Home
Portal
Events
Publications
Latest images
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Search
Log inSearch found 37 matches for Platformer
- on August 23rd 2023, 11:21 pm
- Search in: Headline News Stories
- Topic: Review: Gimmick! Special Edition (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 7
- Views: 509
Review: Gimmick! Special Edition (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There's No Gimmick Like FUN!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Bitwave Games and published by The Embracer Group, Gimmick! Special Edition is a re-release of SUNSOFT's NES/Famicom Platformer Gimmick! with additional features greatly enhancing the user experience! So what did we think of the re-release of Gimmick!? Continue reading our review to find out the answer to that question!
The gameplay is tough-as-nails providing players a serious challenge, while not the hardest NES game, it'll still give retro gamers some difficulty and modern gamers even moreso, but at the end of the day the game is fair and well-designed which is always a good thing! The platforming feels great and the enemies and obstacles are well-placed which is also great.
The game's bonus features include an art gallery, rewind feature, and save states which is much appreciated and the emulation is flawless so expect the game to run as it did on the NES. The only downside is the lack of screen filters and scanlines options, but otherwise the bonus content and features are top-notch!
The game is REALLY short clocking in at 2-3 hours at most if you know what you're doing and are equally skilled, but for most of us... "admittedly myself included" Gimmick! Special Edition will likely take around 15-20 hours or so to beat which is a decent bang for your buck for sure!
As for the audiovisual-presentation, Gimmick! looks gorgeous for an NES title, which isn't surprising given how good looking most Sunsoft games were on Nintendo's debut console, but it also released well after the launch of the SNES as well! The soundtrack is also catchy and has some bopping tunes that really set the mood for the game!
Bottom-Line: With great and challenging gameplay, superb bonus features and content, and an excellent audiovisual-presentation, Gimmick! Special Edition for the Nintendo Switch is a fantastic platformer, though it may be a tad difficult for some, we highly enjoyed our experience with the game! As such we give Gimmick! Special Edition a good to great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #Gimmick #Embracer #SUNSOFT #Switch #eShop #Retro #NES #Platformer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on August 20th 2023, 11:26 pm
- Search in: Headline News Stories
- Topic: Review: Sephonie (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 5
- Views: 513
Review: Sephonie (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No Other Game Like It!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Analgesic Productions and published by Ratalaika Games, with public relations by PR Hound, Sephonie is one of, if not THE most unique game we've reviewed this year "or any other year" and doesn't really fully conform to any particular established game genre, that said is this game GoTY material, well...no, but it's a solid game and well-worth a purchase so continue reading our review to find out why!
The game is simple enough, you take on the role of three scientists to study a certain phenomenon through platforming and puzzle solving and it all comes together in a great culmination of unique gameplay mechanics. The only real qualm we had was sometimes the platforming was a tad frustrating, but nothing that hampered our enjoyment of the game.
The puzzles are well made "especially the boss battle puzzles" which can be mind-bending and thoroughly challenging! The controls are mostly good, but the platforming felt a bit stiff in spots, but overall the controls are decent to solid!
The game is fairly short clocking in at 6-8 hours and there's very little replay value, which is unfortunate, but the gameplay was so unique that we still went through the game again and enjoyed it just as much.
As for the visuals, they are pretty decent with nice 3D characters and environments, it won't knock your socks off, but still works well enough. The soundtrack was pretty good if a bit unmemorable, but overall was quite enjoyable.
Bottom-Line: With unique and enjoyable gameplay, decent controls, and a good, but unmemorable soundtrack, Sephonie for the Nintendo Switch is a unique and fresh experience that we enjoyed, but it was somewhat unpolished in our opinions. Overall, however, we thought the game was a solid experience overall and as such we give the game a solid level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★¼☆☆ 7.25/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #AnalgesicProductions #RatalaikaGames #PRHound #Sephonie #Switch #eShop #Experimental #Indie #Platformer #Puzzler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on June 21st 2023, 9:00 pm
- Search in: Headline News Stories
- Topic: News: Super Mario Bros. Wonder Has Been Announced For The Nintendo Switch
- Replies: 5
- Views: 995
News: Super Mario Bros. Wonder Has Been Announced For The Nintendo Switch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Into The Wonderful Depths of Mushroom Eating!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nintendo announced their next 2D Super Mario Bros. game during this morning's Nintendo Direct. The game seemingly is an evolution of the New Super Mario Bros. series and looks like it'll be a fresh trip down psychedelic mushroom lane. As strange as it looks the game looks like it might be the best 2D Mario title in decades! Super Mario Bros. Wonder releases on October 20th 2023! The official game description and trailer can be seen below:
Official Overview: wrote:The next evolution of 2D side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. games is headed to Nintendo Switch! When you touch a Wonder Flower in the game, the wonders of the world unlock – pipes could come alive, hordes of enemies may appear, characters might change their looks, for example – transforming the gameplay in unpredictable ways. Excitement and different surprises await in each course. Super Mario Bros. Wonder features Princess Peach, Princess Daisy and Yoshi as playable characters, in addition to familiar characters like Mario, Luigi and Toad. Plus, Super Mario Bros. Wonder sees the debut of Mario’s newest power-up, which allows him to transform into Elephant Mario! What other wonders could this game contain? More details will be shared at a later time, so please look forward to it!
What did you think of this announcement? Will you be pre-ordering Super Mario Bros. Wonder? As always be sure to let us know in our comments section below!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#News #NintendoDirect #SuperMarioBrosWonder #Switch #Retail #eShop #2D #Platformer #Mario #Nintendo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on May 28th 2023, 8:47 pm
- Search in: Switch Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell (Switch Retail)
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1007
Review: Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell (Switch Retail)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shinobi Hero!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by City Connection, published by ININ Games, and with public relations by PR Hound, Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle + Hell is a fantastic arcade-platformer that is a true sequel in the long-running JaJaMaru series in every sense of the word, while staying true to the series roots. Is this enough to make the game a true masterpiece? We think so, but you'll need to continue reading the remainder of our review to find out why!
The gameplay in Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle + Hell for the Nintendo Switch is hectic action-packed goodness for players of all ages and is so much fun that we had trouble willing ourselves to put down our controllers! The game features a ton of stages and bonus stages on top of a whole lot of characters and other bonus goodies to unlock in the in-game store!
The controls in the game are simple and easy to use while the game's difficulty is challenging, but fair which is always a good thing. As for the replay value? With tons of unlockables as well as content the game will likely give players around 20+ hours of arcadey goodness which is a decent value for a game in this genre. There is also a +Hell mode featuring remixed stages that are far more difficult for added content and another 10+ hours worth of replayabilty!
As for the audiovisual-presentation in Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell? The graphics are simple yet gorgeous with an 8-bit art style that really pops in HD with flashy and breathtaking special effects that give the game a modern feel. The sound effects are well done, while the soundtrack not only fits the game flawlessly, but is quite memorable as well!
Bottom-Line: With amazing gameplay, excellent controls, a decent amount of content, and a top-notch audiovisual-presentation, Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell for the Nintendo Switch is a fantastic platforming arcade game that is well-worth the cost of admission! As such we give the game a great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★★¼ 9.25/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #NinjaJaJaMaruTheGreatYokaiBattlePlusHell #CityConnection #ININGames #PRHound #Switch #Retail #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Arcade #Platformer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on April 9th 2023, 7:23 pm
- Search in: Switch eShop Reviews
- Topic: Review: Go! Go! Pogogirl (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 12
- Views: 881
Review: Go! Go! Pogogirl (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Go! Go! Epic Voyager Girl!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Ohsat Games, published by Ratalaika Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Go! Go! Pogogirl is a fresh take of the 2-D platformer that pays homage to classic SEGA platformers like Sonic The Hedgehog, but does the game live up to the series that inspired its existence? We think so, but you'll have to continue reading the remainder of our review to find out why!
The gameplay is straightforward enough having you trek through each of the four seasons across twenty stages with a fun boss battle at the end of each season. The courses have unique hazards and enemies in each season and there's a boss at the end of every season. The game is pretty short clocking in at 2-3 hours in length, but at five bucks, it's not a bad deal for the price.
The controls are decent enough, with no real issues to speak of which is good, of course. The game is also fairly easy, but still exceptionally satisfying to play which being satisfying is obviously a VERY important trait for a game to possess and possessing it, this game does in spades!
The audiovisual-presentation of Go! Go! Pogo Girl is top-notch with detailed character and ememies, as well as a vibrant and colorful palette that looks extremely pleasing to the eyes. And as for the soundtrack? It's catchy and fits the mood of the game to a tee, really the game has no real weak spots and is all-around a great budget platformer!
