exploration

It’s not very often you see downloadable content coming so long after a game’s release. Elden Ring was critically acclaimed in 2022 and From Software has a fairly solid history of worthy expansions. With a relatively hefty price tag, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has, at the very least, […]

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – PS5 Review

June 30, 2024 in PS5 / Reviews tagged challenging / dark fantasy / deliberate combat / elden ring shadow of the erdtree / exploration / from software / george r r martin / open world / Souls by Mike

The second of the Morbid series, Morbid: The Lords of Ire opts to delve into a more specific arena. Still Running have decided to give a souls-like a go and, for the most part, it does a competent job. It lacks some polish but there’s a couple of interesting ideas […]

Morbid: The Lords of Ire – PS5 Review

May 28, 2024 in PS5 / Reviews tagged action rpg / challenge / dark fantasy / exploration / morbid the lords of ire / Souls / still running / the striver by Mike

I was the right age to get into it but the Tomb Raider series managed to always escape my grasp. By the time I was a PC gamer, I was into shooters. I got a PlayStation for anything but platformers. The franchise itself has seen plenty of highs and lows […]

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered – PS5 Review

February 15, 2024 in PS5 / Reviews tagged 3d platformer / 90s / aspyr / core design / crystal dynamics / dual pistols / exploration / lara croft / tomb raider i ii iii remastered by Mike

One look at Strayed Lights had me interested. With a fairly minimal approach to storytelling and a parry-based combat system, I was anticipating something unique. Whilst it does try to plough it’s own furrow, Embers’ effort has me a little underwhelmed. Visually appealing, the sparse narrative and forgiving fights have […]

Strayed Lights – PS5 Review

May 9, 2023 in PS5 / Reviews tagged coming of age / embers / exploration / minimalist storytelling / parry / platforming / rite of passage / strayed lights by Mike

I’ve often wondered how to view games that don’t carry a lot of challenge. I can feel like a passenger throughout but some of my most memorable experiences have also felt very trivial to complete. It’s a quandary I’ve had to keep in mind whilst playing Wavetale, an adventure platformer […]

Wavetale – PS5 Review

December 27, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged adventure / apocalypse / exploration / narratively-driven / platforming / thunderful / waterworld / wavetale by Mike

I do love a good souls-like but there is a sense that taking them into the second dimension can limit combat and exploration. There’s no shortage of triers and Third Sphere Game Studios are the latest to give the stripped down experience a shot. Released on steam in January, a […]

Watcher Chronicles – PS5 Review

October 16, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged 2d platforming / catacombs / crypts / exploration / magic / melee combat / ranged attacks / soulslike / third sphere game studios / watcher chronicles by Mike

Alwa’s Legacy comes from Elden Pixels after a successful kickstarter and a 2020 PC release. It was well received for its focus on exploration and interesting tweaks on player traversal. Metroidvania’s might be commonplace on game stores but it’s been a while since one strayed across my path. Thankfully, this […]

Alwa’s Legacy – PS4 Review

December 25, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / adventure / alwa's legacy / amnesia / catacombs / elden pixels / exploration / magic / metroidvania / retro aesthetic by Mike

Another day, another indie title. This one comes from Ninja Rabbit studios. Micetopia is a fairly simple tale of a mouse called Rich. He’s one of the few villagers left after monsters have taken some of the other residents hostage. With a sword in hand, our little hero has two […]

Micetopia – PS4 Review

December 8, 2020 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d platforming / exploration / hack and slash / metroidvania / mice / micetopia / ninja rabbit studios 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

I’ve yet to reach souls saturation. There’s something oddly compelling in the way those games go about their business and, even the imitators that I expose myself to manage to do something right. Death’s Gambit is another one of those. Taking the themes of life and death, White Rabbit still […]

Death’s Gambit – PS4 Review

August 21, 2018 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d combat / 2d platforming / death's gambit / exploration / metroidvania / soulslike / white rabbit by Mike

Small teams with big ambitions is a scenario that can play out any number of ways. Knuist & Perzik are primarily a Dutch duo who originally brought Wuppo to Steam last year, to critical success. Just over a year later, a version arrives for console owners to enjoy. As someone […]

Wuppo – PS4 Review

November 8, 2017 in PS4 / Reviews tagged combat / exploration / Knuist & Perzik / platforming / puzzles / shooting / wuppo by Mike

Coming from a small outfit called Lost in the Garden, Lightfield is a futuristic racer looking to take nods towards it’s contemporaries whilst providing it’s own take on movement and navigation. Is the aesthetic charm worth the effort? The visual treatment on offer is a nice, clean and futuristic look which […]

Lightfield – PS4 Review

October 1, 2017 in PS4 / Reviews tagged exploration / futuristic / lightfield / lost in the garden / racer / time trials by Mike