself, you can find links to both versions below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Project Starship X – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Panda Indie Studio and published by Eastasiasoft, Project Starship X is the third entry in the Lovecraftian bullet hell vertical shooter series. The game follows on from Project Starship and the prologue title Red Death, I will be reworking my previous coverage for both games and they will be published at a later time. The game is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and the Steam service. Links to each version of the game will be available at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Project Starship X 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 introduction out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be omitting the story section as there is a free flowing narrative that should be experienced first-hand, so I will be jumping straight into the gameplay.

Gameplay – Project Starship X is a bullet hell shooter that uses a rogue-lite approach to gameplay and progression, using semi randomized level set ups, unlockables and challenging boss battles. I will be covering the core gameplay only, as there are many secrets to discover and I feel that that would spoil part of the fun if I gave away these secrets. This will include omitting discussion of extra gameplay modes. I have chosen this approach as I want to focus on the core experience from the start.

When starting the game for the first time, there will be two characters to select from with more that can be accessed during play. Each pilot has their own strengths, weaknesses and skills that allow them to stand on their own, making them unique to each other. All characters have access to the same range of skills, including the ship blaster, defensive shields (these count as player health) and the X Maneuver which allows players to dodge attacks while also being useful as a form of attack.

Each run of Project Starship X is made up of five stages, that will vary in difficulty and more levels are added depending on the number of completions/milestones reached during play. The stages have their own themes and gimmicks that challenge the player, including a stage on the sun that uses gravity to pull you to the surface and a cave level that turns the game into a scrolling platformer. These unique stages add replay value to the game in each run.

At designated points in a stage, a sub boss will appear to fight the player and a main boss will appear to at the end of the stage, unless in a special encounter but I won’t be spoiling that. Bosses are huge screen filling monsters that will assault the player with a variety of attack patterns, taking more and more skill to overcome the challenges as the player progresses. The stage 1 bosses are simple enough, easing the player into it, but the difficulty can really ramp up quickly.

The randomized elements aren’t just focused on the selection of stages that occur each run, there is also a system called Mad Events that are very dangerous, filling the screen with hazards and much more. These random instances can kill the player easily if great care isn’t taken, becoming an inconvenience for experienced players and a frustration for those who don’t play bullet hell shooters often. The worst thing is that these events can also invert the controls causing more frustration.

During each playthrough, the player can collect items that give upgrades and power-ups. The most common items are the shield and power up, increasing the players hit points and attack power for better longevity in battle. The abundance of collectable items is great as damage comes from all sides, depleting shields quickly if care isn’t taken to avoid the onslaught.

Scattered throughout the stages and dropped by enemies are coins, these are used to buy items from the shop that appears during the run, operated by Shopthulhu. The eldritch shop keep will offer the player three items that can be purchased, but do not attack the shop keep or you may regret it. New items and objects will appear as the player progresses through the game, increasing the pool of items that can spawn during later playthroughs.

There is a lot of humor implemented throughout the game, using a mix of pop culture references and self-aware jokes that combine with the absurdity of the world the game takes place in. The most prevalent instances of absurd humor in Project Starship X is the bosses that the player will encounter during play. For example the first boss that the player will encounter is Zombie Hitler (called Zombie Bad Guy in the PS4 version), which is one of the strangest bosses I have encountered in a game.

Additional references to pop culture include the use of self-aware humor where the game breaks the fourth wall, commenting on the over use of Cthulhu and the lore surrounding it. Alongside the use of popular quotes and imagery, such as the 80’s styled vaporwave aesthetic and “praise the sun” from the dark souls franchise, which shows a passion for gaming culture from the developers.

The last thing to cover is the multiplayer component of Project Starship X. Right from the start of the game, players can access 2 player local co-op with each player using a different hero. This is a fun and entertaining mode that has a major difference compared to the single player experience. When a player has been defeated they can rejoin the battle when a death timer reaches zero if the other player is still alive, rather than outright ending the run for them and leaving their partner alone.

The inclusion of a resurrection timer is a great touch as it allows for newer players to the genre to have fun, with the potential to alleviate the feeling of failure when getting used to the challenge of the game. However, it has to be made clear that the player respawn isn’t a get out of jail free card, as repeated deaths will lead to the timer increasing exponentially and applying more pressure to the remaining player to survive as it counts down.