Bottom-Line: With amazing gameplay, good controls, and a top-notch audiovisual-presentation, Go! Go! Pogogirl is a great platformer through-and-through with no real weak points. As such we give the game a great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #OhsatGames #RatalaikaGames #PRHound #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Platformer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on February 12th 2023, 6:52 pm
- Search in: Switch eShop Reviews
- Topic: Review: Panda Punch (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1017
Review: Panda Punch (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KA-POW!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Ninja Rabbit Studio, published by Ratalaika Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Panda Punch is a fun if not uninspiring platformer for the Nintendo Switch that caught our eyes with its interesting Red Panda protagonist. Is the game worthy of checking out? We think so, but you'll need to read the rest of our review to find out why!
The gameplay in Punda Punch is pretty good, with fun platforming and basic Metroidvania elements such as collectible power-ups to progress to previously inaccessible areas and find some cleverly hidden secrets. There isn't much variety of enemies and the gameplay formula stays WAY too safe which means there isn't a lot of uniqueness which holds the game back quite a bit.
The game is also fairly short at around 5 hours in length and the difficulty is also a bit unbalanced ranging from easy to super challenging at times, which again holds the game back a bit. On the upside the controls are easy to learn and feel quite nice in-terms of the button mapping.
As for the audiovisual-presentation the game is great! The characters, enemies, and backgrounds are cheery, vibrant, and highly detailed and the game's UI looks exceptional as well! The soundtrack sounds great and really sets the mood for the game's amazing presentation! Overall the audiovisual-presentation is by far the game's strongest point and definitely earns the game an additional point or two to its score.
Bottom-Line: With good gameplay marred by unoriginality, great controls, and a superb audiovisual-presentation, Panda Punch is certainly worth checking out at its price, but fails to live up to its potential. Overall we give Panda Punch for the Nintendo Switch a decent level of recommendation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #NinjaRabbitStudio #RatalaikaGames #PRHound #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Metroidvania #Platformer #Gaming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on September 8th 2022, 11:39 pm
- Search in: Switch eShop Reviews
- Topic: Review: Dyna Bomb 2 (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1522
Review: Dyna Bomb 2 (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cannon-Bombing The 7-Seas of Fun!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed and published by 7 Raven Studios Dyna Bomb 2 is the sequel to the relatively old Switch action-platformer Dyna Bomb which was a solid game with a lot of unrealized potential. Does this sequel fully live up to its predecessor's potential? No, but it's still a much better realization of the potential we saw in the original Dyna Bomb and here's why:
The gameplay in Dyna Bomb 2 is really addictive and quite fun when you get into the curve of the game's mechanics. You have a jetpack with limited fuel, limited ammo in the form of bombs, and must reach the end of a stage circumnavigating enemies and a number of extremely hazardous and devious environmental dangers as well as traps. There's much more to the game though as doing things such as killing all enemies and collecting all gems can earn you the ability to unlock character skins and loads of other bonuses in the in-game shop. This is the best addition to the series as you no longer have to rely on gacha mechanics to unlock bonuses.
Each world also has a challenging boss at the end that can oftentimes require a bit of strategy to beat and are really fun to fight. There are other intricacies such as hidden paths and other mechanics that make exploration more challenging, but oh so rewarding!
The game itself isn't super long, but should take most gamers at least a few sessions to beat, clocking in at around 10-14 hours in length, however unlocking everything and completing all levels 100% can take nearly double that amount of time! As for the difficulty, Dyna Bomb 2 starts off pretty easy, but gets more challenging by the second half of the game. The controls? Silky smooth and responsive as well as super easy to learn. And of course the biggest draw of Dyna Bomb 2 is the co-op multiplayer which is extremely fun, however things can get quite hectic if you and your friend start going bomb crazy firing bombs all over the place at the same time.
As for the audio-visual presentation? The graphics are colorful and cheery, the enemy and boss models are full of character and detail, the game's special effects and environmental effects such as snow and rain are a HUGE step-up from the original Dyna Bomb and look remarkable! The soundtrack is quite catchy and fits the mood of the game, but can get a bit repetitive at times.
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay that is much improved from the game's predecessor, fun co-op multiplayer, flawless controls, and an amazing visual presentation, Dyna Bomb 2 is a vast improvement over the original in every conceivable way. Slightly short game length and a few music tracks that are a bit repetitive in an otherwise remarkable soundtrack do hold this game back just slightly, but overall we highly recomment adding this game to your Nintendo Switch library of games! We give Dyna Bomb 2 for the Nintendo Switch a good to great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #7RavenStudios #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Action #Platformer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on November 21st 2021, 6:00 pm
- Search in: Latest Nintendo News
- Topic: News: Super Life of Pixel Box Sets Announced By Strictly Limited Games!
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1808
News: Super Life of Pixel Box Sets Announced By Strictly Limited Games!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Pixel's Life!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PR agency, PR Hound has announced that super limited boxed sets for Super Life of Pixel for Nintendo Switch and PS4 will be made available via Strictly Limited Games' website! Here's what PR Hound announced:
PR Hound wrote:
Exploring Gaming History has never been this fun!
- Boxed Versions of this Indie-gem available for pre-order -
Stuttgart, Germany - November 19th, 2021 - Strictly Limited Games, together with Reset Games, are excited to give Super Life of Pixel a physical release, exclusively at the Strictly Limited Games Shop. Super Life of Pixel is a 2D puzzle-platformer that lets you enter a living, playable museum of video game history. A museum that spans across three decades and 19 historically inspired consoles, giving you a historic tour that is sure to put a smile on your face.
8bit level
In the words of Strictly Limited’s Co-founder, Dennis Mendel -
“As avid supporters of video game preservation ourselves, Super Life of Pixel is a perfect fit for our catalogue. Not only because of the game’s fantastic insights into gaming history, but also because it, like many other digital-only games, faces extinction in the long run. I bought its predecessor Life of Pixel on the PlayStation Mobile Store many years ago. Unfortunately, the store got shut down and after my PlayStation Vita memory card died, I realised there was no way to re-download the game again. It was simply lost. All the more reason for us to ensure that Super Life of Pixel will receive an immortal, physical legacy, like every other Strictly Limited release in our catalogue.”
Super Life of Pixel will be available for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, as a Limited Edition and Special Limited Edition, with pre-orders kicking off on Sunday, 21st of November at 12 AM CET (midnight), Only at Strictly Limited Games.
About the Game:
Join Pixel as he quests through gaming history, teleporting across the most iconic video game systems of generations past. Jump, dodge and play smart to survive all the traps, puzzles and enemies waiting at every turn and to unlock the next console on this historic gaming journey. Super Life of Pixel is like a museum on gaming history, but one full of sharp things, bad guys and free falls - in which you will die. A lot. Exploring gaming history has never been this fun!
16bit level
Whether you’re nostalgic for these classic consoles or it’s your first time experiencing them, now it’s your turn to make gaming history!
Featuring 19 historically inspired consoles from the 8 & 16-bit eras and over 110 levels to conquer with dozens of secrets and puzzles
Unlock various power ups, vehicles and equipment for a varied and challenging experience
Get console history lessons and listen to the awesome original chip-tune soundtrack
Classic gaming references & easter eggs await around every corner, can you spot them all?
32bit level
Strictly Limited Games pre-order:
The Limited Edition will be limited to 2,000 copies for Nintendo Switch and 1,000 for PlayStation 4, at a price of 29.99€, including a colourful game manual.
PS4 box artSwitch box art
The Special Limited Edition with lots of additional physical collectibles will be limited to 800 copies for Nintendo Switch and 400 for PlayStation 4, for 49.99€.
The Special Limited Edition will include the following items:
Game for Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 4
Special Limited Edition box
Colourful game manual
Papercraft Pixel (10cm x 10cm)
Original soundtrack on CD
Large, 2-sided poster (DIN A3)
Notepad (DIN A6)
Post card (DIN A6)
Pixel sticker (8cm x 8cm)
Collector's edition contents
*Shipping of these unique editions with limited supply is expected for March 2022.
What do you think about this announcement? As always feel free to leave us a comment below!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#News #SuperLifeOfPixel #Platformer #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #PRHound #StrictlyLimitedGames
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on September 19th 2021, 10:45 am
- Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: Spelunker HD (PS4 Retail) (Mini Review)
- Replies: 7
- Views: 1373
Review: Spelunker HD (PS4 Retail) (Mini Review)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spelunking Ahoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Tozai Games, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Spelunker HD Deluxe for the PS4 is an action-platformer from the NES era that has been revived on PS4 with optional enhanced graphics, leaderboards, online multiplayer, and several enjoyable new game modes. Is this enough to make the game enjoyable for modern audiences? We think so and here's why:
The gameplay is straightforward enough, collect treasure, avoid enemies and traps, and DON'T FALL! Seriously elevation is deadly in this game and while frustrating at times it isn't unfair. You'll never feel like a death was undeserved, which is a sign of a well-designed game. The myriad of game modes adds a ton of replayability to the game, especially the Championship Mode and the roguelike mode exclusively available on this re-release.
The controls are easy to learn and are quite intuitive while the multiplayer is a ton of fun for players of all ages! The audiovisual presentation is also extremely well-done with great visuals and superb music that fits the game like a glove!
