Game Title: Bleed
Developed By: Bootdisk Revolution
Published By: Digerati
Released: December 14, 2017
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Arcade, Platformer, Adventure, First Person
ESRB Rating: Teen for Blood, Violence
Number of Players: Up to 2 Players simultaneous
Price: $14.99

Thank you to Digerati for this review copy!

Bleed is a fun, action, shooter that had it's frustrating moments, but overall was a blast to get through. Digerati is quickly becoming one of my favorite publishers, as they have many successful games under their belt. Wryn has a fantastic dream of becoming the number one hero of all time, and for her to get that title, she must kill all the previous heroes.

There is a very light story, that is mentioned above. It just ties things together, so you know why you are going on this crazy rampage. This game is challenging, and after the first level I had to change the difficulty to easy! I know, I am a wimp at these old school action games. I was able to get though all seven stages, and complete the game. Each level has a different theme and hero to take down. Each level also had these mini-bosses, that provided a decent challenge. You will be battling in a mansion, underground, in a dragon’s heart, to even on moving trains, which was one of my favorite levels. You will complete the level once you beat the hero of that level. Your arsenal includes, pistols, a shotgun, a laser rifle, and mines to name a few. You can upgrade your slow-motion ability, and hearts. Every time you complete a level you will earn points and you can use those to upgrade Wryn. Enemies will pounce all over you in each level, and you will move your right stick to shoot bad guys and it's nice you do not have to worry about ammunition, or even reloading. Just hold that stick and aim. You can also do a triple-dash jump, and even slow down time. The slow-motion ability is very important, as you can jump higher and further then in normal time. What really frustrated me at first was this dash jump. You can jump three times straight up, but if you wanted to move your character left or right while jumping, you would do a dash. This dash led to me dying repeatedly, because I couldn’t just jump and move my character an inch to the left or right; my character would move like five feet. Once I got it down, it became easier, but it was difficult in the first few levels. You can equip two weapons at a time and knowing which weapon to equip, can make the difference between life and death.
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There are quite a few extras in this game. There is an arcade mode, challenge mode, and you can unlock different characters to play as. In arcade mode, you have one life to make it all the way through the game or it is game over. What is crazy is that you can change the difficulty and even the amount of health, where you can change it to one hit and your dead! Now that is some crazy challenge. In challenge mode, you can choose up to three bosses to fight, at the same time! You can change the arena, and the difficulty. This is a great, fun mode to challenge yourself with. I did the last three bosses at once, and boy that was super difficult. Once you complete it, you feel great and really accomplished. There are even three more characters to unlock and play as, each with their own unique gameplay.

The graphics are simple but get the job done. I appreciate that each level has a good design and theme to it. No level felt that same. The game is fast, and fluid, which makes for exciting gameplay. You will be dashing, dodging, and blowing enemies up in slow-motion, in no time. It feels retro and the soundtrack has a nice 8bit feel to it.

Bleed is an exciting action, old school, shooter. The core story mode is challenging, and you extra game modes that will test your limits! This game will make you bleed, and am sure you will enjoy it.
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Score: 76% Good!
Gameplay: 3/5
Graphics: 3/5
Sound: 3/5
Stability: 5/5
Controls: 5/5
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Game Title: Hiragana Pixel Party
Developed By: Spring Loaded
Published By: Spring Loaded
Released: December 16, 2017
Available On: Mobile, Nintendo Switch, PC,
Genre: Music, Education, Action, Platformer
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Number of Players: 1 Player
Price: $8.99

