Mike

About Mike

Mike gets all the racing games because he understands that stuff even though he doesn't drive.

Gravity’s a sure-fire fact of life but, in terms of games, mechanics around the force seem to becoming more commonplace. It’s a relatively quick way to reconsider how a level and encounters are designed but not everybody seems to get it right. The latest to attempt it is Brazil’s Studica […]

Gravity Heroes – PS4 Review

May 2, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / brazil / bullet-hell / gravity heroes / local co-op / robots / shooter / studica solution by Mike

It seems like anything will find its way into the Playstation store. I’m not complaining but I did not expect to review a re-release of a game that first saw daylight in 2012 on mobile platforms. Ravensword: Shadowlands is now on consoles and it seems Crescent Moon Games have opted […]

Ravensword: Shadowlands – PS4 Review

April 18, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged crescent moon games / dark elves / giants / mages / ravensword shadowlands / role-playing game / shield / sword / trolls by Mike

I’m back once again playing visual novel roulette and the latest bullet for me is C14 Dating by Winter Wolves. My previous knowledge of the dating simulator genre is fleeting but the slimmed down stat tracking and emphasis on friendship does make this more palatable to me. Set amid the […]

C-14 Dating – PS4 Review

April 11, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged archaeology / belgium / c14 dating / dating simulator / geology / narratively-driven / picross / puzzles / visual novel / winter wolves by Mike

We’ve probably all, at one point in our lives, dragged matchbox cars across the bedroom floor or the kitchen worktops. Letting our imagination place impossible jumps, hazards and courses that weave around tables and chairs. Games are no stranger to the concept but it’s been a while since a toy […]

Tinker Racers – PS4 Review

April 8, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged bedroom / elimination / kitchen / micro machines / office / qubyte / racing / remote controller cars / rumbora party games / time trial / tinker racers / toys by Mike

Traditional adventure games have never quite settled for me. There’s quite a few that pay homage to the Lucas Arts template in terms of puzzles and humour which I find slightly off-putting. Cloak and Dagger Games’ Sumatra: Fate of Yandi firmly sits in an old school camp with some low-resolution […]

Sumatra: Fate of Yandi – PS4 Review

March 29, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged adventure / cloak and dagger games / indonesia / jungle / logging / point and click / puzzles / sumatra fate of yandi / tiger by Mike

There always seems to be a vocal audience clamouring for retro platformers. Whether it’s a ‘make Sonic great again’ sentiment or people desperate for another Donkey Kong Country, the voices have always been there. Indie studios are all too keenly aware and the latest to try and bring some 90’s […]

Kaze and the Wild Masks – PS4 Review

March 23, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d platforming / carrots / collectibles / kaze and the wild masks / pixelhive studios / rabbits / soedesco / speedrunning / vegetables by Mike

As my last review involved dreaming, I might as well keep this existential train rolling. Coming from FFT Games, Into A Dream is a narratively-driven puzzle-platformer about a man’s depression. With some obvious cues from games like Limbo, this game manages to keep the gameplay fairly light whilst delivering some […]

Into a Dream – PS4 Review

March 16, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged depression / fft games / into a dream / narratively-driven / platforming / puzzles by Mike

The indies appear to have gone into overdrive this year and I certainly feel relieved when a smaller game comes to my attention. Dreaming Sarah is one such game that feels almost like a short experience rather than a traditional game. A puzzle-platformer from Asteristic Game Studios, this fairly slim […]

Dreaming Sarah – PS4 Review

March 13, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / anthony septim / asteristic game studio / dreaming sarah / metroidvania / surreal by Mike

Every now and then you come across a game where mechanically, there’s something on offer that feels different and fresh. Spooky Chase by QUByte Interactive and Burning Goat Studio, is one of those instances. From a combination of small Brazilian studios, this platformer looks to a neat idea and hangs […]

Spooky Chase – PS4 Review

March 7, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / burning goat studios / candy / capture the flag / ghosts / halloween / qubyte interactive / spooky chase by Mike

Whilst I do take my motorsport very seriously, I can’t help but admire the spectacle of monster trucks. These behemoths live for big jumps and destruction and Rainbow Studios have arrived to bring for a new edition of the Monster Jam series. Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 looks to build […]

Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 – PS4 Review

March 4, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged destruction / freestyle tricks / monster jam steel titans 2 / monster trucks / motorsport / open world / racing / rainbow studios by Mike

Can I level with you guys? I don’t think I like the way visual novels play out. I don’t like the stereotypes they conform to, the fact they seem so reluctant to play a straight story. How to Take Off Your Mask Remastered is another one of those. Developed by […]

How to Take Off Your Mask Remastered – PS4 Review

February 20, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged anime / cat girls / creepy japanese / how to take off your mask remastered / narratively-driven / ratalaika / romance / roseverta / visual novel by Mike

It’s another day in the visual novel dungeon and this time Vera Blanc: Ghost in the Castle is my quarry. Ian reviewed Winter Wolves’ last effort Full Moon back in November, to be honest, not much has changed. Our titular heroine is back in the mood for some paranormal investigating. […]

Vera Blanc: Ghost in the Castle – PS4 Review

February 3, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged hangman / narratively-driven / paranormal detective / ratalaika / spot the difference / vera blanc ghost of the castle / visual novel / winter wolves by Mike