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, excellent controls, and a superb audiovisual presentation, Spelunker HD for the PS4 is a quality remaster of a forgotten retro gem that we highly recommend to all PS4 owners as such we give the game a good to great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #MiniReview #TozaiGames #ININGames #PRHound #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Platformer #Retro #Spelunker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spelunking Ahoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Tozai Games, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Spelunker HD Deluxe for the PS4 is an action-platformer from the NES era that has been revived on PS4 with optional enhanced graphics, leaderboards, online multiplayer, and several enjoyable new game modes. Is this enough to make the game enjoyable for modern audiences? We think so and here's why:
The gameplay is straightforward enough, collect treasure, avoid enemies and traps, and DON'T FALL! Seriously elevation is deadly in this game and while frustrating at times it isn't unfair. You'll never feel like a death was undeserved, which is a sign of a well-designed game. The myriad of game modes adds a ton of replayability to the game, especially the Championship Mode and the roguelike mode exclusively available on this re-release.
The controls are easy to learn and are quite intuitive while the multiplayer is a ton of fun for players of all ages! The audiovisual presentation is also extremely well-done with great visuals and superb music that fits the game like a glove!
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, excellent controls, and a superb audiovisual presentation, Spelunker HD for the PS4 is a quality remaster of a forgotten retro gem that we highly recommend to all PS4 owners as such we give the game a good to great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #MiniReview #TozaiGames #ININGames #PRHound #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Platformer #Retro #Spelunker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on August 8th 2021, 12:26 pm
- Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: Within The Blade (PS4 PSN)
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1114
Review: Within The Blade (PS4 PSN)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find The Blade Within Yourself!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Ametist, published by Ametist and Ratalaika Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Within The Blade is a 2-D action-platformer that is heavily inspired by games such as Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, and other ninja platformers from the 80's and 90's. But does Within The Blade live up to the standards set by those aforementioned titles? We think so and here's why:
The gameplay is quite challenging and plays a lot like Ninja Gaiden for the NES or Shinobi for the SEGA Genesis, with a heavy emphasis on action with challenging platforming thrown in for good measure. The game is relatively short, clocking in at around an hour or two in length, but you'll thoroughly enjoy every minute of it if you're a fan of the action-platformer genre! Also the controls are tight and very responsive as expected from an action oriented game.
As for the audiovisual presentation, Within The Blade does a good job emulating the visual style of retro games, though if you're a western gamer, you'll notice much more blood than you saw in any NES or SNES game. This might break the retro immersion for some, but still looks great. The soundtrack sounds great as well with retro vibes that fit the game like a well-worn glove!
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, excellent controls, and a enjoyably retro audiovisual presentation, Within The Blade is a great platformer that we highly recommend adding to your PS4 or Switch's library of games and there's really nothing negative to report as such, we give the game a good to great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #Ametist #RatalaikaGames #PRHound #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Action #Platformer #Retro #Ninja
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on June 1st 2021, 2:21 am
- Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: Wonderboy ~ Asha In Monster World (PS4 Retail)
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1282
Review: Wonderboy ~ Asha In Monster World (PS4 Retail)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shakin' That Treasure Booty!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by STUDIOARTDINK and the digital version published by STUDIOARTDINK with the physical version published by ININ Games and public relations by PR Hound, Wonderboy: Asha In Monster World is a platforming RPG and a remake of the fourth game in the long-running Wonderboy series and "Boy" is it an amazing game! Continue reading our review to learn just how amazing we feel this remake is, along with our recommendation score!
The classic sidescrolling gameplay with smooth combat, puzzle solving, and zelda-esque progression is mostly intact in this remake of the legendary fourth installment of the Wonderboy series, however several new sections have been added to the game as have completely reworked 3-D sections that add a whole new dimension of gameplay to the already enjoyable Platforming-RPG.
The game is much easier than the original version that was initially localized in the west on the Wii and PS3, but still provides a challenge that will test many gamer's skills. The controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always a good thing in our opinions! In-terms of length, Wonderboy: Asha in Monster World will take most first-timers around 15-20 hours to beat, though to complete 100% expect to spend an additional 10 hours of time sinking into the game!
The audiovisual presentation in the game is absolutely amazing with cute chibi 3-D characters, detailed towns and areas, and special effects that really pop. As for the soundtrack, it's quite charming and oh so catchy and will draw players into the game's whimsical world.
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, intuitive controls, and a top-notch audiovisual presentation, Wonderboy: Asha in Monster World is a fantastic game worthy of being in any gamer's video games collection, and the additions in this remake make this an absolute must-have for any fan of the genre and as such we give this game a nearly perfect level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #WonderboyIV #Remake #ININGames #StudioArtDink #PRHound #Retail #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Platformer #RPG #Action
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on May 5th 2021, 7:19 pm
- Search in: Latest Playstation News
- Topic: Switch News: Wonderboy ~ Asha in Monster World Releases May 28th on Switch/PS4!
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1138
Switch News: Wonderboy ~ Asha in Monster World Releases May 28th on Switch/PS4!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WunderGurl!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's been a longtime coming, but Wonderboy: Asha In Monster World's release date has been announced by PR Hound and ININ Games! You can read the press release below:
ININ Games and STUDIOARTDINK are delighted to announce the official release for Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World for the Western retail release for both physical and digital Nintendo Switch and PS4 versions will be on May 28th 2021 for North America, Europe and Australia.
The retail editions for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 will be available for €39.99 / $39.99 / £34.99 and include the original Monster World IV exclusively.
The digital Switch and PS4 versions, by STUDIOARTDINK, will be available in EU and US through the online stores for €34.99 / $34.99 / £31.49 (GBP to be confirmed). Furthermore the Steam version will release a month later on June 29th. The game will be available for €34.99 / $34.99 / £31.49 (GBP to be confirmed) on Steam. The digital versions won’t include the original game.
Two friends saving the world
Asha, with her companion, Pepelogoo, must free the four spirits confined by evil forces whose origin she discovers throughout her journey. While the story remains true to the original 1994 game it is a full remake of Monster World IV, with cell-shaded 3D graphics and 2D gameplay that stays close to the beloved original, including enhanced visuals and refined play content.
Limited and exclusive physical editions
Three limited editions for Switch and PS4 can exclusively be pre-ordered at Strictly Limited Games. All three editions include the original Monster World IV:
The Limited Edition is available for €39.99 and includes exclusive color manual & reversible box art.
The Collector’s Edition includes terrific items like the Monster World Map, 2x soundtrack (Original & Remix), Artbook, a Squishy Ball Pepelogoo and more (€99.99).
The Mega Collector’s Edition celebrates the origins of the game and includes everything from the CE and even more fantastic items like the Asha and Pepelogoo Figurine (18cm / 7.1"), Asha Pixel Pin, a Vinyl Sticker for your console and more (€179.99).
Are you looking forward to the game's release later this month? As always be sure to leave us a comment in the comments section below!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#ReleaseDate #Switch #eShop #Retail #PS4 #PSN #Platformer #RPG #PRHound #ININGames #STUDIOARTDINK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on March 23rd 2021, 12:23 pm
- Search in: Switch eShop Reviews
- Topic: Review: Castle Kong (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1107
Review: Castle Kong (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The King of Swing?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed and published by Drowning Monkey Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Castle Kong is a homage to classic arcade games of the 80's and Donkey Kong Arcade in particular, but does it live up to the giant Kong of legend? Not quite, but it is still a worthwhile title to pick up and here's why:
The gameplay is quite simple, but somewhat entertaining and plays quite similarly to the old-school classic arcade game Donkey Kong. There are some tweaks and changes to the formula that make the game feel at least somewhat unique, but overall it's a pretty similar title. The controls are good and easy to learn and the game's difficulty is also well-balanced which is always a good thing.
The visual presentation in Castle Kong is pretty good looking and the soundtrack fits the game to a tee. The sound effects are also varied and work well with the soundtrack. Overall the audiovisual presentation is slightly above par.
Bottom-Line: With decent gameplay, great controls, and an above average audiovisual presentation, Castle Kong is a relatively enjoyable Donkey Kong arcade clone that feels right at home on the Switch and as such we give the game a decent level of recommendation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
★★★★★★¾☆☆☆ 6.75/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #CastleKong #DrowningMonkeyGames #PRHound #Arcade #Action #Platformer #Switch #eShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on March 6th 2021, 7:43 pm
- Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: Turrican Flashback Collection (PS4 Retail)
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1492
Review: Turrican Flashback Collection (PS4 Retail)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Turret Full O' Fun!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Factor 5 and Ratalaika Games, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Turrican Flashback Collection is a great compilation of four highly enjoyable games in the Turrican franchise with loads of visual options and other bonuses that truly make this a worthwhile collection, but how good is it overall? Continue reading to find out!