Thank you to Spring Loaded for this review copy!
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Hiragana Pixel Party is a very unique game. There is no story, no bells and whistles, it's a straight up, music platformer, with the goal being that you learn some Japanese. I believe the main writing system in Japan consists of Hiragana and Katakana. There is Kanji, but there are like fifty thousand of those, it’s just too much to cram into a game. Years ago, I started learning Hiragana, but it never really stuck. The developer mentioned that he wanted to create this game while dating a Japanese woman. He wanted a fun way to learn some Japanese, so he made this game. The core game here is simple, but effective. You will be jumping over crates, by taping the corresponding button to the hiragana/katakana symbol. Easy right? The thing is that each time you clear some crates, the buttons change so you can’t rely on pressing the same button for the same symbol. Later, it gets more challenging, where they show the letter in English, and you must match it with the Japanese letters. The game will give a pattern of symbols with only the sound, and no symbol on the boxes. There are I think about sixteen music tracks, that are all catchy. There is a total of 192 levels for each Katakana and Hiragana sections. The gameplay is great, and you know what? It works. I played for an hour or so a day for a week, and by the end of the week I was clearing them easier. It was difficult at first, as you must unlock six points to move on to the next section. When you successfully clear a pattern, you gain a bird, and if you hit a box, you lose a bird. If you lose all the birds, it's game over. You are rated by how well you match and jump over the boxes. Each level has three total points to collect, which means ideally you can get nine points total in a section, though you only need six to move on. Some sections were hard, but after a few days it became easier and easier. The level design is basic, and the backgrounds have different designs. Honestly, in a game like this, it says much more about the game that you learn the language and is fun. It is perfect on the Switch as you can practice at home or on the go. I easily can recommend this game if you want to learn some Japanese. If you don’t care about Japanese, I don’t know if there is enough here to sway you. This is a great educational game that should not be overlooked. I can say for sure that the time I put into it, I walked away actually learning a new language.
 
Overall Score: 84% Great (It actually works!)
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 3/5
Sound: 4/5
Stability: 5/5
Controls: 5/5

Game Title: Never Stop Sneakin’
Developed By: Humble Hearts LLC
Published By: Humble Hearts
Released: December 14, 2017
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Action, Arcade, Strategy
ESRB Rating: Everyone for Fantasy Violence
Number of Players: 1 Player
Price: $14.99

Thank you to Humble Hearts for this review copy!

Never Stop Sneakin’ is a fun, and loving tribute to the Metal Gear Solid series, even if it is easier. From the graphics, to the narrative, to the different elements of gameplay, this is one stealth game you will not want to miss. The names of the characters are hilarious, and the opening scene has you laughing and saying WTF? The humor is genuinely funny, and I had a blast playing this game.

You start the game as an agent that works for a high ranking general. Amadeus has kidnapped all the Presidents throughout time, with his time machine, and is holding them ransom. He wants to be the next President, and its up to you and your crew to stop this mad man. Your job is to find the intel, and build your own time machine to stop him. The story is ridiculous, but it feels like it fits with the rest of the silliness in the game.

As an agent, you will go on various missions: like getting intel, rescuing workers, and getting equipment for your own base. Each set of levels are different each time you play. There are different settings for each group of levels like, jungle, artic, lab, or a plane theme, to name a few. The layout will be different and randomized, so no level feels exactly the same. There are over twenty-five different agents to play as, and over twenty-five weapons to unlock. As you make progress in building your base, you will unlock clearance cards that let you go deeper into the base. Levels are in sets of three; two levels and one boss level. Each clearance level you gain adds another set of levels to go through.

