Neil Watton
If you really must engross yourself in some 1980’s film culture, then drag out that old VHS recorder and watch Terminator for the millionth time. Just don’t bother spending time, money or effort on Tango Fiesta.
Tour de France 2022 is left spinning up the steepest climb as the enthusiasm and energy fast drains away.
By all means check it out if you can grab it in a sale and have some mates over for a night of fun and games, but otherwise Guilt Bullet Arena misses the mark. Even with that one deadly bullet it plays on.
Don’t expect anything that will wow you, but for less than half a pint of beer, Dig Dog is a game that will keep you busy for an hour or so.
From the grind of a seemingly pointless Story, and the one off hits of an even more pointless Exhibition Game, you won’t find much to keep anyone other than the most ardent of hockey fans from going back - and even then it’s never going to have much of an appeal over the NHL games that are out there. By all means give it a shot with a mate or two, but the repetition will soon win over the day.
The inclusion of dabbing in a game about ninjas tells you a lot about both the experience itself and the thoughts behind it. Is it serious? No. Is it worth bothering with? Not unless you’ve got some friends over for a party.
Save your cash and buy some new lycra instead. I promise you it’ll be more fun.
So it must be said, Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island is more than a disappointment. The main heroes are likeable enough guys, and the world you get to journey through is a decent one with plenty of collectible opportunities. The problem is, there are too many glitches, stutters, pauses and loading screens for the duo to ever become really loved.
As you would probably expect from an indie local multiplayer only title, the visuals are pretty basic and whilst they do a job, they are nothing to write home about. The audio which accompanies it though is pretty special, mixing things up depending on your place of battle and delivering some crackingly addictive tunes. But that only really papers over the cracks which have formed from lack of content. But, if you’re looking for a game that will allow you to have a bit of a laugh with a few mates prior to getting busy on the decent stuff, then by all means stick a couple of dollars each into the kitty, and look forward to the 20 minutes of so of fun you’re going to get.
While the physics work well, the music is decent, and the bright colourful nature it emits is absolutely fine, without anyone to play Tricky Towers with, you're left with a game that is very much left wanting.
Paladin is a cheap and cheerful twin stick shooter that gives plenty of ship upgrading abilities. But for what boils down to an hour’s worth of game time, that price still seems a little high and probably makes sure the game is something you’ll wish to pick up in a sale rather than at full price.
You won't find much turtle racing in Akuatica: Turtle Racing
That aside, the multiplayer madness found in Think of the Children is good and the combination of boxy voxel visuals and a rather delightful, hugely catchy soundtrack mixes with the fast paced gameplay really well
As it stands, it is the price which will ultimately dictate things. For less than five dollars, Marble Void is well worth the punt… especially if you’re one of those who are looking for a new marble fix.
If you’re bored of the usual superheroes and are just looking for something a bit different, a bit funny and a bit, um, button mashing, then Deadbeat Heroes delivers. It’s far from perfect, and the issues with gameplay advancement are hugely annoying, but it’s just about worth a play if you fancy a bit of mindless comic violence.
At the end of the day it is a fairly decent top down racer which, without blowing you away, will keep tempting you in with a deep career mode, comes with a great feel to the controls and allows for some tight close racing. It has its problems, most notably when the AI is left in charge of the UFO and that the included currency system is made redundant after just a few races, but for simple racing fun, at a cheapish price, it’s probably just about worth a shot.
It may not have a buttery biscuit base, but Super Bomb Rush! has just enough mix to create something that is well worth a little shot.
There are no two ways about it – allowing for personal tastes – SUPERBEAT: XONiC is either going to be a huge hit or a massive miss
The price is a bit hefty, but it’s a clever idea that most definitely teaches you the way of the world, never letting you take things for granted. Unfortunately the awkward control scheme and the hugely repetitive nature will see you getting frustrated once the initial draw has worn off.
DYE or DIE? Whatever it is, it’s a rock hard game that will keep you busy for many a week – but only if you like a challenge. If you don’t, then it’ll be best that you stay away.