Turrican Flashback Collection includes Turrican, Turrican 2: The Final Fight, Super Turrican, if and Mega Turrican and each game has some pretty amazing visual options, including several scanlines filters and color filters which is absolute eye-candy, but aside from that the package lacks any real bonus features, but is an overall pretty nice compilation. The gameplay feels something like a cross between Megaman and Contra, but leans more heavily towards being like Contra, the key difference being that this series is quite a bit easier in-terms of difficulty. The power-up system is quite robust, the platforming is challenging, and the bosses require careful strategy to defeat!
The controls are also quite intuitive and easy to learn while the navigation menu in this collection is streamlined and a cinch to navigate. The audiovisual presentation is superb and faithly recreates the retro feel of these games! The visuals are spot-on with little in the way of undesired visual flaws, and the audio sounds just as it did in the original releases of the games in this compilation!
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay that's as enjoyable as it is challenging, excellent controls, and a superb audiovisual presentation that is sure to please, we thoroughly enjoyed every minute that we played of this fantastic compilation and as such we give Turrican Flashback Collection for the PS4 a great level of recommendation to all fans of the action-platformer genre of games!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #Turrican #ININGames #Factor5 #RatalaikaGames #PRHound #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Action #Platformer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on December 19th 2020, 7:51 pm
- Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: Umihara Kawase: BaZooKa! (PS4 Retail)
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1554
Review: Umihara Kawase: BaZooKa! (PS4 Retail)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Absolute Blast!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Studio Saizensen, published by ININ Games, and Public Relations by PR Hound, Umihara Kawase BaZooKa is an action-arcade game like no other! Is this a good thing, however? We think so, but you'll need to read the rest of our review to find out why!
The gameplay in Umihara Kawase BaZooKa is quite enjoyable with small platforming stages with unique enemies to annihilate. To win each stage, players must defeat wave after wave of enemies. Some enemies are simple and straightforward to defeat, while others can only be defeated through very specific methods which adds a layer of strategy to the otherwise simplistic arcade-platforming formula. Multiplayer plays a huge role in this title, with online leaderboards, multiplayer co-op, and even competitive battle modes, the game is truly a blast for upto four players!
The final level of each world has a boss to vanquish which is a cut-above the canon fodder that you face in the other stages and can prove quite challenging to beat. As for the game's length, it can be beaten in a single day, but the multiplayer adds countless hours of potential enjoyment to the game. The controls are a bit cumbersome at times, but after a while you start getting used to them, however this is definitely the low-point of the game though it's not something that should sway your decision to purchase the game unless you are really, debating whether or not to get the game and are leaning much more towards not getting the game.
The visuals in Umihara Kawase BaZooKa are quite vibrant and detailed and standout as being super cutesy, but in a way that still has that cool factor that older kids and adults can enjoy, much like the beloved Kirby series. The stages are detailed, the characters are cute and full of life, and even the enemies have a certain charm to them. The audio is great as well with all the sound effects you'd expect from an arcade game and an absolutely charming soundtrack that fits the mood of the game to a tee.
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, an excellent audiovisual presentation, and superb multiplayer gameplay Umihara Kawase BaZooKa is a great game that has a lot of positive aspects that most fans of the genre will truly enjoy, however awkward controls do make the game take a hit in our overall score of the game, but despite this we still give the game a solid to good level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★¾☆☆ 7.75/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #StudioSaizensen #ININGames #PRHound #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Arcade #Platformer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on December 7th 2020, 4:07 am
- Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: Bubble Bobble 4 Friends ~ The Baron Is Back (PS4 Retail)
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1517
Review: Bubble Bobble 4 Friends ~ The Baron Is Back (PS4 Retail)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bubble Busting Fun Featuring Baron Von Blubba!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Taito and ININ Games and published by PR Hound, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron Is Back is an expansion to the previously released, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends that adds a new mode with 50 additional stages to the base-game. What do we think about the new content? Continue reading our review to find out the answer to that question!
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has frantic and highly enjoyable gameplay for 1 to 4 players where you must encase enemies in bubbles and then pop them to defeat said enemies much like in the arcade game back during the 80's. Bonus rounds are back and just as fun as ever, and there are tons of new power-ups to help you defeat your enemies. All in all, the game is a blast that faithfully recreates the nostalgic feel of the original Bubble Bobble. That said as good as the game is, the game is SUPER short and clocks in at less than half the length of the original "game-time not the number of stages" which is the main reason why this game isn't receiving a perfect score.
The entire Bubble Bobble classic arcade game is included in this title which we highly recommend playing! The difficulty is pretty easy and the controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always a good thing in our opinions. As for the audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has colorful and detailed retro themed graphics that feel like a perfect blend between retro charm and modern flare and it really stands out. And the soundtrack is bubbly and cheerful which fits the game perfectly!
The new tower arcade game featuring Baron Von Blubba, the indestructible bone whale is a nice addition that adds a great deal of extra content to the game. It's basically a challenge mode and is far more difficult than the standard levels in the game. This new mode can be accessed from the arcade machine in the world hub, but only in hard mode. This new mode is also free for those of you who previously purchased BB4F on Nintendo Switch!
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, flawless controls, and an excellent audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will have you hooked from the get-go, while the inclusion of the original 80's arcade game will keep you coming back for more! The only negative aspect of this game is that the new content is pretty short due to quicker movement and other adjustments and can be finished in a half an hour which does hurt the overall score of the game, however the additional content corrects most of the problems we had with the base-game so we give the game a great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #Taito #PRHound #BubbleBobble #Arcade #Platformer #Action #Switch #Retail #eShop #PS4 #PSN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on August 25th 2020, 11:24 am
- Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: La-Mulana 2 (PS4 PSN)
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1571
Review: La-Mulana 2 (PS4 PSN)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spelunking Daughter: Return of The Spelunker!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Nigoro Games and published by NIS America, La-Mulana 2 is a direct sequel to La-Mulana that plays like a more refined version of the first game and has quite a compelling story to boot, but is that enough for the game to stand out from the crowd of other games in the genre? We think so, but you'll need to continue reading our review to find out the answer to that question!
Building off of the success of the original La-Mulana, the sequel doesn't stray too far from the formula the first game set in place, but rather reinforces its strengths with more apps that do even more useful functions and far more devious traps that will literally kill you every step of the way if you aren't careful. The platforming is quite challenging as well, though the bosses and mid-bosses take center stage this time with some really tricky beasts that require you to memorize their attack patterns if you hope to survive the encounters.
The story takes place years after the original and you assume the role of the previous protagonist's daughter as she tries to learn what has become of her father after the events of La-Mulana 1. There are nods to the original game and easter eggs abound which adds to the charm of the game. The humor from the first game is back as you'll receive help from the same zany village chief who helped the protagonist of La-Mulana 1 in this sequel so expect dry humor and a serious dose of snark!
The controls in La-Mulana 2 are intuitive and easy to learn and as for the difficulty...the term NES hard comes to mind, which certainly isn't a bad thing if you're looking for a challenge! The game is quite lengthy as well as it took us over 45 hours to beat and we didn't even fully collect all of the apps or items that you can obtain. Oh and one word of warning, that dangerous relic in The Land of Giants is still there and if you read it twice you are going to have to face an army of Anubis that can one hit kill you for the rest of the game.
The visual presentation in La-Mulana 2 is gorgeous with even more environmental details, better animated sprites, and a much more varied stage design than the original title possessed and the soundtrack is an absolute treat and fits the game like a glove!
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, excellent story, and a top-notch audio-visual presentation, La-Mulana 2 is on of the best MetroidVania platformers we've ever played and we thoroughly believe that it deserves to be in every PS4 and Nintendo Switch owner's library of games!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #Nigoro #NISAmerica #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #MetroidVania #Platformer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on August 23rd 2020, 7:04 pm
- Search in: Vita PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: Ultracore (Vita PSN)
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1751
Review: Ultracore (Vita PSN)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alien Wars Begin Anew?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by DICE, published by ININ, and public relations by PR Hound, Ultracore is a resurrected SEGA Genesis / SEGA Megadrive run and gun MetroidVania that has finally been released over 20 years after its cancellation. Does it live up to other gems of the genre from the 90's? We think so, but you'll have to continue reading our review to find out why!
If you're interested in a run and gun platformer with exploration elements you need look no further than Ultracore a cancelled SEGA Genesis title under the original name Hardcore that was previewed in certain gaming magazines before being cancelled. The gameplay is reminiscent of Contra and features similar hardcore platforming with endless waves of enemies who try to utterly destroy you while you traverse the game's many challenging stages.
There is exploration and hidden goodies as well, but good luck finding everything since you are given a timer to beat each stage and if it runs out BOOM! The game is roughly 2-3 hours in length, but has a good amount of replayability which is always a good thing. The difficulty is stiff, but fair so no Contra (NES) hair-ripping difficulty with this title! As for the controls, they are quite straightforward and easy to learn while complex enough to give you alot of freedom of movement and shooting!
The audio-visual presentation in the game is an absolute blast from the past with true Genesis/Megadrive graphics that look actually quite nice considering that the game is limited by the hardware it was originally meant to release on. The soundtrack is top-notch and is easily one of the best aspects of the game as it sounds on-par with some of the greats of the Genesis era!
