crafting

Alright, I can finally cross off 4X strategy games off my gaming blind-spot. I can’t say I’ve actively avoided them but I do prefer strategy to be more real time and, preferably involve some kind of power fantasy. Spellforce: Conquest of Eo certainly provides the fantasy part. Taking place across […]

Spellforce: Conquest of Eo – PS5 Review

November 13, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged combat / crafting / Expand / exploit / explore / exterminate / Fantasy / owned by gravity / resource management / spellfoce conquest of eo / turn based strategy by Mike

I do enjoy some side-scrolling platforming and a dystopian future of science gone amok is fantastic trope to mine. Combining the two is Titanium Hound from Red Spot Sylphina. With a visual style very much within the 16-bit era, this indie effort starts to stumble with controls and pacing. There […]

Titanium Hound – PS4 Review

March 21, 2023 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d sidescroller / cops / crafting / dystopia / future bacteria / mech plot / platforming / red spot sylphina / shooter / titanium hound by Mike

One of the good things about this job is the chance to refresh one’s memory. I recall being pretty sweet on Darkwood‘s original release from Acid Wizard. The atmospheric horror managed to deliver a lot with a grimy aesthetic and a survivalist approach. With the Playstation 5, very little has […]

Darkwood – PS5 Review

February 7, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged acid wizard / crafting / darkwood / escape / forest / mystery / survival horror by Mike

Sometimes, it’s worth not judging a game by screenshots. My first glimpse of The Serpent Rogue had me making assumptions about what kind of game it was going to be. As it turns out, this effort about crafting and discovery turned out a lot more mellow than I was expecting. […]

The Serpent Rogue – PS5 Review

May 10, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged adventure / alchemy / crafting / hunger / potions / quests / sengi games / smelting / the serpent rogue by Mike

We’ve been championing 10TonsLtd for a long time now. The Finnish developer/publisher has put out some of our favourite rogue-lites, namely Jydge, Tesla vs. Lovecraft and Neonchrome. And now it’s time for Dysmantle, a game that eschews the whole rogue thing and is instead described, somewhat incorrectly, as an open-world RPG. Quick how […]

Dysmantle – PS5 Review

January 24, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged 10tonsltd / crafting / dysmantle / survival horror / zombies by Richie

It’s funny how games centred around a day job land when I’ve got time off work. Unlike the daily tedium of an office job, Merek’s Market covers a grass roots sole proprietorship in a lot less time and feels a lot more fun. Crafting your way through dozens of time-restricted […]

Merek’s Market – PS4 Review

October 13, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged against the clock / bartering / big village games / crafting / merek's market / shopkeeping by Mike

Survival games have never really clicked with me. The idea of planning a run out is appealing but I’ve never enjoyed the meter management that comes with it. On top of that, some feel perpetually in a state of early access and I’m never sure when a survival game is […]

Conan Exiles: Isle of Siptah – PS4 Review

July 9, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged barbarians / bases / bosses / combat / conan exiles / crafting / funcom / isle of siptah / loot / settlements / survival / trading / vaults by Mike

The Way of the Samarai series is not one I’ve ventured into. The Acquire developed action titles just haven’t crossed my path but Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story is a diversion from the usual path. An isometric dungeon crawler, this effort looks to satisfy some loot lust […]

Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story – PS4 ...

February 27, 2020 in PS4 / Reviews tagged acquire / crafting / debt collecting / dungeon crawler / hack and slash / katana kami a way of the samurai story / roguelike by Mike

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. A critically acclaimed indie horror title is now out of early access and has ventured on to current consoles. Darkwood comes from the magnificently named Acid Wizard. Hailing from Poland, they’re hoping the momentum can continue with this grim, unsettling nightmare. Darkwood‘s tale […]

Darkwood – PS4 Review

May 22, 2019 in PS4 / Reviews tagged acid wizard / crafting / darkness / darkwood / melee combat / poland / survival horror by Mike

It’s not very often I venture into survival games. The genre’s reliance on management and time constraints tends to put me in a difficult position, as someone who likes to take their time. Whilst elements do find their way into other games, I never quite gel with the complete experience. […]

Fade to Silence – PS4 Review

May 5, 2019 in PS4 / Reviews tagged base management / black forest games / crafting / fade to silence / melee combat / survival / third person action by Mike

From Solar Sail Games comes Smoke and Sacrifice to PS4. Classed as a survival RPG by the developer, what you’re actually getting is a game that revolves around crafting and where every item has a limited life span or durability. You play as Sachi, a mother whose first born has […]

Smoke and Sacrifice – PS4 Review

January 22, 2019 in PS4 tagged 2d / crafting / durability / exploration / smoke and sacrifice by Gareth

After a long period of development and a prolonged spell in early access, The Long Dark finally sees the light of day. Boasting a realistic and tough survival experience, Canadian developers Hinterland have brought their bitter winter wilderness to current consoles. Has the wait been worth it or has time […]

The Long Dark – PS4 Review

August 12, 2017 in PS4 / Reviews tagged canada / crafting / hinterland / narrative driven / survival simulator / the long dark by Mike