To complete a level, you must make it to the exit. There are guards, cameras, and gun turrets that will impede your progress. At its heart, Never Stop Sneakin’ is an action, stealth game. You will move fast, and you will want to stay hidden. You have three hearts, so, three shots and your'e dead. Controls are so simple as you only use one joystick for everything. You just move, and you attack automatically. When you approach a guard, your agent will perform a stealth kill. If you are spotted, they will open fire and kill you. At the beginning, this may seem too easy, because your only in three levels. When you get clearance to go deeper into the enemy camp and you're nine levels in, then it gets harder. You do not get to refill your hearts after you complete a level; you must make it all the way to the end. You will get other weapons like bullets, which you will fire automatically; if a guard spots you, it kills him instantly. There are a couple different grenades that can be found too. There are perks you unlock to aid you in your sneaky business. These are rewarded to you as you upgrade your base.  There are perks like the ability to refill your hearts if you go through all three of them, a perk to help you find more ammo, etc. Money is spread all around the level and is called ESP. ESP is used to buy perks in a level, or to upgrade your base. There are many computers to hack that will spit out money or perks for your agent to use. The third level in each grouping, is a boss fight. These will range from robots you have to destroy, a helicopter you must shoot down, or just stronger enemies that take multiple hits. Again, these are different each time you play. At the end of each level, you are scored on earned ESP, combat, floor bonus, package bonus and then are given a mission total. 
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This game is a lot of fun to play, as rooms can be cleared quickly. Even though the layout of the levels is always different, after a few hours things start to look the same. The assets are all re-used, so things start to feel similar the longer you play. And as simple and as automated as things are, it becomes a challenge the further into the base you go, because you must survive longer.

The graphics are awesome and have a retro, PlayStation one, feel to them. Of course, there are more effects then what they had back then, but it feels like your playing Metal Gear Solid. The way the cut scenes look, the graphics, the dialogue box, the base building, and the stealth gameplay, all scream Metal Gear Solid. I really enjoyed it, and the writing was often funny.

The controls are like I said, are simple, only requiring one joystick to do everything. You can play by using the touchscreen, though, I found it easier and more precise to just use the joy stick. When you’re in the base there is this epic song that plays and reminds of something out of an opening to a James Bond movie. The rest of the tracks are good and fit the stealth gameplay.

Never Stop Sneakin’ is a fantastic homage and parody of Metal Gear Solid. It has cut scenes, graphics, and stealth gameplay that will remind of the golden days of stealth games. Though it is simplified, there is enough challenge to keep you entertained for hours on end. Please don’t let this game sneak by!

Overall Score: 84 % Great!
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 3/5
Controls: 5/5
Stability: 5/5
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Game Title: Embers of Mirrim
Developed By: Creative Bytes
Published By: Creative Bytes Studios
Released: December 7, 2017
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Platformer, Adventure, Puzzles, Action
ESRB Rating: Everyone for Mild Fantasy Violence
Number of Players: 1 Player
Price: $19.99

Thank you to Creative Bytes for this review copy!
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Do you remember the game Entwined for the Sony platform? It was this unique game where you had to rotate both joy sticks at the same time, even in opposite directions to collect orbs. It was beautiful and challenging and reminds me a little bit of Embers of Mirrim. Embers is a unique, one of a kind, platforming, puzzle, adventure game. I have never played anything quite like this.

You start off playing two different kinds of beasts, one white, one black. Eventually the two become one, a mystical creature with the ability to split into light and dark entities called Embers. Mirrim will explore different landscapes as the story unfolds. There is no dialogue, only music, in the cut scenes throughout the game. Using visuals, and gameplay to tell the story is a unique way of communicating. Your job as Mirrim is to stop the corruption from spreading and bring unity back to this world. Mirrim can do a variety of tasks, including jumping, gliding, and a ground attack. By far the most unique ability that Mirrim has, is to split itself into two Embers. Green is light, purple is darkness. You will use the triggers and joy sticks to control Mirrim and split him apart. This creates some very unique gameplay, as it will revolve around you being able to separate into two, and control both, one with your right hand, and one with your left hand. Often one part of the screen will be purple, the other green, and only those Embers can fly in that colored zone. Your time is limited, so you will change back in a matter of seconds unless you hit a metal orb of the matching color or a grid. Each time you hit one you get a few seconds more to be split. The only time you have unlimited time being split, is when you’re in that Ember’s grid. You will mostly make your way through the level, exploring. First you learn that you can split yourself into two to get to higher places. Then you find that you can affect nature or creatures depending on if you hit them with the light side or dark. For instance, a mushroom, if hit by darkness, will shrivel up and will launch you into the air when touched. If you hit it with light, it will shoot out a bar that you can walk on. You will also have puzzles that involve a cannon that can blast you, but only if you are the right Ember. It really does become tricky moving the separate Embers up and down separately with different joy sticks. You will have to become ambidextrous, which is a challenge. The more you practice the easier it gets. It really does create a unique platforming adventure. You will also find glyphs that require you to split to crate some sort of picture. Boss fights utilized the ability to split into Embers and really creates something different. These took practice and eventually I got it down, and it was satisfying. 