OwnerThe Vita Difference: The Vita version while a worthy port of the game has a few ever so slight issues that affect the overall score of the game. The first is that the frame-rate does dip ever so slightly more than in the PS4 version, but overall this is extremely minor, the more noticeable issue is the flickering graphics when there are too many enemies on-screen at once which is definitely a bit of an eyesore, but luckily only occurs once in a blue moon under very certain circumstances and we still thoroughly enjoyed the Vita port quite a bit!
Bottom-Line: With superb gameplay, excellent controls, and a nearly flawless audio-visual presentation with a few minor visual issues in the Vita port. Ultracore for the Vita is a great game that's a blast to play and we highly recommend it to all fans of MetroidVania's and the Contra series. We give Ultracore a great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #ININ #PRHound #DICE #Action #Platformer #MetroidVania #PS4 #Vita #PSN #Switch #eShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on July 12th 2020, 1:10 pm
- Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: Ultracore (PS4 PSN)
- Replies: 20
- Views: 1945
Review: Ultracore (PS4 PSN)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alien Wars Begin Anew?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by DICE, published by ININ, and public relations by PR Hound, Ultracore is a resurrected SEGA Genesis / SEGA Megadrive run and gun MetroidVania that has finally been released over 20 years after its cancellation. Does it live up to other gems of the genre from the 90's? We think so, but you'll have to continue reading our review to find out why!
If you're interested in a run and gun platformer with exploration elements you need look no further than Ultracore a cancelled SEGA Genesis title under the original name Hardcore that was previewed in certain gaming magazines before being cancelled. The gameplay is reminiscent of Contra and features similar hardcore platforming with endless waves of enemies who try to utterly destroy you while you traverse the game's many challenging stages.
There is exploration and hidden goodies as well, but good luck finding everything since you are given a timer to beat each stage and if it runs out BOOM! The game is roughly 2-3 hours in length, but has a good amount of replayability which is always a good thing. The difficulty is stiff, but fair so no Contra (NES) hair-ripping difficulty with this title! As for the controls, they are quite straightforward and easy to learn while complex enough to give you alot of freedom of movement and shooting!
The audio-visual presentation in the game is an absolute blast from the past with true Genesis/Megadrive graphics that look actually quite nice considering that the game is limited by the hardware it was originally meant to release on. The soundtrack is top-notch and is easily one of the best aspects of the game as it sounds on-par with some of the greats of the Genesis era!
Bottom-Line: With superb gameplay, excellent controls, and a nearly flawless audio-visual presentation, Ultracore for the PS4 is a great game that's a blast to play and we highly recommend it to all fans of MetroidVania's and the Contra series. We give Ultracore a great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #ININ #PRHound #DICE #Action #Platformer #MetroidVania #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on July 2nd 2020, 6:06 pm
- Search in: Switch eShop Reviews
- Topic: Review: La-Mulana (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1762
Review: La-Mulana (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Journey That Any Archeologist Would Absolutely Love!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Nigoro Games and published by NIS America, La-Mulana is a remake of a 2005 freeware pc title with vastly improved graphics and music and is an enhanced port of the WiiWare and Vita versions of the game. The WiiWare version of the game saw many delays and the previous publisher even cancelled the North American and European releases, luckily EnjoyUp games picked up the game and it was finally released in North America and Europe in 2012. Is this game worth checking out? Continue reading our review to find out!
Story and Gameplay
The story in La-Mulana is fairly important despite how it feels, the story and events often uncover clues to difficult puzzles so the difficulty of the game can vary depending on how well you pay attention to what's going on around you. The game is a platformer that feels a lot like an Indiana Jones meets Metroid style of game with tricky puzzles, platforming, and treasure hunting this game will never leave you bored!
The bosses in the game can be nightmarishly difficult or very easy depending on your weapon choices so be sure to not use up all of a particular sub weapon before fighting the boss of a temple.
A word to the wise collect the item near the start of the game because without it you may need to backtrack or worse yet could end up stuck in a pit or other trap with no way out forcing you to reset the game!
Also avoid a particular item in The Temple of The Giants that will literally tell you not to open it and if you don't heed this warning the game will unleash Anubus like reapers everywhere that are virtually immortal and can one-hit K-O you regardless of how much health you possess and it will remain like this for the rest of the game making it nigh impossible for all, but the most skilled players to beat. We left this out in our previous reviews of La-Mulana, but we thought to ourselves, who doesn't like a free tip?
A unique feature in La-Mulana is the .EXE system that grants you power-ups from .EXE files that can be found, but your cpu memory is limited so don't expect to use every good .EXE file you find at the same time.
The game is very long and can easily take more than 40 hours to beat, but can take over 80 hours for completionists to collect every item and fully explore every area in the game which is absolutely incredible!
Graphics and Music
The graphics in the Nintendo Switch port have been slightly improved over the WiiWare and Vita versions of the game as the details are breath-taking as every single area looks not only beautiful, but also completely unique with so many background objects and enemy designs you'll wonder how Nigoro put so much detail into a retro-styled MetroidVania!
The soundtrack is quite possibly the most impressive feature of La-Mulana as there are easily 50+ music tracks in the game and every one of them sounds like something straight from a PS1 platformer! How Nigoro managed this we'll never know, but you won't hear a better sounding CD quality 8-bit soundtrack very often on the eShop!
The Switch Difference: The Switch version comes with the usual handheld mode upgrade which is done really well with little to no difference in frame-rate or visual quality. There is a negative and that is the Joycons' abysmal d-pad which is extremely cumbersome in this game. If you play on Switch either the handheld exclusive Switch Lite or Switch Pro Controller is recommended.
Bottom Line
With fun, yet challenging gameplay and unrivaled retro graphics and soundtrack, La-Mulana is as fun as ever and with the added features as well as a boss rush and time trials mode as well as great arcade borders to replace the black bars on your screen, and the handheld mode on Switch is superb with little to no drops in frame-rate or graphical quality, however the Joycon d-pad will prove frustrating to those without a Switch Pro Controller or Switch Lite. The addition of being able to play on-the-go with no reduction in the quality of the gameplay is what really gives this version a leg-up over the others and as such we give La-Mulana for the Nintendo Switch a nearly perfect level of recommendation to all Switch owners who enjoy a challenging MetroidVania!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[size=18]#Review #NISA #Nigoro #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN #Platformer #MetroidVania #Adventure #Action
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This review can also be viewed here[/size]
- on May 27th 2020, 7:48 pm
- Search in: Switch eShop Reviews
- Topic: Review: Megabyte Punch (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 18
- Views: 1384
Review: Megabyte Punch (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Unique Game Makes A Splash on The Switch!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed and published by Team Reptile, Megabyte Punch is a unique platforming, beat em' up, brawler that plays like a hodgepodge of classics such as Megaman, Final Fight, and to a lesser extent Smash Bros. Does this make for a good combination? Not necessarily, but it's not all bad and here's why:
The gameplay in Megabyte Punch is quite solid with good course layouts, no huge spikes in difficulty, and a wide-array of enemies that all have unique behavior and mechanics. There aren't any unfair hazards either, so why did we say the mechanics don't blend well if there isn't anything inherently wrong with the individual parts?
Well the fact of the matter is that the platforming has pretty precise sections that don't work with the game's floaty physics, the enemies have too much health for a slow-paced beat em' up, etc. It's not broken so much as it doesn't feel quite right or comfortable together. The upgrades in the form of parts for your machine is a great mechanic that we did thoroughly enjoy however.
As for the audio-visual presentation the game's blocky 2.5D visuals feels like it belongs back in the 90's in a good way, it's got a thoroughly nostalgic touch that is absolute eye candy! The techno soundtrack also fits the game perfectly! As for the controls, they are easy to learn and are quite serviceable, mind you they aren't perfect, but they are still good.
Bottom-Line: With solid gameplay, good controls, and a mostly superb audio-visual presentation, Megabyte Punch for the Nintendo Switch is a great game on the surface, however the game's mechanics don't mesh well together and some of the sound effects are weaker than they should be which does knock a few points from the game's final score. Overall we give Megabyte Punch for the Nintendo Switch a decent level of recommendation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #TeamReptile #Switch #eShop #Platformer #BeatEmUp #Brawler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on April 27th 2020, 6:26 pm
- Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: La-Mulana (PS4 PSN)
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1791
Review: La-Mulana (PS4 PSN)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Journey That Any Archeologist Would Absolutely Love!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Nigoro Games and published by NIS America, La-Mulana is a remake of a 2005 freeware pc title with vastly improved graphics and music and is an enhanced port of the WiiWare and Vita versions of the game. The WiiWare version of the game saw many delays and the previous publisher even cancelled the North American and European releases, luckily EnjoyUp games picked up the game and it was finally released in North America and Europe in 2012. Is this game worth checking out? Continue reading our review to find out!
