puzzles

There’s been a few indie efforts playing off nostalgia for the old survival horror format. Fixed camera angles, puzzle solving and limited resources used to be the norm. I get why people clamour for it but the end results aren’t always desirable. The Order of the Snake Scale certainly falls […]

The Order of the Snake Scale – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged adventure / corporate interests / crime solving / cult / eldritch horror / fm simple games studio / moving boxes / murder / puzzles / survival horror / the order of the snake scale by
Hell is Us feels like a deceptive game. The trailers big up the lack of hand holding and the soulsian combat but neither truly reach their apex. Rogue Factor do make up most of the distance with an approach that makes exploration worthwhile. The central backdrop offers a potentially interesting […]

Hell is Us – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged adventure / cataclysm / dodgy science / family reunion / hell is us / puzzles / rogue factor / sectarianism / souls-ish combat / war by
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In this climate of almost everything getting remastered, I was not expecting the Playstation 5 release of Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition to do a whole lot for me. I’d played the first game in the series and, whilst it did well to execute on some pretty obvious inspirations, I ran […]

Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged darksiders ii deathinitive edition / death / horsemen of the apocalypse / not portal / not zelda / platforming / puzzles / third person melee combat / vigil games by
I do love being impressed. In this job, almost everything is new to me but I never get tired of seeing new ideas work brilliantly. Coming from a single developer, Sam Enright has managed to pull together a visually impressive and cohesive universe whilst also providing a smart role-playing experience. […]

Beyond Galaxyland – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2.5d / adventure / aliens / beyond galaxyland / photography / platforming / puzzles / sam enright / sci fi / space / turn-based rpg by
I love the original System Shock. Coming in 1994, the expectations and boundaries of a first-person perspective hadn’t really been hammered home. As such, there was a lot of experimentation in how to control and interact within a cyberpunk setting which led to some interesting results. I finished it within […]

System Shock – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged cyberpunk / first person / hacker / immersive sim / nightdive / puzzles / shodan / shooting / space station / system shock by
It’s funny how games centred around menial vocations can prove such a hit. Overcooked has spawned plenty of imitators in a genre that is all about too much to do. Ready, Steady, Ship! is the latest of these to come to console. Jollybit Games have taken the simple, repetitive art […]

Ready, Steady, Ship! – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged boxes / job simulator / jollybit games / local co-op / logistics / puzzles / ready steady ship! / shipping / single-player / space / warehouse by
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Are time loops still in vogue? Woodhill Interactive seems to think so. Orten Was the Case is an adventure game with free movement that looks to capitalise on a repeatable time-frame and a small but interesting location. Whilst repetition isn’t always the best for games, the balance seems to be […]

Orten Was the Case – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged Adventure game / espionage / free movement / orten was the case / puzzles / Scandinavia / supernatural / time loop / woodhill interactive by
Cats and nosey sods, let’s be honest. I’ve had plenty through my life and their need for attention gets them in situations they really shouldn’t be in. Cats and the Other Lives is a narrative-driven puzzle game from Cultic Games which looks to replicate the feline experience. I’ll be honest, […]

Cats and the Other Lives – PS4 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged cats and the other lives / chase sequences / cultic games / dysfunctional family / eavesdropping / mouse catching / nattatively-driven / nosey feline / Pixel art / puzzles / stealth by
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What originally started out as a student project, Ad Infinitum is a first-person horror experience set in World War I. In almost a decade of development, the final product has, at long last, come to fruition. Whilst Hekate’s efforts are admirable, the lasting impressions I took from this are mixed. […]

Ad Infinitum – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged ad infinitum / german / hekate / monsters / paranormal / psychological horror / puzzles / trenches / world war i by
I’ll be honest, the Trine series has largely passed me by. I knew of it but never really had the curiosity to give the games a look. That’s changed with Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy arriving on the Playstation 5. Frozenbyte have spent well over a decade polishing the cooperative […]

Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2.5d / Fantasy / frozenbyte / knight / physics-based / platformer / puzzles / thief / trine 5 a clockwork conspiracy / wizard by