The universe and lands range from mountains, to forest lands, to wastelands. Each level stands out, as the graphics are beautiful. There are lots of details that just make the environment come alive. The music is powerful too. It fits perfectly with game, and even has moments where it picks up the tempo when your being chased or moments of tranquility as you move through a forest. Most of it is relaxing as you explore each level. The art has a fantasy theme, drawing from 80's movies like, labyrinth and Dark Crystal. There is enough variation where nothing feels boring.

The controls work perfectly, though actually splitting and moving the Embers will take some practice. You will get better as you keep trying. Sometimes there were sections of the game where it was difficult and got stuck and just had to take a break. That is totally okay. Usually when I would return I would get it down quickly. The game runs great on the Switch, with no hiccups or frame rate issues, whether it was docked or in handheld mode.

Embers of Mirrim is a fantastic game. You have never played anything quite like this and offers a unique experience. It stands out in its narrative, characters and unique gameplay. It is a steal for under twenty bucks and recommend you buy it now!

Score: 92% Fantastic
Gameplay: 5/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4/5
Stability: 5/5
Controls: 5/5
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Game Title: Tennis in the Face
Developed By: 10tons Ltd
Published By: 10tons
Released: December 8, 2017
Available On: Mobile, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Puzzle, Sports
ESRB Rating: Everyone for Fantasy Violence
Number of Players: 1 Player
Price: $4.99
 
Thank you 10tons for the review copy!
 
Despite what you think, 10tons doesn’t just put out action, twin stick shooters, they also put out on occasion, casual games. Enter Tennis in the Face, which is a hilarious take on a puzzle game. The premise here is to take revenge on different types of people, in different environments, by hitting them in the face with a tennis ball, which sends them flying with rag doll physics.
You are Pete Pagassi and your goal is to save the city from an evil energy drink company called explodz. You see Pagassi was addicted to that explodz energy drink and has made it his personal mission to take them down. If you drink explodz, watch out, because Pagassi will serve up some justice with a tennis ball to the face. This energy drink and company are evil and ruined Pagassi’s tennis career.
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Cops, clowns, hipsters and more will impede your progress, so you will just have to knock them all over. Each section of the map has a different Explodz enthusiast that will block your way of getting to the factory. The setup in every level is different too. It starts of easy enough with some clowns, but it will get harder, with even scientists that have protective suits, or cops that have shields, that require multiple hits to take down. Each level opens with some sort of saying, which is usually hilarious. Each level most be completed with the limited amount of tennis balls or Explodz cans that you have. The goal is to knock down each person in the level, whether that is by a tennis ball, an Explodz can, a body, you name it. If it knocks them over, it counts. Often you will hit the tennis ball and it will bounce of walls, stone slabs, metal and bounce for about ten seconds or so. There are things like glass that stop the ball once it is hit. Often the level design shines, as explosives, cans of tennis balls, or barrels will be spread throughout the level, to help you destroy these explodz fan boys. An example may be that you must throw a can of Explodz that explodes after a few seconds, to blow up a can of tennis balls, that knocks a barrel down on top of your enemy. Some of the levels will be completed by luck, sometimes skill. The physics in the game are fantastic and are fun just to play around with. My two little kids loved playing and just knocking the tennis ball around to see where it would go. You can earn a gold crown in each level, by how many projectiles you used, with the goal amount changing every stage. You do get scored on each level as well, so using as little amount of balls to do the most damage, nets you the most points. You can earn achievements as well, which had some fun goals.
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My main issue with the game is with the design of some of the levels. Some levels require the perfect hit, or the physics will not work right, which can be very frustrating after the tenth time. This issue didn’t happen all the time, but when it did, the game became frustrating. Some levels I would try and have to come back to. When coming back to those levels, often it was just random luck that I would beat the level.