Story and Gameplay
The story in La-Mulana is fairly important despite how it feels, the story and events often uncover clues to difficult puzzles so the difficulty of the game can vary depending on how well you pay attention to what's going on around you. The game is a platformer that feels a lot like an Indiana Jones meets Metroid style of game with tricky puzzles, platforming, and treasure hunting this game will never leave you bored!
The bosses in the game can be nightmarishly difficult or very easy depending on your weapon choices so be sure to not use up all of a particular sub weapon before fighting the boss of a temple.
A word to the wise collect the item near the start of the game because without it you may need to backtrack or worse yet could end up stuck in a pit or other trap with no way out forcing you to reset the game!
A unique feature in La-Mulana is the .EXE system that grants you power-ups from .EXE files that can be found, but your cpu memory is limited so don't expect to use every good .EXE file you find at the same time.
The game is very long and can easily take more than 40 hours to beat, but can take over 80 hours for completionists to collect every item and fully explore every area in the game which is absolutely incredible!
Graphics and Music
The graphics in the PS4 port have been slightly improved over the WiiWare and Vita versions of the as the details are breath-taking as every single area looks not only beautiful, but also completely unique with so many background objects and enemy designs you'll wonder how Nigoro put so much detail into a retro-styled MetroidVania!
The soundtrack is quite possibly the most impressive feature of La-Mulana as there are easily 50+ music tracks in the game and every one of them sounds like something straight from a PS1 platformer! How Nigoro managed this I'll never know, but you won't hear a better sounding 8-bit soundtrack very often on the eShop or PSN!
Bottom Line
With fun, yet challenging gameplay and unrivaled retro graphics and soundtrack, La-Mulana is as fun as ever and with the added features as well as a boss rush and time trials mode as well as great arcade borders to replace the black bars on your screen this is the definitive version of the game and as such we give the game a perfect level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #NISA #Nigoro #PS4 #PSN #Platformer #MetroidVania #Adventure #Action
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This review can also be viewed here
- on April 12th 2020, 9:08 pm
- Search in: Switch eShop Reviews
- Topic: Review: Bubble Bobble 4 Friends (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1610
Review: Bubble Bobble 4 Friends (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bub And Bob Are Back With Friends!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Taito and published by PR Hound, Bubble Bobble: 4 Friends is a delightful throwback of the classic 80's arcade game, but does this new release live up to the original? We think so and here's why:
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has frantic and highly enjoyable gameplay for 1 to 4 players where you must encase enemies in bubbles and then pop them to defeat said enemies much like in the arcade game back during the 80's. Bonus rounds are back and just as fun as ever, and there are tons of new power-ups to help you defeat your enemies. All in all, the game is a blast that faithfully recreates the nostalgic feel of the original Bubble Bobble. That said as good as the game is, the game is SUPER short and clocks in at less than half the length of the original "game-time not the number of stages" which is the main reason why this game isn't receiving a perfect score.
The entire Bubble Bobble classic arcade game is included in this title which we highly recommend playing! The difficulty is pretty easy and the controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always a good thing in our opinions. As for the audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has colorful and detailed retro themed graphics that feel like a perfect blend between retro charm and modern flare and it really stands out. And the soundtrack is bubbly and cheerful which fits the game perfectly!
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, flawless controls, and an excellent audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will have you hooked from the get-go, while the inclusion of the original 80's arcade game will keep you coming back for more! The only negative aspect of this game is that the new content is pretty short due to quicker movement and other adjustments and can be finished in a half an hour which does hurt the overall score of the game, but even so we give the game a good level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: 8/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #Taito #PRHound #BubbleBobble #Arcade #Platformer #Action #Switch #Retail #eShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on February 15th 2020, 11:35 am
- Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: Saboteur (PS4 PSN)
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1599
Review: Saboteur (PS4 PSN)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Old-School Challenge That Sabotages The PS4!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Clive Townsend and published by SimFabric Games, Saboteur is a re-release of a 1980's Commodore 64 action-platformer with additional content. The game was exceptionally fun at the time of its original release, but does it still provide a fun experience in 2020? We think so, even if the game hasn't well it is still an enjoyable experience and here's why!
The gameplay is simple enough, you must stealthily infiltrate locations, gather items, and avoid enemies if possible. You can defeat enemies, but your ability to survive is dependent on avoiding as many enemies as you can. There is a good deal of new content in this re-release of Saboteur including new stages, remixed music, and leaderboards. The controls in the game are a bit unresponsive, but aren't a big enough issue to affect the score we'll be giving the game!
The difficulty is pretty challenging so don't expect to breeze through the game's campaign straight away. The audio-visual presentation is terrific in this game with excellent retro vibes and fits the game well! The sound effects are admittedly terrible, but that's more an issue with the era the game originally released in rather than an issue with the game itself. You can choose different versions of the game as well, including the Commodore 64 version which is a nice touch!
Bottom-Line: With fun gameplay, and a ton of new content, Saboteur for the PS4 is a top-notch remake of the game, and though the game show's its age it's still a fun romp and as such we give Saboteur for the PS4 a solid to good level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 7.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #CliveTownsend #SimFabric #Action #Platformer #PS4 #PSN #Retro
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on July 7th 2019, 12:40 pm
- Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: Lapis x Labyrinth (PS4 Retail)
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2231
Review: Lapis x Labyrinth (PS4 Retail)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Labyrinthian Platforming At Its Finest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by NIS America, Lapis x Labyrinth is platformer with RPG elements, great aesthetics, and unique gameplay, but is it worth diving into? We think so and here's why:
The gameplay in Lapis x Labyrinth is absolutely bonkers, but in an ingenious and highly enjoyable way. There are tons of genres crammed into this title ranging anywhere from puzzle to platforming and even JRPG elements and the gameplay elements meld together seamlessly. The story is hilarious and fun as expected from a game developed by Nippon Ichi Software so expect to have an enjoyable romp!
There are a ton different enemies in the game and the bosses are creative and a blast to take down! The controls are intuitive and easy to learn and the game's difficulty is nicely balanced! There are tons of skills and a balanced leveling system that adds a JRPG feel to the game as well.
The audio-visual presentation is superb with gorgeous character and enemy models, gorgeous level designs, and a fantastic soundtrack it's hard to not love this game!
Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, intuitive controls, and a fantastic audio-visual presentation it's hard to not immediately be immersed in Lapis x Labyrinth's amazing world and there's no real negative aspects to the game! Overall we give the game a good to great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #NipponIchiSoftware #NISA #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Platformer #Puzzler #Action #JRPG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on April 14th 2019, 11:55 am
- Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: SNK 40th Anniversary Collection (PS4 Retail)
- Replies: 24
- Views: 3580
Review: SNK 40th Anniversary Collection (PS4 Retail)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Classic Arcade Goodness Making A Splash On PS4 and Switch!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Digital Eclipse and published by NIS America, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a compilation of excellent retro arcade games from SNK's rich catalogue of software and there's a large variety of genres to be had so there's something for everyone in this collection of games. Is it worth its price though? We think so and here's why:
This collection of games is pretty impressive with fantastic emulation and amazing bonus content. You can choose the region of most games and some games you can even choose between a home console version and the original arcade version which is a nice touch. The games span several different genres so there is something for gamers of different tastes, however scrolling shmup's do dominate the lineup somewhat.
The games run as they should with little to no issues. The games also have a sharp image mode and even a full-screen mode and stretch mode if you want the original aspect ratio or don't like borders or arcade cabinet images on your TV screen while playing respectively. The gameplay options are somewhat limited, but are serviceable.
A cool feature of this compilation is that you can activate "watch mode" at the start to watch how the courses should be played and can jump in at any time which can help if you get stuck on a particular part of one of the games or to help you boost your scores by knowing how to do certain things in a particular way.
Back to the bonus content there's a plethora of cool info regarding the included games in Museum Mode and tons of other juicy tidbits of awesomeness that you likely wouldn't expect to be included which is great for any arcade aficionado's!
The controls are pretty responsive and work as they are intended to which is nice as well. The audio-visual presentation is what it is and is more or less perfectly rendered from the source material. Sure there's a very rare visual or audio blip every now and then, but you'll likely not even notice these while playing and some of the games hold up quite well visually given their age. The soundtracks of many of the games range from good to great, but a few of the older titles do have rather limited chiptunes and can be somewhat grating, but overall it's a non-issue.
Bottom-Line: With a great selection of arcade game classics with tons of bonus content in the museum, excellent controls, and near-perfect emulation including the audio-visual side of things, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection for the PS4 is a good title that is well worth purchasing if you're a fan of arcade gameplay and grew up with older games. On the downside these games are bite-sized compared to modern games and are mostly good for short-bursts of challenging fun. Overall we give the game a good level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #NISAmerica #DigitalEclipse #Arcade #Compilation #Platformer #Action #Shmup #RPG #PS4 #PSN #Retail #Switch #eShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on March 15th 2019, 10:57 am
- Search in: Switch eShop Reviews
- Topic: Review: Almost There (Switch eShop)
- Replies: 13
- Views: 2286
Review: Almost There (Switch eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are We There Yet?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Almost There is a simple little game developed by Bony Yousuf and published by The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, but is it worth sinking the hours into?
