Mike

About Mike

Mike gets all the racing games because he understands that stuff even though he doesn't drive.
I can see the appeal of truck sims. There’s a meditative quality to long drives through a gorgeous landscape, all while keeping an eye on your precious cargo. Truck Driver: The Dutch Connection attempts to coalesce the mercenary jobs into a cohesive narrative. That largely succeeds but the act of […]

Truck Driver: The Dutch Connection – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged delivery / dutch / kyodai / precious cargo / schipol / simulator / soedesco pilsen / trailer / trucking / tulips / windmills by
Of all the things I expected to review this year, an interactive musical was not on my bingo card. Coming from small Dutch studio, Bonte Avond this charming tale arrives on console almost two years after the PC release.  Once Upon a Jester might not resonate with everyone, but I […]

Once Upon a Jester – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged bonte avonde / diamond heist / dutch / friendship / improv / musical / once upon a jester / quick time events / songs / story-driven / Theatre by
Sometimes a small package can hold some interesting ideas. Twins of the Sun attempts to pack environmental variety in their simple brawler. Commando Panda have at least tried to keep a short adventure relatively fresh but I find the basic combat a little too loose and not especially satisfying. The […]

Twins of the Sun – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged commando panda / jungle / local co-op / mines / twin-stick brawler / twins of the sun / village / wave-based survival by
Another day, another nautical game to sail the seas on. Republic of Pirates aims to give your strategic and city-building sea legs a stretch. Crazy Goat Games have done a serviceable job but it doesn’t quite reach great depths. There’s a degree of polish and some lovely touches that give […]

Republic of Pirates – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged boat combat / city builder / crazy goat games / diplomacy / plunder / republic of pirates / revenge / strategy / trade by
There’s been a few indie efforts playing off nostalgia for the old survival horror format. Fixed camera angles, puzzle solving and limited resources used to be the norm. I get why people clamour for it but the end results aren’t always desirable. The Order of the Snake Scale certainly falls […]

The Order of the Snake Scale – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged adventure / corporate interests / crime solving / cult / eldritch horror / fm simple games studio / moving boxes / murder / puzzles / survival horror / the order of the snake scale by
Byte Barrel have returned with a sequel to their retro FPS Forgive Me Father. Whilst there are a few tweaks around character progression, the formula remains largely the same with a smart, atmospheric look. Whilst the story is told by some unconvincing voice acting, the combat has a decent tempo […]

Forgive Me Father 2 – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged byte barrel / clocks / comic book aesthetic / darkness / forgive me father 2 / horror / lovecraftian / new game plus / retro first-person shooter by
I’ve visited a couple of submarines as a tourist and I’m always struck by their economy of space. Quarters are packed tight and only a cigar-shaped, torpedo-armed hull is protection against atmospheres of pressure. It’s a wild thing to think about but now UBOAT attempts to replicate it with this […]

UBOAT – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged das boot / deep water studios / germans / nazis / ship management / submarine / subterfuge / tactical / uboat / war simulator / world war 2 / ww2 by
There’s a danger with job simulators where they could venture too close into feeling like work. Some manage to avoid it with simplified mechanics, an interesting toolset or bizarre narratives. Ship Graveyard Simulator 2 is certainly playing it straight. Whilst that does lead to a methodical time, the dismantling of […]

Ship Graveyard Simulator 2 – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged games incubator / hammer / handsaw / hypnotic ants / job / Metal / power tools / recycling / salvage / scrap / ship graveyard simulator 2 / shipwrecks by
Back when browser games were king, QWOP tested your ability to operate a runner by triggering the muscles of their legs. It was hell and, unfortunately, someone gave Bennet Foddy, Gabe Cuzzillo and Maxi Boch more money to realise this horrifying ambition on a larger scale. Baby Steps is slightly […]

Baby Steps – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged baby steps / bennett foddy / comedy / donkeys / failure / gabe cuzzillo / hiking / maxi boch / open world / physics-based / walking simulator / wilderness by
It’s safe to say retro shooters aren’t quite done yet. Whilst these games are traditionally fast-paced, Extinction Rifts attempts to take it further. Coming from QuByte with a budget price tag, this short experience doesn’t quite live up to the promise. Despite a short list of levels, the pull of […]

Extinction Rifts – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged combos / extinction rifts / first-person shooter / monoliths / nihilists / qubyte interactive / ranking system / superpowered gauntlet by
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Atari have been doing a lot with their old properties. We’ve seen Yars Rising transplant the gameplay of Yars Revenge into a search action game and now it’s Adventure’s time to get a modernised effort. Adventure of Samsara bears very little resemblance to the 1980 classic. Ilex Games have been […]

Adventure of Samsara – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2d / adventure of samsara / atari / exploration / ilex games / magic / melee combat / metroidvania / parries / Pixel art / platforming / search action game by
Whilst art and craft aesthetics are not new, I still get a kick out of seeing them. Hirogami is the latest to give them a shot. A joint effort from Bandai Namco’s Singapore and Malaysia studios, it has an enchanting look and charming presentation. Whilst it’s not short on ideas, […]

Hirogami – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 3d platforming / animals / arts / bandai namco singapore studio / craft / folding / hirogami / malaysia / origami / paper / transformations by