Now with the core gameplay covered to a degree I am happy with, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – Project Starship X uses a simple control method, with the thumbsticks (both left and right) along with the D-pad being used for movement. The buttons and shoulders are used to shoot and activate the X Maneuver/items. Unfortunately the controls are a little twitchy, as the thumbsticks can lack precision during intense moments so the D-pad is preferable. Aside from the minor flaw with movement, the controls work well with both pro-controller and Joy-Con options.

Presentation – visually the style for this release has a unique hand drawn art style through the use of pixel art for the characters and HUD. The animations are fluid and the designs for characters/enemies have a pleasant charm that makes the game a little more enjoyable. There is only one issue that I have though, which is the excessive use of flashing lights that caused some eye strain when playing the game handheld and could potentially cause seizures for others.

The sound has a high quality to it with a great selection of chiptune style tracks that compliments the theme of the stage that they are part of. The effects have plenty of weight to them and add the additional depth required to tie the sound design together. The last thing to mention is the use of digitized voices for different points, it has a retro charm to it but sometimes the chosen voice can sound like generic text to speech which can be jarring.

Final Thoughts – overall Project Starship X is a decent game that manages to mix bullet hell and rogue-lite elements well, although it does have some flaws to it that can cause a lot of frustration. This release is hard and will punish the player as they try to get used to the game, which can put players off. The cast of characters and bosses that the player will encounter is unique, with the absurd and ridiculous humor adding more entertainment to the game.

I can recommend this title to those who enjoy bullet hell shooters as the game is very challenging, while also providing a good starting point for new players. Panda Indie Studio has outdone themselves with the third entry in their Cthulhu shooter series, the progress unlockables, randomized elements and two player co-op play are great additions to the game creating the best shooter they have made yet.

In the end, I give Project Starship X a final score of 4/5. This game is a ridiculous and fun bullet hell shooter, with self-aware jokes, unlockable elements and a menagerie of absurd bosses that feel like a fever dream on acid. If you want to check this game out for yourself and battle Zombie Hitler(not on the PS4), links to the game will be available below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Link to Xbox One version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Turrican Flashback – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Factor 5 and Ratalaika Games, with publishing handled by ININ Games, Turrican Flashback is a collection of four platform action titles in the legendary franchise. This compilation covers titles released for the Amiga, Mega Drive/Genesis and Super NES with enhancements and features added to create the ultimate classic Turrican experience. Turrican Flashback is available for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, links to both versions of this release will be available 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 Turrican Flashback that was used for this piece. The provision of this title 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. I will be covering this collection in a different format compared to the usual structure of my reviews, with segmented coverage for the gameplay of each title before discussing the other aspects of the bundle.

Gameplay – to start this off, I will be giving a brief background of the Turrican franchise before I delve into the games themselves. Turrican was released in 1990 for the Commodore Amiga during the peak of the systems popularity, leading to the game becoming one of the most successful German exports of its time. The success of Turrican was due to the open ended approach to non-linear level exploration, combined with the tight action platforming gameplay.

The positive critical reception for Turrican led to sequels, ports and a devoted fan base that still go back and play the games to this day. This has led us to the release of Turrican Flashback, a compilation of four games that span three consoles during the series heyday. These games are;

Turrican: released in 1990 for Commodore home computers, the game was so popular that it led to the Turrican being ported to other systems during 1990 and 1991. The plot is simple, armed with an arsenal of high tech weaponry, the bio-engineered warrior Turrican, must travel through the five multi-level worlds in order to eliminate the higher intelligence MORGUL. The Multiple Organism Unit Link is a being of warped intellect and murderous intent, which has warped the native life of Alterra to fit its destructive purposes.

The player is tasked with clearing the large open ended levels, exploring their environment and battling the bio engineered enemies that stalk the lost colony of Alterra. This run and gun title stood out from many other games of its time, featuring non-linear level progression, a focus on exploration and many secrets to be discovered in each stage. Introduced in the first game are many of the mechanics that would be carried over to subsequent releases, including upgradable weaponry, hidden items and a special limited use wheel skill to aid exploration.

The weaponry available to the player is a beam, spread and standard shot that can be upgraded by collecting power-ups dropped by enemies and in hidden blocks. These attacks are consistent and can be changed by picking up different in game items, mixing up the attacks that the player can use. There is a second type of weapon available which are limited in use (but more can be collected), explosives that deal immense damage to enemies. The attacks are the Line, which covers all open spaces, the grenade that causes huge explosive damage and the mine that can be used in a tactical form.  