Game Mechanics:
In Almost There, there is only a straight play mode which consists of three worlds with fifty levels apiece. There is no story, multiplayer, etc. Just a straight forward select a level and play. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Almost There being this way, it just would have helped the game to have another mode to allow players to mix it up to lessen the stress the game creates. Almost There is very difficult, and to achieve three stars on some of the levels just seems inhuman at times but they are indeed achievable. However, it might take hundreds of tries before the player can streamline their movements enough to perfect a level.
Almost There is addicting due to its difficulty and the wish to perfect it, but it is a very frustrating and stressful addiction. The only other thing to say about the content part of the game is that it feels like more of a mobile game for a phone. That isn’t a “bad” thing, it just feels a little lacking for a console game.
Technical Bits:
Visuals: The graphics are fine, but the level construction is a little rough around the edges. It is not immediately noticeable if one is totally engulfed in the gameplay. Plus, the character is simple but cool. It’s a little cube that has a red ribbon around it to where it kind of looks like a ninja cube. There is also a red trail left by the cube as it moves which is a nice little touch.
Audio: The audio is also ok. The sound effects fit, but the background music is an issue. There are only three different “songs” in the whole game and they only change from world to world. This means that in one world of 50 levels the player must listen to the same song over and over as they try to complete the world. And the song is only 10-second clip on loop. It is ok for a bit, but over time the background music gets annoying.
Controls: The controls are easy to pick up on after testing the buttons on the joy-cons, but there is a problem with them. If the player tries to use the analog stick for movement, the input for it cuts out sometimes. If the stick is pushed to the left, there is a chance that it will move the character left for a moment and then stop. This makes the analogs almost unusable and almost forces the player to use the d-pad for movement which is highly disappointing.
Completion: I am not going to give an estimation of completion time because this is a kind of game everyone would take at their own pace.
Bottom-Line: This game is rough around the edges with control issues and just being hard in general. It is probably not worth playing unless you're into this genre of games. We give Just There for the Nintendo Switch a bad to below average level of recommendation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★½☆☆☆☆☆☆ 3.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #BonyYousuf #QuantumAstrophysicistsGuild #Platformer #Physics #Switch #eShop #PS4 #PSN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on March 13th 2019, 7:19 pm
- Search in: Wii U eshop Reviews
- Topic: Review: Coqui The Game (Wii U eShop)
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1998
Review: Coqui The Game (Wii U eShop)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sinking Like A Dead Frog...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed and published by Alberto Roman, Coqui The Game is a unique platformer for sure, but is extremely low quality in many ways, but how bad can this game be, you say? Continue reading our review to find out!
The gameplay is well it's a bizarre platformer with a heavy emphasis on jumping, but its mechanics are so stiff and incredibly poorly implemented it makes the game extremely frustrating to play. We honestly had an extremely difficult time forcing ourselves to play the game in its entirety due to its overwhelming issues.
The controls are among the most flawed aspects of the game, sometimes they're so stiff you'll struggle moving your frog while others it'll suddenly feel like you're slipping across ice with a layer of oil on top for extra slickness, to be frank this game has the worst controls we've ever seen in a platformer.
The audio-visual presentation doesn't fare much better with colorful yet hideous level backgrounds and equally ugly characters and enemies and if that wasn't bad enough, the soundtrack is so horrendously annoying that you'll want to rip your ears off to end your suffering, no seriously it is THAT bad.
Bottom-Line: With unique gameplay...who're we kidding Coqui The Game for the Wii U is a seriously flawed game in almost every conceivable way and has the worst soundtrack we've ever heard hands-down and as such we give the game a terrible level of recommendation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 2/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #AlbertoRoman #WiiU #eShop #Platformer #Bad
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on February 17th 2019, 11:31 am
- Search in: PS4 Retail Reviews
- Topic: Review: The Liar Princess And The Blind Prince (PS4 Retail)
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2390
Review: The Liar Princess And The Blind Prince (PS4 Retail)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lying Has Never Been So Fun!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by NIS America, The Liar Princess And The Blind Prince is a heartfelt tale about a wolf with a beautiful voice and a prince who is accidentally blinded by the wolf and their journey to restore his eyesight! Continue reading our review to find out why we highly recommend the game to all PS4 and Switch owners!
The story is most certainly the strong point of the game and is absolutely amazing! The storybook style storytelling is gorgeous, will the script is touching and at times, enchanting! The downside is the game is quite short so you'll likely wish there was more content, but what is there in-terms of story is nearly flawless!
The gameplay is the weak-point, but is still solid. Basically it's a puzzle-based platformer and its mechanics are excellent, though there isn't a whole lot of variety between the various stages which holds the game back from getting a perfect score. The game can easily be beaten in a few hours and there are a couple of different endings which adds a bit of replay value to the game.
The controls in the game are pretty easy to learn and are quite simple to master to be quite honest, and while the platforming aspects are for the most part exceptionally easy, the puzzle elements can be quite sadistic at times so expect some mind-bending puzzles that might leave you scratching your head for a spell or two.
The audio-visual presentation is nothing short of amazing, whether it's the storybook cutscenes, the gorgeous artistic backgrounds in the stages, the superbly detailed characters and enemies, or the amazing soundtrack, it's top-tier stuff and is nearly perfect!
Bottom-Line: With an amazing story, solid gameplay, excellent controls, and a nearly flawless audio-visual presentation, The Liar Princess and The Blind Prince is a great game that is worth looking into if you're an owner of a PS4 or Nintendo Switch the only downside is that the game is quite short. Anyways we give The Liar Princess and The Blind Prince a good to great level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review NipponIchiSoftware #NISA #PS4 #Switch #Retail #Platformer #Puzzler #StoryDriven #Atmospheric
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on January 8th 2019, 10:24 am
- Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: Battle Princess Madelyn (PS4 PSN)
- Replies: 20
- Views: 3162
Review: Battle Princess Madelyn (PS4 PSN)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Battle Princesses Rock!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed by Causal Bit Games and published by PR Hound, Battle Princess Madelyn is an action-platformer similar to classics such as Ghosts and Goblins, however there is so much more to the game than pure inspiration from the classics of yesteryear, but is that enough to recommend this game? We think so and here's why:
There are two noteworthy modes in Battle Princess Madelyn, one is the Story mode which is a Metroidvania style mode that is absolutely amazing, but has some flaws such as a fair bit of backtracking and not having a map which really makes it hard to navigate the world. But overall is a solid mode.
The second is arcade mode and it plays like an updated version of Ghosts 'n Goblins complete with power-up's, the ability to double-jump, and challenging gameplay, luckily it is a fair bit easier than the original Ghosts 'n Goblins while it is quite challenging with enough effort and time most players should eventually beat the game! Oh and the controls are easy to learn as well which certainly is a good thing!
The 32-bit visuals in Battle Princess Madelyn are amazing, while it does harken back to the classics, its level of detail, and fluid animation really give the game a level of polish rarely seen in an indie title, while the soundtrack is superb and fits the game like a glove! Overall the audio-visual presentation is flawless in our opinions!
Bottom-Line: With excellent gameplay, multiple enjoyable gameplay modes, easy to learn controls, and a simply breathtaking audio-visual presentation, Battle Princess Madelyn is a platforming game that no PS4 owner should miss out on, while there are a few minor gripes, the game earns a great level of recommendation from us!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #PRHound #CasualBitGames #MetroidVania #Platformer #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on August 12th 2018, 10:05 pm
- Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: Shantae ½ Genie Hero: Ultimate Edition (PS4 PSN) {2018 Indie Game of Fame Award Winner}
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2880
Review: Shantae ½ Genie Hero: Ultimate Edition (PS4 PSN) {2018 Indie Game of Fame Award Winner}
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Half Genie Legend!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed and published by WayForward Games Shantae ½ Genie Hero is the latest title in the long-running Shantae series, which is a top-tier platforming series with some Metroidvania elements, but how does this adventure stack-up to the rest? Continue reading our review to find out!
The gameplay in Shantae ½ Genie Hero is quite a bit closer to a traditional platformer compared to its previous entries which were more akin to Metroid or Castlevania, though a few of those elements such as upgrades and transformations remain. As usual you attack enemies with your hair whip, and transformations which return from the very first Shantae title, allow Shantae to reach previously impossible to reach places.
The game does seem a bit shorter than a typical Shantae title, but it makes up for it with various modes that completely change the way the game plays, such as The Mighty Switch Force mode where you must utilize switch blocks to travers courses while collecting criminals and shooting enemies. You can also kill enemies by launching them into your TV screen with the switch blocks, but be careful not to do that to Shantae now. Other fantastic modes include the fast-paced Ninja mode which allows Shantae to scale walls, slash enemies to ribbons, ans use throwing weapons. Then there's the Friends Till The End and Risky Boots campaigns which shed more light into the main game's story. There are many more modes than the one's that we mentioned and best of all, they all have a unique storyline which really adds to the replayability of the game!
