July High concentrate games
This month was very much dominated to a very select few games that took a lot more hours invested than expected. This including Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (left over from last month), RWBY: Grimm Eclipse, and (unfortunately) Hellgate: London. Still I managed to sneak a few more games in this month and made decent progress. It’s a shame I still have mountains to climb to still get through the backlog with assuredly more high concentrate games in there… but the climb to Mt. Everest is often the journey and finally conquering it, with any enjoyment along the way much desired.
The only company I know of that would parody and “bootleg” their own collection of games along with some others. This collection includes Enter the Gun Dungeon (Enter the Gungeon), Hotline Milwaukee (Hotline Miami), Ape Out Jr. (Unknown), ShootyBoots (Downwell), Super Absolver Mini: Turbo Fighting Championship (Absolver, but also a joke about how Street Fighter re-releases games), Catsylvania (Castlevania), PikuBiku Ball Stars (Unknown), and Luftrousers III (Luftrausers).
The main appeal to this collection of games is a combination of current favorite games turned classic Atari/NES and the weird humor that is put into its implementation that Devolver Digital is known for. Some games felt a little easy (Luftrausers III), while some had some serious difficulty (Catsylvania), but all provided that nostalgic feeling while incorporating more or less enjoyable gameplay. Some even had couch play capability (Super Absolver Mini, PikuBiku Ball Stars) that allows versus play with your friends.
All in all, if you enjoy any of the non-bootlegged variations of the games listed, and have an appreciation of classic gaming and Devolver humor then I would most definitely recommend. Especially since it is at a very cheap price when most classic game bundles cost much more.
This game was already previously beaten, but thanks to July’s Monthly theme (Ruby - Seriously this worked on so many levels, the main color is red, the show is called RWBY, and the lead protagonist’s name is Ruby… I get extra points for this right? :3), but now got the chance to finish off all the achievements. To much of my surprise, I succeeded! Despite all the multiplayer dependent achievements (particularly the four player dependent ones).
Note: For those of you still trying to get such achievements, I still have the game installed and willing to help out those who still need/want them.
Overview of Game I’m gonna be quick since I technically already reviewed this. This is a very barebones game with a RWBY skin over it. Beat enemies to get to a random objective, then defend said random objective for set amount of waves. There are other modes that include more objective defense or simply surviving wave after waves of Grimm (the enemy). Up to four players can play with Team RWBY (plus Team JNPR) to pick from with skills and challenges to slightly customize your playstyle.
Only recommended for die hard fans of the show, and even at that maybe at discounted price. Only wish the show had another chance at a dedicated game, because it really deserves a better game.
Another VR game that, I believe, spawned from the massive success of Rick and Morty (Other example includes Accounting +). I first would like to note, this isn’t a VR game as much where you interact with items yourself, but rather control another character while your avatar is sitting in a chair playing them (playing a game inside of game pretty much). Despite that, this is one of the better third person(?) VR games that didn’t cause any motion sickness (unlike Super Lucky’s Tale) and that the avatar still has some functional use outside of controlling another character.
The game itself is generally a singleplayer game with basic combat, but most of its appeal likely comes from the comedy aspect. In particular, the type of comedy that Justin Roiland is now known for… where conversations just keep going… and you are just sitting there… in your chair… waiting through the ad libbed rambling of some comedic value… you do a lot of sitting and listening. Of course, you don’t have to sit through it, you can do the tasks you are given and skip all of that. However, there will be a lot of dialogue missed, which again seems to be the main comedic value of the game. There are various simple puzzles and very odd creatures, NPC’s, and mechanics you will encounter along the way.
Synopsis You are a Chairorpian (species that never leaves their chair) one day your special two dogs are stolen by a powerful being and puts them in his eye holes to become more powerful. Using a power baby, you can control Trover to hopefully stop this evil being.
Recommendation? If you already are VR capable, and are a big fan of Justin Roiland, then this will be an easy recommended for you. Otherwise if you aren’t into ad libbed rambling as comedic value, I would consider passing, especially since the price is a bit much for a couple houred game.
A simple game to learn, but hard to master. You get up to three diverse classes to pick from and fight through floor after floor of dungeon. Each floor has one enemy that comes with a set of attack patterns, and your character can either attack, charge attack, or defend. The real skill comes if you can attack during the enemies wind up to cause bonus damage, learn attack patterns, and know when to defend. Completing floors and dungeons awards you items (which can be lost on death), gold (used to upgrade your characters abilities), and progression to the Deep Dungeon of Doom. Once you conquer the Deep Dungeon of Doom, an endless dungeon for you to grind out is also available. There are also secrets, and various endings to get, which offers replay-ability that pairs well with the quick combat.
Recommendation? Overall yes. The fast pace combat is both simple and enjoyable for all players, while still offering challenges for more experienced players to master. It is relatively short for skilled players, but can still offer plenty of content, with the only real issue being that it can feel like more of the same after a while with some grinding being an issue for getting items and secrets.
Previously dropped to not really understanding what to do with this game, it is now being moved to beaten now having played some modes with friends. Sort of sandbox game that allows players to create game modes to play with other players. My only experience is hide-and-seek (one player finds the other hiding players) and prop hunt (similar to hide-and-seek, but the hiders can disguise themselves as various props).
Recommendation? Maybe? This game doesn’t really stand well to the test of time UI wise, and it felt like getting some game modes or maps required additional resources to work which can be a little more effort than some are willing. However if you have a dedicated group of friends who like to play games with each other semi-consistantly, then this could provide some decent entertainment.
