Mike

About Mike

Mike gets all the racing games because he understands that stuff even though he doesn't drive.
There aren’t that many boss rush games out on the market. NanoApostle comes from 18 Light Game and offers a sci-fi setting with a half-dozen bosses to slay. With responsive controls and a very interesting skill tree, this short but tricky experience manages to deliver a kinetic and deep gameplay […]

NanoApostle – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 18 Light Game / 2d / anime / boss rush / melee combat / nanoapostle / nanomachines / overhead perspective / Pixel art / sci fi by
Survivor clones have really got their hooks into me. There’s a couple of notable big shots in the genre but I’m aware there’s more filling the space. Step forth Vinebound: Tangled Together from Riftpoint Entertainment. It aims to deliver a co-op twist to the glorified slot machine. It presents its […]

Vinebound: Tangled Together – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged bullet heaven / Fruit / gardens / local co-op / riftpoint entertainment / roguelite / sauces / survivors clone / twin-stick shooter / vegetables / vinebound tangled together by
Remakes and remasters give me the opportunity to plug any gaps in my gaming knowledge, particularly when it comes to the PC. Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy originally saw daylight in 1999. Based on a 1986 comic by Benoit Sokal, it saw some critical success, although had the usual limitations of […]

Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged amerzone the explorer's legacy / benoit sakal / exploration / microids / point and click adventure / puzzle solving / south america / unity by
Fighting games are a tricky thing to get right. In many ways, the audience is well-served by the big guns. Indie efforts are there but, without the backing behind them, they can flounder a little. Pocket Bravery by Statera Studio is a retro-inspired fighting game that has been around for […]

Pocket Bravery – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged arcade / brazilian / combos / fighting game / local multiplayer / online multiplayer / pocket bravery / statera studios / story mode / survival by
What a weird thing Sorry We’re Closed is. Coming from al a mode games, this homage to survival horror coats it in a vibrant palette with a story heavily focused around love. It almost teeters into chaos but there’s enough craft on display to result in something unique. It’s stylish, […]

Sorry We’re Closed – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged al a mode games / androgyny / dutch angles / fetish / fixed perspective / killer7 / lgbt / loud aesthetic / love / romance / sorry we're closed / valve puzzles by
Recall: Empty Wishes is a narrative horror title from Puff Hook Studio. This is their first fully-fledged effort and, whilst it hasn’t quite resonated with me, there is an interesting story here and attempt to tell that story in an absorbing way. Unfortunately, it’s a very linear experience with simplistic […]

Recall: Empty Wishes – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2d perspective / grief / horror / psychological thriller / puff hook studio / recall empty wishes / schoolgirl / sealth / taiwan / trauma by
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity is another visual novel from KID that’s been given the remake treatment. Originally a 2002 release, this new version adds a lot of new art and an official English translation. Under the hood, it’s essentially the same game but the story and setting seems […]

Ever 17: The Out of Infinity – PS4 Review

 in PS4 / Reviews  tagged artificial intelligence / choose your own adventure / disaster / escape / ever 17 the out of infinity / fish facts / kid / sci fi / underwater park / visual novel by
Alright, back to the visual novel gulag. I’ve avoided them for a while but this one at least feels historic, in a sense. Never 7: The End of Infinity originally released in 2000 in Japan and was previously only available to Westerners via a fan translation. Now KID’s effort has […]

Never 7: The End of Infinity – PS4 Review

 in PS4 / Reviews  tagged choose your own adventure / kid / never 7 the end of infinity / romance / sci fi / stranded teenagers / time loop / visual novel by
It’s something of a shame that there’s some wonderful throwback first-person-shooters that don’t quite escape the PC’s gravitational pull. Even when some do make it across, I often wonder about the quality of the ports and controllers just don’t have the precision of a mouse. With that in mind, I […]

Turbo Overkill – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged apogee / boomer shooter / cyberpunk / fps / gore / platforming / trigger happy interactive / turbo overkill by
Have rhythm games left the stage or have they just transitioned into first-person shooters? I’ve seen a few now where shooting on the beat has been their gimmick but Robobeat is the first one I’ve had to a review. Coming from the mind of Simon Fredholm, this effort takes a […]

Robobeat – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged bounty hunting / first-person shooter / gun-fu / guns / parkour / parrying / rhythmic shooter / robobeat / roguelite / simon fredholm / technopunk by