Each of the stages has an open exploration style to it, with hidden paths and objects scattered throughout, there is even a dedicated laser weapon to aid in finding the many secrets. At some points in the levels, the player can encounter strong enemies which block progression or have treasures behind them, along with boss battles to end each world of the game. This game also features two different gameplay styles, with scrolling shooter sections that turn the game from being a Metroid style platform action game to a linear shooter, changing things up at these points.

Turrican II: in 1991, the first sequel to Turrican was released for the Commodore Amiga. Much like the first game, Turrican II was ported to other platforms and even MS-DOS computers. The year is 3025, peace has been attained in the Cobra 2 galaxy through the power of the United Planets Freedom Forces. The United Planets Ship, the Avalon 1 is travelling through the outer reaches of the known universe when it is suddenly attacked by the Cyborg emperor The Machine. After a long battle, the only one left alive is Bren McGuire, a soldier that dons the suit of the Turrican and embarks on a quest for revenge.

The core gameplay mechanics are the same as its predecessor for the most part, the game is made up of five multi-level worlds that each have their own theme. The exploration, hidden objects and upgradable weaponry returns in this title, with some distinct changes being made to other aspects of the game. First the wheel skill is now freely accessible, rather than being limited use which gives greater flexibility to the ability. The selection of explosive weapons has been altered and a new smart bomb attack has been implemented, filling the screen with attacks and destroying all enemies on screen.

The scrolling shooter sections return in a different format, rather than being only vertical scrolling sections these stages go on both axis directions, giving more depth to these challenging sequences. The large scale bosses also return, with difficult challenges that can take the player out quickly in both platforming and scrolling shooter style battles. These changes that are made to this release give more depth to the overall gameplay that is on offer, along with the other quality of life changes in the sequel that make for a better complete experience over the original.

Mega Turrican: this title was the first Turrican game developed with consoles in mind after the gradual decline of the Amiga. Due to this, the game was moved to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis with development completed in 1993 but publishing delayed until 94. The plot follows Bren McGuire, the hero from Turrican II, who must go into battle again after the unexpected return of The Machine, the villain that he battled before. Following the return of his enemy, Bren must don his Turrican assault suit again and go into battle again.

Due to the change in hardware, the gameplay changes are brief yet noticeable but they do provide a refreshing change of pace compared to the previous titles. First, the sprawling level designs return, featuring many secrets and perilous traps that can lead to certain doom. Each of the five worlds is split into stages that are filled with challenging enemies and obstacles to overcome, each world culminates with a boss battle and some stages have smaller sub boss encounters for player to battle. The weapon upgrades also return, with three types of attack that players can use in game denoted by color.

What is different is the removal of the laser, which has been replaced with a grappling hook that allows the player to swing to areas that appear out of reach. The wheel has been altered to have a proprietary energy meter that depletes as it is used, being locked off when all energy is gone but the player can drop explosives while the skill is active. The last change and the most significant one is the removal of the scrolling shooter sections, which are replaced auto scrolling platform action sequences that mix the gameplay up enough to make it feel like it fits.  

Super Turrican: being originally released in 1993, Super Turrican is the first of two games that were developed for the Super Nintendo in the Turrican franchise. The story focuses on the peaceful world of Katakis, which has been targeted by the mechanical monster The Machine, who has frozen the inhabitants to reconstruct the world in its own twisted vision. A cry for help was sent out and the Avalon-1, piloted by the Freedom Forces warrior picks this up and after hearing a million voices suddenly silenced he sets off to Katakis on a mission to destroy The Machine.

The look on the Super Nintendo is similar to that of Mega Drive/Genesis but closer follows the gameplay style of the Amiga titles, using mechanics that are borrowed from the three previously discussed games. The attack upgrades, wheel and line explosive attacks return in this title, although the laser/grapple have been removed and replaced with a freeze beam attack that stuns enemies for a moment. The game is made up of only four worlds this time, but each world is still made up of several stages with the final level being taken directly from Mega Turrican.

The boss battles are still impressive, with occasional use of sprite transformations that allow enemies to move from the background into the screen. Unfortunately this is the biggest use of the graphical power that the Super Nintendo was capable of. The hidden objects, exploration and secrets are still included which are a welcome inclusion given the more linear approach that the game takes with this release. Super Turrican is a fun and exciting title, but is sadly lacking in the depth of gameplay that the other games in the series have, with little to make it stand out aside from some simple gimmicks.

Now with the gameplay aspect of each game covered briefly, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game. I will also be adding a new section to discuss the features that have been added exclusively to this collection, so let’s get started with that.