The graphics were nice and even looked good on my T.V. Each enemy was distinct and different. The cops would have doughnuts in their hands, and when hit, the doughnuts would fly out of their hand. I know I had played this on mobile before and it’s nice to be able to play this on the big screen, not just on my phone. The music is what you expect, and fits with puzzle theme of the game.

10tons has quickly become one of favorite developers. They create amazing twin stick shooters, with depth, and even know how to make a delightful casual game that is funny. There are not a lot of games that you can just pick up and play for a few mins, and then put away. This fits the bill perfectly and is a blast to play!
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Overall Score: 80%
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 3/5
Sound: 3/5
Stability: 5/5
Controls: 5/5
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​Game Title: The Sexy Brutale
Developed By: Cavalier Game Studios
Published By: Tequila Works
Released: December 7, 2017
Available On: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Adventure, Puzzles
ESRB Rating: Teen for blood and violence
Number of Players: 1 Player
Price: $19.99

Thank you Tequila Works for the review copy!
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Remember that movie, Groundhog Day, with Bill Murray? Where he would wake up every morning, and live the same day, over and over again? Take that premise or reliving the same day, and add in some murders, and you get The Sexy Brutale. Lafacdio Boone is the main protagonist in this Groundhog Day. You wake up in The Sexy Brutale Casino/mansion, where people are being murdered in an endless, single-day loop, and only Lafacdio can relive the day and try to prevent the killings. You will be captivated as you play detective and try to prevent each murder.

Early on the game you will figure out that only you, can relive each day, and that you are there to stop the murders from happening. Gameplay revolves around exploring the mansion and casino, finding clues, and then trying to stop the murder before it happens. You will be able to upgrade your stopwatch and relive a bigger section of the day after the beginning murder.  It is good to see how the murder happens on the first day loop, then investigate the rooms for items or clues, then try to prevent the murder on future day loops. An example, is with the first murder. A person gets shot, and its up to you to stop it. As you explore, you find a blank bullet, and then load it into the gun to prevent the murder. The gun jams, and you succeed in preventing a murder. The thing is that you cannot be in the same room as other people, so you will be doing a lot of spying, and listening in the shadows. After they leave a room, you get your chance to investigate. After each murder is solved you will receive their mask, which will give you different abilities to aid you on your quest. You can always reset the day or move to the afternoon by using a clock. The in-game map is a huge help, as it tracks each room you have been, and each character’s movement path. As you use your new abilities, you will be able to explore more of the mansion. You will also be able to collect fifty-two playing cards and that are spread around the mansion. If you are in a room with another character, the room gets red and their mask will chase you until you leave the room. It is very hard to die in this game. When you get to the end, and I will not spoil it, I was impressed. It has an amazing twist that you will want to get to and will leave you thinking days after you finish it.

​The mood of the game is dark, and there is almost a sense of sadness throughout. The Gothic, almost Chibi art, sets the mood and the environment. The casino and mansion look fantastic. Sometimes I wished that I could run as Boone to get somewhere faster or see more rooms quickly, yet that is not this game. This game is a puzzle game and requires patience. I noticed some stalls in the game when loading a new area from time to time or some long loading times. It doesn’t break the game, and hopefully it will be patched in the future. The jazzy soundtrack adds to the atmosphere of the game and is excellent.
The Nintendo Switch has nothing like this murder mystery in its game library. It is simply a great adventure and one worth exploring. The game deals with guilt, remorse etc. The tale it weaves is great. You will enjoy you time in The Sexy Brutale as you seek to stop these murders from happening.
 
