PC Reviews

The Academy: The First Riddle Review – Back To School And This Time Pay Attention

22Jun

By KevinNo Comments

The Academy: The First Riddle Review – Back To School And This Time Pay Attention

Pine Studios brings us The Academy: The First Riddle, a mystery just waiting to be solved. It would appear that need to go back to school to unravel the goings on. Oh well, time to put on my rucksack (one shoulder or two?) and start my academic career once more, who knows, maybe I'll get better grades this time? Gameplay The Academy began with a quick tutorial to get me wandering around and interacting with objects. It was simple enough for me, WASD to move, Shift to run and E to interact. Oddly familiar, but unsurprisingly as it's a staple for PC games. Sticking to tried and tested always pleases me. There is a school to explore, people to chat to, and adventure to be had. It was like I had been transported into a Famous Five novel. Unlike a Famous Five novel, the engagement with ...

Doki Doki Literature Club! Review – Don’t judge this book by its cover…

18Jun

By Jay ArmstrongNo Comments

PC Reviews

Doki Doki Literature Club! Review – Don’t judge this book by its cover…

Doki Doki Literature Club! is a 2017 game developed in America by Team Salvato. It’s a free game that acts as a visual novel where certain decisions can be made along the way to change the direction of the narrative. The game involves talking to and getting to know four girls who are active in their high school’s literature club. This game is all about these characters but there is more under the surface and some interesting twists and turns along the way; you’ll certainly start to suspect early on that the happy, colourful anime façade hides a darker secret. It’s important to note at this stage that the game does present you with a disclaimer; “This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.” This should be your first clue that the pink and purple accented ani...

Inkulinati Early Access Preview – Time To Draw Your Weapons

9Jun

By KevinNo Comments

PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

Inkulinati Early Access Preview – Time To Draw Your Weapons

Yaza Games brings us an interesting take on Medieval warfare with Inkulinati. Pen and paper at the ready, or possibly quill and parchment would be better. Draw your armies and get ready for war, this is no Battleships, this is real blood and guts stuff. Time to see if Inkulinati is worth the paper it's written on. Quill sharpened and inkwell filled, time to draw my weapon. Gameplay Inkulinati is like no other game that I have played, and in today's market of repetitious releases it certainly got my intrigue awakened. Multiplayer wasn't available so I had to play the single-player side of the game. I figured it would work the same but I would die less. I was assigned the name Godfrey and my opponent the rather holy Hildegard. First up was the tutorial. This can make or break a game f...

Cranked Up Early Access Review – Rolling Around

3Jun

By KevinNo Comments

PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

Cranked Up Early Access Review – Rolling Around

BBlack Studios bring us Cranked Up, the mesmerising adventure of a doughnut trying to get dunked into coffee. If that isn't enough to sell a game, then I dunno what is. Actually in hindsight, I don't like coffee, but I'm all over the sugary goodness that is doughnuts. So I decided to pop to the local doughnut shop and stock up for the adventure of a lifetime, and probably gain a pound or two as well. Gameplay I honestly do'nut know where to start with this. Cranked Up has left me in a little bit of a state if I'm honest. I kind of feel like I took a lot of acid before I had sweet cravings and the result may just have been the inspiration for this game. After several hours of phone-based therapy at huge cost I feel like I am now human enough to continue. Fortunately there is a tuto...

Aeronautica Imperialis Flight Command Review – Ready Red 5

29May

By KevinNo Comments

PC Reviews

Aeronautica Imperialis Flight Command Review – Ready Red 5

Binary Planet brings us Aeronautica Imperialis Flight Command, a Warhammer board game set in the skies but adapted for PC. So if you get RSI from rolling the die, or are a bit clumsy and keep on knocking your planes over or off course, then this might just be what you are looking for. Games Workshop have already done the hard work, so hopefully the PC version is true to the original. Time to exchange my bow staff for a joystick and geek it up. Gameplay Aeronatical Imperialis is essentially a 3D representation of a board game. I know, I'm not really selling it, but you need to hear me out. The first screen I come across gives me my options: I can start a campaign, play individual scenarios or do the tutorials. So I did the sensible thing, yes really. I played through the tutorials. Eac...