Special Features – as a compilation of ported titles, rather than just an emulation of the hardware each game is tied to, there are some special features that this game has added to make the experience fresh for new and old players. New color filters have been added to the Amiga releases to give the player more graphical options, with a rewind feature that allows players to fix mistakes and even save/load states to give more flexibility to the player. These improvements make the individual games more fun and give them additional longevity.

Difficulty – the challenges present in all four Turrican games are tough, with enemies attacking from all sides and deadly traps that can take the player out easily. The use of the rewind feature, save/load states and even cheats can help to reduce the challenge for players who may not be used to the level of difficulty. The Amiga games don’t have a selectable difficulty, but the Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis games do have selectable challenge settings, so players can manually adjust the level of difficulty.

Controls – Turrican on the Amiga would use a keyboard as the system was a home computer at the time, using several different keys for different attacks. The home console games use a mix of button combinations and dedicated inputs to use all skills. In this compilation, the button inputs are spread across the controller, allowing for quick use and even remapping of the controls for all types of players. There are no input issues and the reactions are great, with the controls being comfortable with both pro controllers and the Joy-Cons in all play styles.

Presentation – the visual style of all Turrican titles is vibrant and was cutting edge for the time, with large sprites, colorful backgrounds and crisp pixel art. All of the animations, transitions and effects are outstanding with little lag or slowdown given the graphical limitations of the time for the each systems hardware. There is also a suite of options for players to alter the visual presentation of the game, including screen sizes, graphical filters, pixel filters and even CRT settings that attempt to emulate the look of a monitor from the 90’s.

The sound on average is quite good, using a combination of brooding synth and bright melodies for the Amiga soundtracks that give the worlds a lot of atmosphere, bringing the environments to life. The Mega Drive and Super Nintendo soundtracks are in stark contrast to the Amiga, with both titles having their own strengths and weaknesses. The Super Nintendo has a softer sound to it, giving the bass more chance to stand out but lacking any real punch. On the other side, the Mega Drive has more of a kick to it, which gives the drum beat and melodies a chance to really shine during play.

Final Thoughts – when I first saw that Turrican was having a compilation released, I was excited since the only exposure I had to the games was the unfortunately downgraded ports for the Mega Drive and Game Boy of Turrican II as a movie tie in. The opportunity to play the originals in as close to how they released was a real treat, causing me to lose countless hours in both enjoyment and frustration during my time playing. That complex balance between getting annoyed by a cheap death and the sheer joy of succeeding against a tough boss was all part of the experience.

This is an excellent collection of games, showcasing the quality of a franchise that deserves more than it unfortunately got during its prime. I just hope that more games in the Turrican franchise (including the directors cuts) will get the chance to be released in the future, possibly even new games getting released in the future. With everything I experienced during my time playing, I can happily recommend this game to fans of platform action games and those who want to try something new (and old at the same time).

In the end, I give Turrican Flashback a final score of 5/5. The games in the bundle are a lot of fun, causing me to lose many, many hours trying to clear each game for this review. The presentation and quality of life improvements are a great thing as it gives the games a chance to be appreciated by a new audience. If you want to check the collection out for yourself, you will find links to each version below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Root Double – Physical Release Announcement

Hello again, I have more news from our friends at PR Hound, Strictly Limited Games, ININ Games and Sekai Project announcing the physical release of one of their recent titles. Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition, the acclaimed mystery visual novel is getting a physical release for the Nintendo Switch.

last year, I covered the digital release of Root Double which you can read (HERE). The game has received positive praise and is now coming to us on the Nintendo Switch from the official ININ Games website which you can find (HERE).

There is a Standard edition that is the game by Itself, alongside two special collectors edition available from Strictly Limited Games, below you will see the standard Limited set and the Dakimakura limited edition.

LEFT STANDARD LIMITED EDITION – RIGHT DAKIMAKURA LIMITED EDITION

For those who need a little refresher or this is the first time you have seen Root Double, here are some details about the game.

Summary

Developed by Regista and directed by Ever17 Creator Takumi Nakazawa, Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition follows the events of a nuclear meltdown at a research facility from two different points of view.