Score: 82%
Gameplay: 17/20
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Stability: 4/5
Controls: 5/5
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​The graphics on this game had me dropping my jaw in awe! Just like the Trine series, this game is quite a sight to behold. There were many times I would just stop and explore, just to look at the gorgeous scenery. Each group of levels have their own look and feel. The opening levels are on a beach and the water and lighting are just amazing. I remember seeing a rainbow in a waterfall, colorful coral reefs, and crystal blue water. There are many different environments, beach, caverns, snow levels, and even some that feel like fall. The leaves are all orange and red, grass, trees, just everything looks beautiful. I cannot tell you how fantastic this game looks. The enemies are all varied and colorful. The sound is great, with some good voice work including the narrator. The controls were spot on and the game runs smoothly whether docked or in handheld mode.

The biggest issue I had with the game so far is that there is only one save file. When I started the game, I picked single player just to jump into it. When I wanted to join online, you erase whatever file you had previously and start at the beginning of the game again. Your character level stays the same and everything you have unlocked, whether it’s hats, staves, or skills. If you want to go back to single player? You must start the game over again. Now the developer has already addressed the issue and multiple save files are coming and that is great news! Another compliant is that while playing online, why can’t I just choose a level and start from there? Why do I have to start at the beginning, each and every time? Now you can join a game, and see where someone is. If they have an opening great, but why not let us choose what level we want to play? My last compliant is the difficulty at times. Most of the game I got through okay, but some parts would feel like there was a huge difficulty spike. I remember about midway through the game, I got stuck in this one area for like an hour, and couldn’t figure out how to defeat this onslaught of enemies. I did figure it out, but man was it hard. Frozenbyte is a great developer and they already planning on fixing things. They are open to feedback and I appreciate that. I have full confidence they will continue to make this game the best it can be. These are all minor complaints, as the game is fantastic.

At the end of the day this is truly a magical adventure. The graphics are stunning and the gameplay fun and exciting, especially with other people playing. I would encourage anyone that is even remotely interested in this game to give it a go, as this game is a steal at under twenty bucks.
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Score: 94%
Gameplay: 19/20
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 8/10
Stability: 5/5
Controls: 5/5

Game Title: Jydge
Developed By: 10tons Ltd
Published By: 10tons
Released: October 19, 2017
Available On: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Action, First Person, Role-Playing, Arcade
ESRB Rating: Teen for Blood, Violence
Number of Players: 1 Player, 2 Player locally
Price: $14.99
 
Thank you 10tons for providing the review copy!
 
Out of all the twin stick shooters on the Nintendo Switch, Jydge is my favorite twin stick shooter currently just beating out Neon Chrome by just a hair. 10tons keep hitting it out of the park! Jydge takes place in the Neon Chrome universe and has many nods to that game. Jydge has the action gameplay, with an upgrade system that is unbelievable. There are tons of replay value here, and will have you coming back constantly to unlock the latest perks/upgrades.
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You are a Jydge that is part of a city-wide initiative to stop the criminals that are ruining your city. You will take part in about twenty missions ranging from stopping bank robberies, to putting an end to street riots, to rescuing hostages. Each level is unique and has that Neon Chrome look to it. The level design is incredible, as it allows you many ways to complete the mission. There are multiple entry points, and depending on what perks you have equipped, may be able to stealth your way in, or go in guns blazing. Each level has three normal medals to earn, and three hardcore medals to earn, for a grand total of 138 different medals (challenges) to complete. Normal challenges will consist of things like fulfilling your main goal of the mission, not taking any damage, destroy all enemies, complete the level in twenty seconds, to rescuing all the hostages. The hardcore mode as even more challenges with more enemies and hostages to rescue. The addictive loop here is the progression system. I don’t think I have ever seen so many upgrades in a game, it’s quite staggering. Each level you complete will earn you cold, hard, cash. The levels are quite generous in giving you money, and if you take your time and destroy every little thing you will earn even more. In the Bank robbery level, I would make maybe two thousand dollars, but I destroyed ATM’s, desks, just everything I could and made almost ten thousand dollars! Now this may seem excessive, but trust me you will need every dollar.

