#review
#review
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Assault Android Cactus is just fucking fun. I have a natural tendency to slip into critic mode–whether playing a game for review or not. After engaging with games for so long it’s hard not to constantly be reading into the craft of everything I play. I’m always thinking about what a designer intended, how certain parts of the game intersect with narrative aims, how a level design guides you…you get the idea.
When I play Assault Android Cactus all I think is “this game is so fucking fun I want to keep playing it.” Not to say that it’s a mindless shooter that’s easy to zone out to. Rather, this is one of those games that’s so thoughtfully designed that I my thoughts can take time off and appreciate the sheer physical joy of manipulating it.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
What if a puzzle game removed the cursor and replaced it with a character? That’s Treasure Stack’s big gimmick, turning an otherwise regular competitive puzzle game into a platformer hybrid. The order which you stack blocks not only sets up chains to attack and defend, but creates a space you need to be able to physically traverse to engage with. It’s a solid concept, only rarely explored in other games like Super Puzzle Platformer or Mr. Blocko Super Tournament Edition.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
Eastshade seems like a fruit ripened just for a me–an art school dropout with little sense for painting. Escaping to the life of a traveling artist is still a potent fantasy–seeing new places, capturing them, and making a living off your art are all about as fantastical as the setting of Eastshade itself, after all. I expected to come out with a certain appreciation for painting, maybe a with the game’s pastoral landscapes. Instead, I learned about something else I missed in my truncated art education: the hard material reality of trying to make art for a living.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
From mechanics, aesthetics, down to the extra modes and gameplay options, Devil Engine is saturated with homage to arcade shooters, new and old. It’d be easy to catalog them, and breakdown every influence it takes from its arcade family. But in the heat of the action, Devil Engine gave me an almost racer like vibe. Momentum is deeply important, and losing it feels a lot like running yourself off the road. Knowing how to control my speed and where to attack the stage’s corners and enemy formations is key. Explaining exactly why is complicated, so let’s break it down.
by Amr (@siegarettes)
“Earthbound meets Zelda”. It’s really difficult to describe Reverie in any other way. You can dance around it, play up its New Zealand mythology, or use a phrase like “quirky top down action-adventure game” but the influences are worn very openly. Often imitated, but rarely replicated, invoking them means living up to a lot of people’s high expectations. So does Reverie clear the high bar it sets?
Maybe. Sorta?
by Amr (@siegarettes)
As someone who spends a lot of their limited time trying to keep up with games, the phrase “rogue-like” tends to get me to immediately back away. I enjoy what a lot of games bring to the style, but the threat of losing all progress each time tends to guarantee I won’t see more than the first or second stage on most runs and ironically shortens my interest in the game.
So knowing Tangledeep gives you the option to opt out of the harshest penalties single-handedly saved it from being ignored. A good thing too, because not only did I find a lot of what I enjoy about rogue-likes in Tangledeep, but it turns out it’s even more varied and customizable than I thought.
By: RJ (@rga_02)
There is that old movie cliche where your typical Americana small town is littered with dirty secrets, that are masked by beautiful scenery. Rainswept brings that tried and true trope into the gaming medium. But does it go beyond the Scooby Doo level of engagement?
by Amr (@siegarettes)
I love Wargroove. At least, when it isn’t seriously pissing me off. When it’s in the groove, it sets up wonderful capsule strategy scenarios. Each of these make me consider the terrain, the set of units I’m restricted to and forces me to experiment and make hard choices to overcome the enemy. The wonderful animations and lovingly rendered maps enhance every victory and mistake, making me hold my breath as I hope that I’ve made the right move.
All of this helps Wargroove perfectly capture the appeal of the old Advance Wars style strategy games. It’s a refreshing return whose capsule battles generally feel more accessible to people who aren’t strategy mavens. And yet, it isn’t the rousing success it should be, thanks to some BIG problems that soured any high points.