Leaving an unknown amount of survivors inside and a reactor at the verge of exploding, the rescue team is sent in to figure out the situation and save the ones left inside. Unfortunately the leader of the rescue team is suffering from amnesia, which makes the situation even more complicated. The player will uncover the events that have led to this disaster. Combining the stories of the different characters and experiencing every twist and turn is the only way to uncover the truth of what happened that fateful day

What separates Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition from contemporary games is its unique and highly involved Senses Sympathy System, in which the player must follow their senses and gut feeling and prioritize which character they want to focus on and follow, drastically changing the scenario and the outcome at every step. One wrong move can lead to their demise, and the many endings of the game are certainly not happy ever after…

Features

  • Beautiful artwork reworked in full HD.
  • Directed by Ever17 Creator Takumi Nakazawa.
  • Hours and hours of story that dynamically changes based on your choices.
  • Unique gameplay (Senses Sympathy System) sets it apart from conventional visual novels.
  • Mature serious storyline.
  • Fully voiced in Japanese by famous voice actors.
  • High replayability requires replaying to see all possible story outcomes.
  • Two storyline branches – one before the crime and one after the crime.

For those who prefer to digital software, you can find the Nintendo Switch version of the game available for immediate purchase (HERE).

Colorful Colore – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Gagonfe, Delta and Rhowsl, with porting to the Nintendo Switch handled by Drageus Games. Colorful Colore is a simple yet challenging puzzle title, where the objective of each level is to navigate a color coded maze and reach the goal, with puzzles getting increasingly tricky as the game progresses. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch and Steam service, if you want to check it out for yourself, links to each version of the game will be available at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Twitter user @markjpwns for providing the copy of Colorful Colore used for this review. The provision of this title 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. Since there is no story for this game, I will be moving directly onto the gameplay section of the review.

Gameplay – Colorful Colore is a color based puzzle title, where the objective of each stage is to reach the goal by moving your block while avoiding areas that don’t match the color of your block. There is a total of 50 stages to take on, with the challenge of the stages increasing as the game progresses. The stages start of simple, teaching the player how the game functions with the color changing mechanics, introducing more complex puzzle set ups as stages are cleared.

The player can move their block in straight lines in one of four directions, stopping only when connecting with another wall. If the player connects with a wall of the same color, the player can move to another space, but if the block connects with a wall that doesn’t match then the player is reset to the starting point. Alongside the simple four direction movement is a color change system that allows the player to switch colors between Pink, Yellow and Green, adding more depth to the puzzle gameplay.

There is a lack of threats to the player in stages, allowing a relaxed pace to be taken during play. This laidback approach gives players the option to learn the solution to each stage and the more challenging mechanics, without the risk of running out of time or getting a game over. While the game may feel short at only 50 stages, this is perfect for those who enjoy speedrunning or just sitting back with a casual puzzle experience for a few minutes at a time.

The overall gameplay experience is fun and enjoyable, offering a challenge that everyone can sit down and enjoy at a very good price point. The only issue that I do have is that the sprites may be a little small for some players when playing in handheld mode, especially with the slightly smaller screen that is found on the Nintendo Switch Lite model. However, this is only a small issue and doesn’t impact the overall quality and performance of the game.

Now with the gameplay covered to a degree that I am happy with, I will be moving onto the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – the control method for Colorful Colore is very simple, using only the D-Pad/left thumbstick to move the block around each maze. During gameplay there is no difficulty with inputs when playing in all system modes, but there is a small issue that can occur if care isn’t taken during the more complex stages. It is possible to miss inputs if you rush when trying to navigate the tougher puzzles in the game, leading to mistakes and potential frustration by losing progress in a hard stage.

Presentation – the visual style for this release has a cutesy charm to it, with the use of neon colors for the maze stages and the player block. These bold colors contrast well with the darker background that is constantly scrolling across the screen, giving the game a calming atmosphere. The soundtrack for Colorful Colore consists of a single music track that is persistent throughout, using a soft and happy chiptune style melody, tying the whole experience together into a delightful and relaxing package.

Final Thoughts – during my time with Colorful Colore, I really enjoyed the color based puzzle mechanics that are employed by this release which felt both fresh and unique during play. This game consists of 50 stages, which is a little short as it can be completed in about a day of consistent play. However, for the very low price that is being asked for this game, I can absolutely recommend purchasing this game to keep yourself engaged during the long winter nights.

In the end, I give Colorful Colore a final score of 4.5/5. This game is a simple yet charming color coded puzzler that is both fun and challenging, with enough depth to the mechanics and gameplay to keep you engaged during play. If you want to check the game out for yourself, links to the game will be available below. (Please Note: Colorful Colore is on sale at the time of publishing)

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)