The first progression system is for you, the Jydge. You can equip up to four different Cyberware enhancements at a given time. How many are there? Oh, just a few, say thirty-five! These totally change the way you play the game, and will aid you in completing certain medals. There are Cyberware that enhance your life, make you faster, let you hack boxes, and let you see more of the level by zooming out, etc. These are just a fraction of what is available. The way you tackle a level will depend on what Cyberware you have equipped. Now the Gavel is your gun, and has its own progression system. There are fourteen different bullets you can equip and experiment with. Lead byllets, shotgyn, plasma, lasers, are just a few of the different ammo you can unlock. Now each bullet type can be upgraded with your money, up to ten levels, which increases the damage dealt to enemies. Mods are another way to customize your weapon and you can equip up to three different ones at a given time. There are twenty-five of these perks to spend all that money on. Mods range from, every time you reload plasma shoots out, to bullets piercing through walls. Lastly, the gavel comes with a special ammo, like rockets, shock orbs, or stun grenades. You can see why you earn so much money, because everything costs money to upgrade or unlock. As for as special ammo and regular ammo, you can only choose one, so choose carefully. With all these ways to customize your Jydge, you really do get different ways to play through a level. It is totally up to you, and I love it. It makes replaying levels a blast as I wanted to unlock every perk/upgrade and try them out. Another thing I appreciate is if you fail a level, you are given shortcuts to all your perks to switch them out on the fly, without having to go back to the main hub.

Game Title: Plague Road
Developed By: Arcade Distillery
Published By: Arcade Distillery
Released: December 7, 2017
Available On: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Strategy, Role-Playing
ESRB Rating: Everyone for Fantasy Violence
Number of Players: 1 Player
Price: $10.00

Thank you Arcade Distillery for the review copy!

I have played several Rogue type games in the past, as it is one of my favorite types of games. Any game with rouge lite elements are my kind of jam. Plague Road is an exciting take on the strategy RPG gene with some rouge like elements thrown in for fun. It has a unique way of leveling up progressing through the game. Plague Road had its hooks in me as I kept coming back for more RPG goodness.
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The premise of the game is you’re a doctor on the road, heading back to a city that has been consumed by a disease. The game moves like an action brawler but battles are turn based strategy. His job is to rescue those that were left behind on the road and utilize them in any way you see fit, as you make your way to the disease-ridden city. Each area is randomly laid out, so it never feels the same. Your goal is to get to the next area while saving survivors and sending them back to your farm. When you die, you are sent back to the farm where you can assign your survivors that you rescued, to different houses that can increase your stats, abilities, etc. You can also take them out with you which makes surviving battles easier, and getting though the area, you are in. It is a neat concept and addicting once you get going. Some people you rescue are better at different jobs, and each have their own unique abilities, health, and stamina counts. The trick here is deciding who goes where, and which survivors to take with you. When you encounter an enemy on the road, and touch them, the battle begins. It is a turn based, strategy battle. You will move characters and then decide to use an attack, skill, or item. Everything costs stamina and when a battle ends, you do not get your life and a little stamina is refilled. There are chests with potions that can help refill these when your low. It is a lot fun, going into a randomized area and finding survivors, as you never know who you got until back at the farm. The main rouge lite element is when you die you must start the area all over again, and each time you start an area, the layout is randomized. There is a total of four distinct areas to get through. 

