Cuphead Review (MAC)

Cuphead (MAC)
Developed By: Studio MDHR
Published By: Microsoft Game Studios
Date of Release: October 19, 2018
Price: $19.99

Take a deep breath. Calm your nerves. Perhaps put on some relaxing music, and drink some tea. You're going to need all the stress relief you can get if you play to play this madcap adventure from Studio MDHR. Looking like it was ripped straight from the 1930s animation scene, Cuphead is here, and you'd better hide the fine china and get ready to grab the bull by the horns. A seemingly typical run-and-gun 2D action platformer at first glance, Cuphead is definitely nothing of the sort.



Taking cues from some of the most difficult games ever made, *COUGHDARKSOULSCOUGH*, Cuphead is an experience that is all about learning enemy patterns and figuring out how to exploit them. While the game may seem impossible at first, you'll eventually find a way to take down any foe that stands in your way. Just expect a lot of cursing and controller-tossing. Thankfully the awesome production values keep the game interesting, which is a godsend when you have to replay so many sections until you get them right. Persevere and you will be rewarded for your patience. I never felt like I was being overtly punished by the game, there are no cheap deaths here.



The visuals are definitely the star of the show, looking like a 1930s production of Mickey Mouse or Betty Boop. EVERYTHING is hand animated, and convincing film grain and dust pervade every scene. It gives the impression that the game is an old animated serial being shown at a vintage cinema. It has an amazing amount of charm, and the incredible score adds to it. The music is full of rich swinging big band numbers, and dynamically changes to suit the scene. It's clear that the lengthy devopment time was well spent, as Cuphead is an amazingly well tuned bit of old-school (in more ways than one!) gaming. This may just be the best platforming experience that the Mac platform has ever seen. My recommendation is that you take a gamble at this table.

Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams: Owltimate Edition (Nintendo Switch)

Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams: Owltimate Edition
Developed By: Black Forest Games
Published By: THQ Nordic
Date of Release: September 25, 2018
Price: $29.99

In 1987, a small German studio known as Time Warp Productions released a platform game called The Great Giana Sisters for the Commodore 64 computer. Due to similarities to Super Mario bros for the NES, they eventually decided to stop selling it under pressure from Nintendo. How ironic is it then that the series is making a triumphant return, but on a Nintendo console. Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams: Owltimate edition (the director's cut of the 2012 smash hit sequel to the original game) has launched on the Nintendo Switch, and it pretty much is the definitive port of this game.



The gameplay mechanics are pretty much the same as any standard platformer, you can run, jump, collect gems, and jump on your enemies. However Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams has quite a literal twist to it, you can change from regular Giana to Punk Giana, and the whole world twists from creepy to cute, with a shift in musical styles to boot. Regular Giana's world has a creepy look to it with a classical-styled soundtrack, and Punk Giana has a cutesy world, with a hard-rocking soundtrack courtesy of SID-metal masters Machinae Supremacy.



Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams had looked amazing and controlled well on every platform it's been released on thus far, and the Nintendo Switch port is no exception. Whether you play docked or handheld the game looks crisp and stays at a rock-solid 60fps, though it seems to be slightly lower resolution in handheld. All the co0ntent from previous releases are there, from the full original campaign, the Rise of The Owlverlord expansion,as well as the Halloween and Christmas specials. Whether you go for the physical or digital release, the Switch version is definitely the full package.

Forza Horizon 4 Review

Forza Horizon 4 (Windows 10 version reviewed)
Developed By: Turn 10/Playground Games
Published by: Microsoft Game Studios
Date of Release: September 25, 2018
Price: $59.99

When it comes to racing games lately, it would seem that Turn 10 studios is leading the charge. The Forza Motorsport series has yet to miss a beat, and with this latest installment in their open world arcade racing franchise, Forza Horizon 4, they show no signs of slowing down any time soon. This time the Land Down Under has been traded in for the United Kingdom, with a brand new seasonal system to boot.