Feeling a little fatigued after getting through Half-Life, I finally got around to playing the side story Half-Life: Opposing Force where instead of playing Half-Life protagonist Gordon Freeman, you play a soldier tasked with capturing him. Of course, things go awry with the Black Mesa incident under way and it very quickly turns into a fight to get out alive. This very much felt like the expansions to Fear with Perseus Mandate and Extraction Point where you not only play as someone else than the main protagonist with different allegiances, but also engaging in an unexpected supernatural experience during your main goal, but this with more sci-fi.
Recommendation? Yes, if you enjoyed games like Half-Life and F.E.A.R. (though superior), this fits very well into the FPS horror. I particularly enjoyed the quickness of the game where the first felt it dragged on, and puzzles were not too abstract to solve. My bigger issue resolves on the human enemy type, which felt far too tanky and high damage output that put a bit of challenge to my Normal playthrough.
This game has received a lot of praise by those online and those that I know. For a while, during my playthrough I didn’t really understand it. As I progressed I started to get it, while simultaneously losing it. Don’t get me wrong this games soundtrack, aesthetics, and concept are great, however the games controls play like hot garbage and some of the mission designs leave much to be desired. Your goal is to roller skate around, do tricks, grind, and most importantly spray graffiti throughout the various areas to challenge the enemy gangs while listening to some killer tunes. Don’t think it is that simple though as opposing gangs, law enforcement, and a timer will do whatever means necessary to stop you. You start out as a base three-person gang and can recruit more later on with each character having their own stats.
The issue comes in when some missions almost require you to play the mission a few times to understand where spray cans spawn and the big spray paint locations are so that you can focus them before more challenging reinforcements comes. Although I am all for difficulty and challenges, a game that forces you to replay missions in order to figure out how to beat it just doesn’t feel right to me.
Recommendation? Yeah, the alternative aesthetic mixed with a great soundtrack and original game concept make for a great game, assuming you can get past the clunky controls. This game most definitely deserves some true sequel (ignoring Jet Set Radio: Future), but realistically will never happen.
Note: This game became leagues better due to it including my new favorite character with an alternative/gothic design (and IRL aesthetic) of Cube. <3
A standard side scrolling Beat ‘Em Up with an added twist. As a vagabond in Russia you quickly find yourself in some testing lab being injected with a drug that when used can heal or amp up your power. Being published by Devolver Digital you can expect weird scenarios, interesting dialogue, and a mix of brutal scenes/weird humor. The game plays pretty well, allows for co-op with a local friend or bot as you fight through the streets and underground of Russia to find the source of who’s behind the Nekro dealings. OH and hey, it also fit this months Monthly Theme **Ruby**.
Recommendation? Yeah! The game can be a little challenging, but overall provides a solid entry to the Beat ‘Em Up series. There is also Arena modes to fight outside of the story and earn other various drugs to use in Arena and in Story.
Do svidaniya, comrade.
sigh … I really wanted to like this game… When I was younger reading Nintendo Power I would always see ads for this game, and my younger edgier self was all about the theme of it. I even had it and played it for a short while back then. Then I thought that when it came to Steam, this would be my chance to enjoy and finish it… NOPE!
This game just falls short every step of the way. Originally an MMO with a great concept, reintroducing it as an Single-Player only was a mistake. I spent hours grinding through the game, dying and eating Resurrection Scrolls like candy making my way all the way through to get to the end game… only to find out it is nigh impossible without other players. The boss I got to was not only strong that did AoE damage over time, strong projectiles, and regeneration but when getting to low health would spawn multiple stronger copies of herself that had all the same abilities, but also healed her to full health upon activation.
This is only an example of one issue with one boss, there are many bosses late game that have similar issues that you will have to drown them in your own blood and bodies. Not to mention plenty of glitches and bugs galore. Sometimes when you die and resurrect your player no long appears, but a shadow of where they should be and the gun is in some weird angled position that makes it very difficult to aim. I’ve also had times as a Technomancer (Engineer) that my bot would suddenly just run away from the enemies, the enemies chase after it while taking no damage and as they go off in the distance become incredibly large until I exit very random areas of the map. Some items would simply disappear from my inventory while still taking up the slot, including quest items, and potentially so many more.
Reccomendation? Nope, nope… and nooop. If I had encountered this issue much earlier, I still may be generally angry about the failure of my hope for this game, but at least I would not have sunk so many hours into this. Perhaps it is truly better to rule in hell than to be a slave in heaven… or fighting it on Earth.
Ape Out Jr. (Unknown)
Ape Out + Donkey Kong Jr.. What did I win? please be tunas
I was scared to click the HellGate review, red color and 38 hours played mean something really bad :(
I kind of figured Donkey Kong Jr. but was not aware of Ape Out, so thank you Kaleith. ^_^
Here is a bowl of tuna slides bowl down and pats pat pat.
<*)))<
Honestly, Hellgate was bad from the start, but I pushed through it. My god I kept pushing through all the bugs, glitches, etc. Until I got to the endgame when it got really bad. I gotta meditate on whether or not I want to find a way past the really bad (likely only to drop into another really bad situation right after), but until then it is dropped. Goodbye 38 hours T_T
Woah HellGate London ! I miss this game :o
I wouldn’t miss it too much. Too many issues… in the Steam version at least.