tangysphere
BACKER
2022
It has a certain charm for sure, but the colourful, irreverent and quirky tone of Pupperazzi can't hide the fact that it's just not very good. All sense of enjoyment is curtailed by poor camera menu and option choices, bright but bland levels and jerky camera that has accelerated controls applied to it. There's a neat kernel of an idea here, but it looks like the developers bit off more than they could chew with this one.
2020
There's something I really like about games where you have to figure out the rules yourself with very little guidance other than some symbols and despite a few pitfalls (a couple of the puzzle themes fall a touch flat) Understand does an admirable job with its very minimalist pallette in this specific puzzle sub-genre.
2020
I don't think many people would argue that one of the main things a racing game needs to get right is the feel of the car, and art of rally gets this spot on and driving around each area in free roam is a great way to get to grips with the handling model.
It's a shame that main single player element kind of gets in the way of that. The game imparts a zen like attitude on you at the very start so finishing anywhere on the rostrum will unlock new cars, and not using all your restarts will guarantee new decals which is very much appreciative, but this is held back by progression through each tier becomes slower and slower as the years go on. Less zen, more tedium by attrition.
The courses themselves are fun to drive though, with enough differing elements on each tack to keep you on your toes - although even in this fantasy land, there are a few too many long straight-hairpin-long straight-hairpin etc. sections for my liking. However while the environments look great thanks to the art style, they only really differ in flora and fauna (or tanks in the case of the German courses) and as such they mostly lack an identity on their own. Added to that, the courses are all selected randomly for each 'season' which feels like a misstep that makes it a lot harder to learn the courses and how the different cars at your disposal work on them.
I'm probably sounding a bit harsh on the game but I think that's because I think there was something truly special that could have been done here. I hope we see another game in the genre from Funselektor which can iron out these kinks.
It's a shame that main single player element kind of gets in the way of that. The game imparts a zen like attitude on you at the very start so finishing anywhere on the rostrum will unlock new cars, and not using all your restarts will guarantee new decals which is very much appreciative, but this is held back by progression through each tier becomes slower and slower as the years go on. Less zen, more tedium by attrition.
The courses themselves are fun to drive though, with enough differing elements on each tack to keep you on your toes - although even in this fantasy land, there are a few too many long straight-hairpin-long straight-hairpin etc. sections for my liking. However while the environments look great thanks to the art style, they only really differ in flora and fauna (or tanks in the case of the German courses) and as such they mostly lack an identity on their own. Added to that, the courses are all selected randomly for each 'season' which feels like a misstep that makes it a lot harder to learn the courses and how the different cars at your disposal work on them.
I'm probably sounding a bit harsh on the game but I think that's because I think there was something truly special that could have been done here. I hope we see another game in the genre from Funselektor which can iron out these kinks.
2022
In my mind the current peak of the 'choose your own path' interactive movie genre'. I was immediately drawn in by a more grounded story, while the amount of different paths for each character is really impressive - sure, there will always be funnel points as that's the reality of limited time/budget but care is taken for these to feel natural and not forced and there are far fewer 'illusion of choice' decisions than you may be used to.
There's been a fair bit of divisiveness on the art style but I thought it really fit, making things feel more like a graphic novel and having time pause while making decisions is far less jarring than in other similar titles.
It's obviously not a perfect game (no such thing exists) - for example, some of the voicework could do with a little more TLC - but I felt like I played through a really good tv show and had a great time doing so.
There's been a fair bit of divisiveness on the art style but I thought it really fit, making things feel more like a graphic novel and having time pause while making decisions is far less jarring than in other similar titles.
It's obviously not a perfect game (no such thing exists) - for example, some of the voicework could do with a little more TLC - but I felt like I played through a really good tv show and had a great time doing so.
2021
I didn't think I'd be drawn into Last Stop as much as I was, but the mix of genres between each of the stories and the elements of mundanity each character has to go through were weirdly compelling.