With Forza Horizon 4 on Windows 10 the first thing that stands out is how much nicer it is to play it at a steady 60FPS in 4K. If you play on a standard Xbox One or Xbox One S, you're stuck with 1080p30. On an Xbox One X, you can get 60fps, however you will be limited to 1080p. 4K is locked at 30fps even with the extra horsepower of the X. However on a decent PC (I ran it on an i5 8600k, 16gb ram, and GTX 1070Ti) you'll have no problem hitting 60fps. All the expected accoutrements are present such as impulse trigger rumble on the Xbox One controller, and support for racing wheels. The handling of each car is as always superb, and the variety will keep you from getting bored. The open world gameplay is as amazing as ever, and the story will keep you coming back for more, if you haven't already been hooked by the action.



When it comes right down to it, Forza Horizon 4 takes all the best parts of the previous entries in the series, and just piles a lot more goodness on the top. It's not so much amazingly innovative, just more of an amazingly good thing. The graphical tuning options on the PC version are well thought out, and will let you optimize the game for just about any PC imaginable, as long as you're not rocking a potato. Forza Horizon 4 fills the gap left unfilled lately in the PC racing scene, what with Need For Speed and the like being a mere shadow of their former selves. If you want an epic racing experience with a metric crapton of content, go for Forza Horizon 4.

Ninjin: Clash of Carrots Review

Ninjin: Clash of Carrots (Nintendo Switch)
Developed by: Pocket Trap
Published By: Modus Games
Date of Release: September 4, 2018
Price: $14.99

So to say there has been a resurgence lately of pixel-art beat 'em ups in the indie scene of late would be a gross understatement. If one were to say they were starting to feel a bit stale at this point, I wouldn't blame them. You've got your Double Dragons, your Phantom Breakers, your Radical Heroes, and they all bring the tried and true formula to the table. But there is only so much you can do to make the genre feel fresh again. However against all odds it would seem that Pocket Trap has managed to pull off such a feat, and the resulting game is quite a marvel.



Ninjin: Clash of Carrots bursts onto the scene with a fresh spin on the side-scrolling beat 'em up genre. Instead of going back and forth at your own pace you instead continuously run forward, with the option to speed up or slow down as needed, and you switch between lanes to meet your foes in combat. It's a bit endless runner, a bit bullet hell, slightly confusing at first but extremely easy to get into after a level or two. The action flows naturally, and the controls are tight and intuitive.



The graphics settings gives you the option of crisp pixel art, or smooth HD visuals, and both look amazing, whether docked or in handheld mode. The amount of detail that has gone into the game is impressive. The gameplay is superb, but it can get slightly punishing, some of the bosses you're definitely going to need to grind for. The weapons and accessories that you can buy let you customize nearly every aspect of how you fight however, so coming up with a winning strategy is always within your grasp. Nekonin: Clash of Carrots is definitely a must own for Switch fans.

Overload Review

Overload
Developed and Published By: Revival Productions, LLC
Date of Release: May 31, 2018
Price: $29.99

In the year 1995, 3D gaming was really starting to take off. Though most early 3D games like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom used visual trickery to present a 2D playfield as a 3D
environment, that was about to change. Parallax Software exploded onto the scene with Descent, the first true-3D Six Degrees of Freedom game. Causing the more motion sensitive among gamers to reach for the barf bucket, Descent let players pilot their ship in any direction they chose in free-roaming fashion. Followed by two sequels, Descent 2 and 3 respectively, the series was much loved among fans and spawned several copycats over the years. But then Descent disappeared from the gaming world until a lackluster attempt was made to create a new sequel in the arena shooter Descent Underground (which seems to be taken down from sale at the time of writing).



However all that has changed, as many of the original Descent devs have brought out Overload, a spiritual successor which is truly descent in everything but title. The graphics, sounds and music are all brand new and modern, but the gameplay is PURE Descent. Pretty much everything in the original series is present in one form or another, and let me tell you it is GLORIOUS to play. The feeling of playing an oldschool Descent title is present, and the feeling of dread as robots surround you and move in for the kill is present and accounted for. The soundscape rocks with gunfire and explosions, and the particle effects and flying debris are top-notch.



The musical score is also spot-on, and really evokes memories of blazing through the corridors of the original Descent trilogy. The controls are tight and responsive, and can be configured in any way you can imagine. My personal favorite was using a wireless Xbox One controller in front of a big TV. There is also the matter of VR support, but unfortunately as I do not have a VR headset I wasn't able to test the functionality. However playing the game on a television or monitor was perfectly intense, and did not detract from my enjoyment in any way. When it comes right down to it, Overload is the follow up that the Descent series always needed, even if it's not officially counted as such. It certainly is in my books. headcanon counts, right?