Later Daters Review – Ye OLDE Retirement Paradise

28May

By KevynNo Comments

PC Reviews

Later Daters Review – Ye OLDE Retirement Paradise

Welcome to Ye OLDE! Your new retirement paradise. Date as an octogenarian and find somebody to love, or just get your kicks in while the getting is good. Remember, if the chairs are rockin', don’t come a-knockin. Part One out now! Developed and self-published by Bloom Digital Media Later Daters Part One released on 16th April 2020, you can grab a copy on Steam now for £5.49! Gameplay In a nutshell, Later Daters is a dating game with multiple-choice dialogue. You can play it however you feel or choose. When starting the game you can choose from 3 potential new residents at Ye OLDE retirement community, you can pick your look, gender, relationship backstory and your sidekick in the guise of a cat, dog or robot then off you go on your adventure of geriatric gyrating! Al...

26May

By CraigNo Comments

PC Reviews, Previews & Early Access

Paradise Killer – Trouble In Paradise

It's not often I get to take a look at pre-alpha builds of games, so it's not really one of my strong suits to critique a game that's so early in its development. But when I was given the opportunity to look at Paradise Killer, I was instantly intrigued by its weird aesthetic and its detective-driven mystery-solving gameplay. I felt like it would be an interesting puzzle to solve. With that in mind, I set out on the timed demo build to see how far I could get. The following write-up is based entirely on an early pre-release build of the game that could be subject to major changes. Gameplay Paradise Killer is a whodunit murder mystery game, set on a strange island inhabited by gods. There have been many iterations of the island. It is destroyed and remade. Each iteration of the island is ...

22May

By StuartNo Comments

PC Reviews

Maneater Review – Jaws Got Jacked!

Ever wondered what it would be like to swim around as a shark? Ever wondered what it would feel like to be the Apex Predator in the ocean? Well with Maneater, developed and published by Tripwire Interactive LLC now you can fulfil those dreams! Dropping onto the Epic Store, I was lucky enough to receive the code in good time to be able to sample what the game brings to the table. Oh by the way, you've got red on you! Gameplay Maneater is a single player action RPG that see's you controlling a young shark pup after your mum was brutally cut open in what can only be described as a brutal act by a mad shark hunter! Sounds fin-tastic right? Well once you have been pulled from inside the cosy womb and thrown into the murky waters of the gulf coast you start your reel journey. Now ...

Get Packed Review – Car Crashes And Forklift Fumbles

20May

By DanNo Comments

PC Reviews

Get Packed Review – Car Crashes And Forklift Fumbles

Developed by Moonshine Studios and published by Coatsink, Get Packed is a manic packing game with some interesting concepts. You see slides, forklifts, and hordes of black Friday shoppers, But will any of these get in the way of your job? If not then your friends and family might! Get Packed is currently only available on the Google Stadia as an exclusive. Gameplay Get Packed is a fun and very fast-paced packing game. You play as a part of a removal firm, the aim of the game is to quite simply pack as many items as you can. Whilst playing you receive regular prompts from your clients requesting that certain items be packed ASAP. This sounds easy but it is a lot harder than you think! The slightest knock of an ancient artifact and it breaks into pieces! Each level has its own theme...

Deadliest Catch: The Game Review – King Of The Crabs

20May

By KevynNo Comments

PC Reviews

Deadliest Catch: The Game Review – King Of The Crabs

Enter the dangerous world of king crab fishing in the deadly Bering Sea! Take command of your own fishing vessel, use realistic equipment, combat hazardous Alaskan waters and become the world's best crab catcher! Deadliest Catch: The Game left early access on 14th April this year developed by Moonlit and published by Playway and Ultimate games you can pick up a copy on Steam for £15.49 or try the demo first. Gameplay The basics of the gameplay behind Deadliest Catch is that you have to board your ship and using the map, head to sea to catch crabs. When you get to the other side of the loading screen you find yourself on the deck where you then need to use the crane to load a cage, attach a buoy, prepare and pack your bait, before finally launching the cage. After that you simply ne...