The game has unique art style that I have not seen before. It has weird colored vegetation and enemies. It reminds a little of a steampunk theme. There are lots of different enemies that have different abilities. Some are wolves, some odd-looking bandits, to scary scarecrows. Each survivor that you rescue has its own distinct look too. The controls work very well on the Switch, though it’s confusing as to which button you press to open the menu. At first, I thought it was a mistake, but it is the plus sign on the right top of your Joycon. The way it looks on screen makes me think I had to have hit the right directional button. It’s a little confusing though I don’t know how to tell people it’s the plus sign, not the directional pad.

Overall I had fun with this game. You will have fun collecting all the different survivors and managing how to best use them. I wanted to rescue all the survivors just to see their different abilities and stats. There is an element of luck, because of the randomness. Anyone wanting a decent strategy RPG with the unique twist of the survivors, pick up Plague Road.
 
Score: 78%
Gameplay: 15/20
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 7/10
Stability: 5/5
Controls: 5/5

Game Title: Slain: Back from Hell
Developed By: Andrew Gilmour/ Stage Clear Studios
Published By: Digerati
Released: December 7, 2017
Available On: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Arcade, Action, Adventure, Platformer
ESRB Rating: Mature for Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
Number of Players: 1 Player
Price: $19.99

​Thank you digerati for the review copy!

Slain: Back from Hell is one of the most challenging, old school games that I have ever played. There were times where I had to re-due sections multiple times. Challenge in games like these can be hit or miss for me personally. On one hand, I like to have a decent amount of challenge, but it must be the right balance. Often, I wanted to throw my controller against the wall. I haven’t had that kind of challenge in a long time. If you want a challenging action game with awesome graphics and music this game is for you.
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Slain: Back to Hell has only one game mode to boot and that is the story mode or campaign.  You have been woken up, brought back to life, to kill the demons that have infested the land. The story is honestly forgettable, but it does have some sort of narrative, which is better than nothing. Each level has a very distinct feel to it. Some are outside, some in tombs, and some in old castles. It is bloody, and gory, and overall has a dark tone to it. There are several different enemies ranging from skeletons, to weird flying creatures, to animal creatures. The design of these monsters all look amazing and fit into the theme of the game. Your goal is to make it to the end of each level where you usually face off against some sort of boss. These are very hard and where I struggled the most. You must be patient and learn their attacks, and then, tailor what you have learned to defeat them.  You have a basic attack (y button) that can be hit multiple times to do a basic combo. You can jump (b button) and block (x button) incoming attacks. If you time your block just right, you will block the attack and be able to perform a critical strike. This is key to getting through the waves of enemies. You also have a special attack if you hold the attack button down that is very powerful. Hitting the L button lets you dash backwards to dodge attacks. The R button lets you use a magic attack and if held with the down button, does a burst attack that can clear a room of bad guys. When you transverse the level there will be switches to hit and traps to avoid. You will eventually get different weapons, like a sword on fire and then an ax later on. The whole campaign should take about five hours or so. It took me a lot longer as I had to replay sections repeatedly. At times the combat gets repetitive and you wish there were some RPG elements added in to flesh out the gameplay a little bit. 

The old school pixel graphics are amazing. Everything oozes the personality of the dark theme. Backgrounds are animated at times and the variations of enemies are incredible. I cannot tell you how great the game looks and runs. Rain and snow will be falling at times and looks fantastic. There is never any slowdown even with multiple enemies on the screen at once. The sound effects are there and the music shines as well. There is an awesome heavy metal soundtrack that reminds me of Doom, and fits the game well.

My main compliant is the difficulty of the game. I really wish there was an easier game mode that I could try, and then come back later to a harder mode. The game really frustrated me and at times would walk away from playing. I would come back though and keep trying to move forward. Slain: Back from Hell is tough. I would only give a recommendation if you like very challenging games. Everything else about the game shines, but is not for the faint of heart.
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Score: 84%
Gameplay: 14/20
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 8/10
Stability: 5/5
Controls: 5/5
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