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle PC Review

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle (PC)
Developed and Published by: Arc System Works
Date of Release: June 5, 2018
Price: $49.99

Back when it was announced, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle brought the hype meter to stratospheric levels. It was an amazing concept, take three of the major fighting series from Arc System Works' stable, and add in a healthy dose of RWBY. You got your peanut butter in my chocolate! OMFG what could possibly go wrong? Apparently abaolutely nothing if you purchase the console version which is at this moment getting rave reviews. However...



Well here we are! BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is at last out for the PC! Huzzah! Unfortunately the PC port is a steaming pile. First and foremost among it's myriad of problems is the simple fact that if you are rocking an Nvidia GPU the game will automatically lock your framerate to half of your monitor's refresh rate, resulting in a slideshow for most people. So far at the time of writing, after three patches this still has not been fixed. The game also completely ignores aspect ratio, so if you have a 16:10 monitor you get a stretched image with as of right now there is no option to compensate for. On top of that the netcode is completely broken, with massive lag even on a perfectly fast internet connection.



It's fairly sad then that the state of PC ports these days seems to be to just crap out a broken unfinished mess as a full-priced "finished" release, and then expect the customers to basically bug test the game. It's been seen so many times lately, and it has become quite a disturbing trend. Here's hoping that people will start voting with their wallets, and companies take notice. Can I recommend the concept of BBCTB? Yes I can! Can I recommend the PC port in its current state? HELL NO. Avoid like the plague, and go play some Centralfiction for now.

The Fall Review (Switch)

The Fall (Switch)
Developed and Published By: Over The Moon
Date of Release: May 10, 2018
Price: $14.99


It's no secret that I enjoy playing Metroidvania style games, and The Fall from indie studio Over The Moon is no exception. I've always loved when a game can just draw me in with a story and hook me to the end. When I started playing The Fall I had no idea what I was in for, on the surface it seemed like a fairly bog-standard entry to the genre, albeit with a rather dark and moody atmosphere, and a very interesting control scheme. This is definitely why you never want to judge a book by the cover, as you will miss out on some of life's best surprises that way, and the same goes for videogames as well.



Without delving too much into the story and spoiling things, The Fall starts with your player character crash landing on an unknown planet. Literally crashing, as in falling out of the sky from orbit. The for now unknown soldier is rendered unconscious, and this is where the suit's AI, known as ARID, takes over. She's a no-nonsense by-the-book sort of AI, and is keen to follow her programmed directives. As the story unfolds you get to see quite a bit of character development through her, and I have to say the entire game is incredibly well written. Despite the plot being quite strict and serious the game is bursting at the seems with some amazing dark humor, and the voice acting is some of the finest I've ever encountered. Add to that the excellent ambiance provided by the soundscape and mood lighting, and the production values are solid as can be.



As for gameplay, things are fairly standard exploration and backtracking for a metroidvania, however you have precise control over your aiming, and you also have a flashlight that you use to examine your environment. Nearly all progression is tied to investigating your surroundings, and it really works well. I never felt like I was being slowed down as I searched through the environments for clues to help me progress. The suspense made the search that much better, and i never felt like I was being forced to backtrack too much. The moody atmosphere and lighting gave quite a chilling sense of foreboding, and I spent most of the game with goosebumps and the hair on the back of my neck bristling at every odd noise. This is definitely how you do a thriller.



Unfortunately not all was perfect with my experience. Though when i first loaded the game and saw the title screen I thought maybe my download was corrupted, then I realized it was an intentional effect. I don't think however that the two control lockups during gameplay that I experienced were intention, nor was the point when a dialogue sequence failed to trigger. Fortunately I lost no progress as the game autosaves, I just merely restarted the game and continued onward. Such minor bugs are certainly not worth worrying about in my opinion however your mileage will vary. At the end of the day, The Fall was an intensely gripping narrative experience wrapped around a VERY solid metroidvania puzzler, and the ending makes me crave more. Thankfully the sequel is already released, and I will hopefully be covering that next. If you love a good sci-fi romp, you owe it to yourself to play The Fall.

