Mike

About Mike

Mike gets all the racing games because he understands that stuff even though he doesn't drive.
I feel like I missed all those 3D platformers back in the 90’s. At that time, I had a PC and most of them lived in Nintendo town. Approaching them as an adult makes me wonder if I’ve missed the boat. Ruffy and the Riverside, from Zockrates Laboratories is a […]

Ruffy and the Riverside – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 3d platformer / collectibles / colours / letters / mischievous rubik's cube / number puzzles / ruffy and the riverside / swapping / zockrates laboratories by
I’m going to assume in the bowels of the Steam store there are simulators for everything. Not all of them find their way to console and I was surprised to see Drug Dealer Simulator make its way to Playstation 5 years after its initial release. Despite the age and the […]

Drug Dealer Simulator – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged byterunners / clarky cat / cocaine / dead drops / drug dealer simulator / e's and whizz / ecstasy / heroin / ilicit substances / stop and search / the nightmare of cake by
It’s not often an indie series undergoes a change of a developer. The original Wizard of Legend gained a passionate following, partly due to the immense variety that was on offer. For the sequel, Dead Mage have taken the reins. The variety has taken a hit with the new visual […]

Wizard of Legend 2 – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged arcanas / dead mage / earth / elemental magic / fire / ice / magic / overhead isometric perspective / roguelite / run-based / skeletons / wind / wizard of legend by
It’s always dangerous for developers to take direct inspiration from something so distinctive. Star Overdrive is an open-world adventure from Caracal games. With a bright an airy location, it looks to evoke The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild quite directly but it falls short with on-foot traversal and […]

Star Overdrive – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged action adventure / caracal games / crafting / hoverboarding / keytar / melee combat / open world / platforming / star overdrive / trick system by
I’ve been on a couple of aircraft carriers in my time. They’re surprisingly intricate spaces with lots of metal corridors, ladders and lifts to bring you up from the lower decks. I’ve never concerned myself with how one is run, though. Every Single Soldier have been prolific with their military […]

Carrier Deck – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged aircraft / carrier deck / every single soldier / F18 / fighter jets / helicopters / management / military simulation / submarines / warfare by
I suspect there will be a point where Microsoft games coming to us will no longer feel novel. They’ve had a busy few months with a slew of exclusive games now making their way to the blue brand. Later this summer sees Gears of War: Reloaded finally landing on a […]

Gears of War: Reloaded PS5 Multiplayer Preview

 in Preview / PS5  tagged cover shooter / gears of war reloaded / king of the hill / microsoft / mutliplayer / point control / team deathmatch / the coalition / third-person shooter by
I’m sure we all remember stories of fairy tales from our childhood. Or local folklore. Whilst some of them become referential in games, I don’t think it’s that common for them to become a focus of an entire interactive experience. Vasilisa and Baba Yaga comes Russian developer Baba Yaga Games. […]

Vasilisa and Baba Yaga – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged baba yaga games / bedtime story / demons / Fairy tale / horror-ish / housework / melee combat / narrively driven / russian folklore / vasilisa and baba yaga by
The original Submersed left a sour taste in my mouth. As one of those ultra-cheap survival horror efforts, it felt basic and rigid in its execution. Main Loop have returned with Submersed 2: The Hive as a more comprehensive attempt that does improve on the first game’s offerings. It is […]

Submersed 2: The Hive – Playstation 5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged attwater / distraction / main loop / parasites / puzzle solving / sharks / stealth / submersed 2 the hive / survival horror / underwater terror by
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo comes from Brazilians Pocket Trap. It’s a search action game that delivers a lot of charm whilst trying to make combat and traversal very active. The genre’s well-trodden ground but this twist does push my buttons, despite the rising challenge delivering some tricky moments. The […]

Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2d / BATS / brazil / corporate interests / family business / pipistrello and the cursed yoyo / platforming / pocket trap / search action game / sweet yoyo tricks / traversal by
Another day, another roguelite. This time it’s Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade from 7Quark. Mixing Japanese history with demonic folklore is not a new thing but the repeatable structure and short runs do make for something potentially interesting. Unfortunately, it’s a game that devolves into repetition a little too […]

Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 7quark / edo / japan / melee combat / nine-tailed fox / oniguri / parries / ranged combat / repetition / ripostes / roguelite / run-based / yasha legends of the demon blade by
At first glance, Blades of Fire offers an interesting twist on souls-like combat with an emphasis on creating your own weaponry. There’s been a lot of thought put into a blacksmith playing the part. Mechanically, it feels largely sound but Mercurysteam’s return to the genre does not click with me […]

Blades of Fire – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged blacksmithing / blades of fire / boy / companions / evil queen / Fantasy / kid / lad / melee combat / mercurysteam / parries / soulslike by
After DOOM Eternal, I wasn’t really sure where id software’s storied franchise would go. I did not expect it to go back in time. In many ways, it’s a mild regression from DOOM Eternal‘s frantic hard counters and verticality. With an emphasis of standing your ground, DOOM: The Dark Ages […]

DOOM: The Dark Ages – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged #ultraviolence / demons / doom the dark ages / first-person shooter / flail / hell / id software / knights / Medieval / Metal / metal up your ass / secrets / sentinels / shield by