The controls in Shantae ½ Genie Hero are intuitive and easy to learn while the difficulty varies greatly depending on the mode you choose. The audio-visual presentation is superb as the characters and world are lush and detailed with gorgeous use of colors while the voice acting "what little there is" and the soundtrack are flawless and fit the game perfectly.
Bottom-Line:
With incredible gameplay, a ton of different modes offering an insane amount of replayability, flawless controls, and a superb audio-visual presentation Shantae ½ Genie Hero is an amazing game that is nearly perfect in every way and as such, not only do we give it a perfect score, but we're also awarding Shantae ½ Genie Hero our 2018 Indie Game of Fame Award which means that we think that it is the best indie released since August 2017!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #WayForward #Kickstarter #Shantae #Platformer #PS4 #WiiU #Switch #PSN #eShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on May 12th 2018, 10:46 am
- Search in: PS4 PSN Reviews
- Topic: Review: Devious Dungeon (PS4 PSN)
- Replies: 12
- Views: 2178
Review: Devious Dungeon (PS4 PSN)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roguelike Funlike!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Developed and published by Ratalaika Games, Devious Dungeon is an action-platformer with some roguelike elements that had a lot of potential, but does the game live up to that potential? Not really, but it's still a fairly solid game and here's why:
Devious Dungeon's gameplay formula is relatively simple, find a key to the next floor of each stage and exit all while trying to survive, every few floors will have a rest area with a shop and a healer to heal your health for a nominal fee. Once you've progressed a bit you will take on the area's boss which is much more challenging than any normal enemy in the game and will require at least a bit of strategy to defeat.
The floors have a bit of random generation, however the number of layouts are pretty limited so expect some repetition. The difficulty level is somewhat easy and the game's platinum trophy is a cinch to earn and can even be earned twice courtesy of the Vita version which is included via crossbuy making this a perfect game to farm gold, silver, and platinum trophies for your Sony Rewards account!
The controls in Devious Dungeon are easy to learn and almost as easy to master. You'll hear no complaints from us in this regard. The audio-visual presentation is also quite solid with decent retro-style graphics and a soundtrack that is solid albeit fairly forgettable.
Bottom-line:
With solid gameplay, intuitive controls, and a decent audio-visual presentation, Devious Dungeon is a decent budget title that most people should get a fair bit of enjoyment out of, however the game fails to live up to its potential which is a shame as the game could have been fantastic if only it had a bit more depth to it. Regardless we give Devious Dungeon a decent to solid level of recommendation!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score: ★★★★★★½☆☆☆ 6.5/10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#Review #RatalaikaGames #Platformer #Roguelike #PS4 #Vita #PSTV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on June 19th 2016, 7:58 pm
- Search in: Latest Nintendo News
- Topic: E3: Exile's End Is Heading To The Wii U eShop!
- Replies: 3
- Views: 2219
E3: Exile's End Is Heading To The Wii U eShop!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Being Exiled Has Never Been So Good!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
XSEED Games has announced that they're bringing Magnetic Realms Studios' Metroidvania-style action-adventure title Exile's End to the Wii U eShop later this year!
Inspired by classic cinematic platformers such as Another World which was remastered and released on the Wii U eShop, Exile's End will provide players with a deep retro-style story unlike anything we have seen in quite some time! Anyways what do you think about this announcement? Be sure to check-out the trailer and as always feel free to leave us your thoughts in our comment section below!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#E3 #WiiU #eShop #ExilesEnd #XSEED #Platformer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on February 1st 2016, 8:19 pm
- Search in: Latest Nintendo News
- Topic: Breaking News: Oddworld New 'n' Tasty Is Finally Hitting The North American Wii U eShop On February 11th!
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1340
Breaking News: Oddworld New 'n' Tasty Is Finally Hitting The North American Wii U eShop On February 11th!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Platforming Has Never Been So Tasty!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's been a longtime coming, but the wait is nearly over as Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty has been listed on Nintendo of America's official website with a release date of February 11th! The game will be priced at $14.99!
Are you looking forward to this excellent looking upcoming platforming title? Will you be downloading the game when it hits the North American Wii U eShop next week? Be sure to watch the trailer and feel free to leave us a comment below!
Source: Nintendo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#WiiU #eShop #Platformer #Oddworld
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on January 26th 2016, 11:16 am
- Search in: WiiWareWave Exclusive Features
- Topic: Developer's Interview: Our Discussion With Rainy Night Creations Regarding Their Upcoming Title FreezeMe!
- Replies: 10
- Views: 2529
Developer's Interview: Our Discussion With Rainy Night Creations Regarding Their Upcoming Title FreezeMe!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top Secret Information Regarding FreezeMe Is Revealed!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FreezeMe is an upcoming 3D platformer that will be hitting the Wii U eShop next week so we decided to contact the developer of the game, Rainy Night Creations to find out more about their upcoming title! Here's the interview in its entirety:
Interview wrote:Hello! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions!
[RNC]:
Hello WiiWareWave! Thanks for the interview!
What games inspired you to develop FreezeMe?
[RNC]:
Mainly Super Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie.
But there are a lot of my favorite childhood games there, like Zelda OOT, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, etc…
Some people say it looks more to Galaxy than 64, there is certainly a faux gravity mechanic in some places inspired by the aforementioned title, but when you play the game you will see the differences.
How does the freezing mechanic work in FreezeMe?
[RNC]:
The main character has a special camera, you can aim at anything that moves within a range and Freeze it for a short period of time.
The way of Freezing the objects depends on the controller you are using you can tap on the Wii U Gamepad, Aim with the Wii Remote or use the right bumper on the Wii U Pro Controller.
The freezing is needed to overcome some obstacles or resolves some puzzles. But you can also use it to make platforming easier if some cases.
How much content in-terms of stages/worlds and collectibles does FreezeMe possess?
[RNC]:
There are 4 main worlds + 6 challenge levels + the HUB.
You have to collect 40 Golden Cubes and 80 Green Coins.
There are also 14 Salamanders that are not required to finish the game but will unlock some cool stuff after completion.
How long did it take your team to develop FreezeMe?
[RNC]:
I´m a solo developer, this took a bit more than 3 years of my life.
What made you decide to develop a 3D platformer?
[RNC]:
There are a many games that left me a mark when I was teenager, but mainly two, Metal Gear Solid 1 PSX and Super Mario 64.
I always wanted to develop something similar to those games, and well this time I went for Mario.
What is your favorite aspect of FreezeMe?
[RNC]:
The size of the worlds. That was the thing that impressed me the most when I got to play Mario 64 for the first time, the feeling of roaming around in a big and colorful world.
When can we expect the game to be released in AUS/NZ, EU, and JP?
[RNC]:
For AUS/NZ, EU as soon as I get the ratings from PEGI, USK and ACB. That´s beyond me at this stage and I don´t have any specific dates. Hope it happens soon.
For JP is a little bit trickier, we are not allowed to publish for Wii U JP unless you are a established company there, and I am not, so I would have to go through a publisher. Let´s see how it goes.
Thanks for answering our questions! Hopefully we'll have the opportunity to interview you again in the future!
[RNC]:
Thank you for making this happen and take care!
Take care!
What did you think of our interview with Rainy Night Creations? Will you be downloading FreezeMe for the Wii U when it hits the eShop next week? Be sure to let us know in our comments section below!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#WiiU #eShop #3D #Platformer #RainyNightCreations #Interview
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on January 25th 2016, 1:36 pm
- Search in: Latest Nintendo News
- Topic: eShop: FreezeMe Hits The North American Wii U eShop On February 4th!
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1354
eShop: FreezeMe Hits The North American Wii U eShop On February 4th!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Picture Perfect!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rainy Night Creations has confirmed via social media that their upcoming 3D Platformer FreezeMe will be hitting the North American Wii U eShop on February 4th! The game will launch with a discounted price of $9.99 and will then increase to $13.99 thereafter.
Are you looking forward to this upcoming Wii U eShop title? As always, let us know in our comments section below!
Source: Nintendo Everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#WiiU #eShop #3D #Platformer #Indie #RainyNightCreations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- on January 21st 2016, 9:06 pm
- Search in: Latest Nintendo News
- Topic: eShop: FreezeME "approved for release" on Wii U + new trailer
- Replies: 5
- Views: 1623
eShop: FreezeME "approved for release" on Wii U + new trailer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Freeze for this trailer!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While FreezeME has been released for PC recently, the Wii U port was still not out yet. You'll only wait a little bit longer though, as the developer has said on Twitter than FreezeME has been "Approved for release" and has released a new trailer for the Wii U version, check it out above!
Are you getting FreezeME? Does it look interesting? Join the discussion below!
Source from Nintendo Everything
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#WiiU #eShop #FreezeMe #3D #Platformer #Nindie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