Death Road to Canada Review (Switch)

Death Road to Canada
Developed By: Rocketcat Games/Madgarden
Published By: UKIYO
Date of Release: May 8, 2018
Price: $14.99

Way back in the dark ages when I was a kid I really enjoyed playing Apple II games like The Oregon Trail and Cross Country Canada during break times at school. That particular brand of long-distance travel/road trip game I particularly found to be relaxing and fun (until your family died of dysentery or you run out of fuel). I always found myself wanting to play just one more round of both. There was something addictive about the random nature of the happenings in both titles, you never knew what was around the next bend in the journey. Sadly in this day and age that wort of experience is few and far between, that is until now. Death Road to Canada is here, and it's brought a refreshing and macabre twist to the road trip genre.



The plot of the game is as follows: the zombie apocalypse has arrived and is in full swing, civilization is tearing itself apart apart, and it seems as if the end is near. However you hear that Canada has escaped the outbreak, and is a zombie-free haven. ROAD TRIP! You set out on a journey from Florida with the goal of making it to Canada and waiting out the end of days in peace. Along the way you can recruit survivors, search for supplies, barter with traders, and of course FIGHT OFF MASSIVE HORDES OF THE UNDEAD IN BLOODY COMBAT MUAAAHAAAHAAHAAAA-- ok I got a little carried away there. Death Road To Canada supplements the typical Oregon Trail style gameplay with a good dose of rogue-lite systems, randomly generating each sequence for maximum replayability. And that's a damn good thing, as I still have yet to make it to Canada, but that has NOT deterred me from trying again and again and again.



The pixel artwork, soundtrack and sound effects in Death Road to Canada are top-notch, and the production values are high. The writing and humor are also incredibly rich and superb. That said I did have a few glitches along the way, but nothing that brought things to a grinding halt. That said it seems like the game was developed with the intent to to make it playable by touch, as the interface of the review build is chock-full of large buttons that call out to be touched, and even the gameplay screen has a pause button up in the top right corner. However none of these seemed to be responsive to the touch screen on the Nintendo Switch when played in handheld mode. Not sure if it's an oversight or something that they need to patch in. Nevertheless Death Road to Canada is a damn fine game that is absolutely festering with the undead as well as replay value. I wholeheartedly recommend playing it.

Shantae: Half Genie Hero Ultimate Edition

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition
Developed and Published By: Wayforward
Date of Release: May 8, 2018
Price: $29.99

Hey everyone! Our favorite half-genie is back! From the time that the original Shantae launched back on the Game Boy Color up until the last release, Shantae and The Pirate's Curse, this series has been known for awesome metroidvania gameplay, an amazing soundtrack, bouncy beauties, and a familiar pixelated charm. However with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero things have majorly changed on the latter front, pixels are out and gorgeous hand drawn HD sprites are in! Thankfully all the series other hallmarks are still there (including Jake Kaufman's signature jams), all that has changed is the visual aesthetic.



From the first level of the game (which features an AMAZING vocal number by Shantae's voice actress, Christina Vee.) where you face off with the Part Omni-Organic, Partially Titanic, Ocean-Optional Tinkerslug (don't call it P.O.O.P. T.O.O.T.!) it's clear that the team at Wayforward have not lost their touch, and that Half-Genie hero is definitely not Half-Baked. The game runs at a smooth 60fps, and scales nicely all the way up to 4k. On top of that the controls are tight with zero discernible input lag. All the good stuff is still here in full form, and the new visuals just add a nice feel to the whole experience. Also, giant-ass mermaids are freakin' awesome!



Of course it wouldn't be an Ultimate Edition without a shipload of extras, and this edition delivers the booty! All of the original DLC is included, and a whole raft of extras like concept art and formerly backer-exclusive content is there. The game is majorly extended by all the new game modes that have been added, I've already sunk about 30 hours extra into everything after clearing the main scenario. Now, I have the digital release but if you spring for a physical edition you get an awesome artbook and the game's soundtrack on CD. It's a damn good haul whether you spring for digital or physical.



My only complaint about the Ultimate Edition is that it feels a bit overwhelming at first. You've got a damn lengthy main game, a remixed version where you play the villain, a hardcore mode, and three costumes to mix things up. The added costumes even have their own playstyle and rulesets that pretty much change the game completely. There's a helluva lot of stuff there, and my complaints really aren't a negative. So if you love platformers, metroidvanias, bouncy babes with bodacious bods, and counterfeit mermaids, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is the game for you.