It all gets a bit silly at the end and I think that detracts from the overall experience a little but I can't deny I was still having a really good time with it - despite the fact that I don't believe the developers have ever seen a real life human run...
It all gets a bit silly at the end and I think that detracts from the overall experience a little but I can't deny I was still having a really good time with it - despite the fact that I don't believe the developers have ever seen a real life human run...
2021
It's fun, light-hearted and like a skilled dodgeball player, the music is very catchy. There are points where things become a bit easy and repetitive but the characters and tone were able to pull me through to more challenging and interesting encounters.
A nice surprise but I'm half expecting this to become a trademark Gameloft F2P mess sooner rather than later. For now, I've enjoyed a lot of time with it but we'll see how things progress.
2022
Fun little clue solving visual novel. Never overstayed its welcome and while the puzzles to summon each demon aren't exactly headscratchers it's nice that there are sometimes multiple solutions, and that there are elements of story and characters that can change depending on your actions during each ritual.
Not a lot here for crank fans though - you can scroll through the demon encyclopedia pages with it but nothing else.
Not a lot here for crank fans though - you can scroll through the demon encyclopedia pages with it but nothing else.
A very direct sequel to the original Ridge Racer. I do prefer the new track (and its variations depending on difficulty mode), and the music is a leap ahead but even with unlockable cars and a two player mode there's still not that much here.
Replayability is still good if you're just trying to get the best time, though I do think it's a bit easier to beat the AI this time round, not sure if this is due to them not being as fast or due to the handling being a bit more forgiving overall.
Replayability is still good if you're just trying to get the best time, though I do think it's a bit easier to beat the AI this time round, not sure if this is due to them not being as fast or due to the handling being a bit more forgiving overall.
2021
While 'Look and Blink' may not be the new 'Point and Click', Before Your Eyes does a great job at not only telling a story using its unique control scheme but also by incorporating it naturally into the narrative.
I felt engaged at all points and wanted to know more and more about the people around me and the life I was living through. Initially I tried to keep my eyes open to experience more but as I made my through more vignettes I began to take things more naturally, emulating the dream like state your character is going through and personally think that made for a better experience.
I felt engaged at all points and wanted to know more and more about the people around me and the life I was living through. Initially I tried to keep my eyes open to experience more but as I made my through more vignettes I began to take things more naturally, emulating the dream like state your character is going through and personally think that made for a better experience.
2021
Turn mainline Pokemon into a photography series, there I said it.
The story is fun and I mostly liked these versions of the characters more than the recent films but ultimately it's a bit of a chore to actually play through thanks to repetitive and uninteresting encounters and bland level design.
It's very simple (probably a bit too simple at points) but I was surprised how much I persevered with this thanks to some quite amusing dialogue from the supporting cast of quest givers and the like.There is also a bit of challenge introduced in the post-game which was very welcome after almost sleepwalking through the main quest.
Probably not enough for me to have any memories of this game in six months time, but a decent enough diversion for noe.
Probably not enough for me to have any memories of this game in six months time, but a decent enough diversion for noe.
A good variation on Sokoban that starts out simple, builds to become more complex and then flips everything on its head, plus there are pleasant looking snowpeople with names and outfits.
Pretty much a new version of a previous spin-off game that allows you to use new design options in the main game, which is actually a pretty decent way to do paid DLC for Animal Crossing.
It suffers slightly from AC's already pretty unwieldy menus and classic unnecessary Nintendo rigidity on how some items can and can't be placed but there's something really quite calming about taking on a new housing assignment every few days. There's good variation in the themes given to you while items and feature unlocks are doled out at a decent rate, allowing you to do your own thing and also update previous builds as you unlock more.
It suffers slightly from AC's already pretty unwieldy menus and classic unnecessary Nintendo rigidity on how some items can and can't be placed but there's something really quite calming about taking on a new housing assignment every few days. There's good variation in the themes given to you while items and feature unlocks are doled out at a decent rate, allowing you to do your own thing and also update previous builds as you unlock more.