Jettomero: Hero of the Universe

Jettomero: Hero of the Universe

Jettomero is a stylish looking game where you get to guide a giant indestructible robot as it attempts to save humanity. This involves clumsily stomping around small planets while battling the occasional giant monster and collecting fuel. The fact that Jettomero is invincible and battles play out via quick time events means the game doesn’t offer much of a challenge, but makes up for it with some relaxing gampelay and a neat story. It can become repetitive as you are required to do the same things over and over in each new procedurally generated system, but doesn’t overstay its welcome and offers a unique experience while it lasts.

Gameplay: A unique and relaxing experience despite the amount of on-screen carnage that can occur.

Graphics: One of the most stylish looking games that we’ve seen in a while.

Sound: The soothing soundtrack sets a great tone for the game

West of Loathing

West of Loathing

West of Loathing is a single-player role-playing game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which results in a wild quest through the West. The world in which the game is set might be made up of stick figures, but this doesn’t mean it isn’t fleshed out. There are many locations to explore, plenty of puzzles to solve, and hordes of enemies to defeat. Even better, it is the type of RPG where stats make a difference, and your choices make a difference. Fans of the genre will love the depth the game has, but everyone else will appreciate the brilliant sense of humor.

Gameplay: West of Loathing is packed with plenty to see and do, along with a healthy dose of humor.

Graphics: The black and white stick figure style visuals might look simple at first, but they definitely have a lot of charm

Sound: Although the game doesn’t feature voice acting, it has a great soundtrack and plenty of sound effects

EVERSPACE

EVERSPACE

Everspace might not have millions of systems to explore or an open world galaxy of possibilities, but it does have action-packed dogfights, procedurally-generated levels, roguelike elements and stellar visuals. The end result is a game that is highly addictive and offers buckets of replay value. Like all roguelike titles it can feel like a grind at times, but with three very different ships and plenty of perks to upgrade, each new run is very entertaining. If you are a fan of pretty visuals, addictive gameplay and plenty of action, then you don’t want to miss out on Everspace.

Gameplay: Very polished and highly addictive.

Graphics: Space has never looked more spectacular.

Sound: Decent voice acting, great sound effects and the soundtrack isn’t half bad either

All-Star Fruit Racing (3DClouds)

All-Star Fruit Racing (3DClouds)

From Nintendo and Sony to Sega and Konami, there was a time where every developer with a semi decent roster of recognizable characters felt the need to shoehorn their mascots into a kart racing game. Some were good, some not, but the most memorable ones were usually the games featuring well-known characters. 3DClouds, an Italian indie developer doesn’t have the luxury of banking on familiar faces for their title, All-Star Fruit Racing, as it is their debut title. However, this doesn’t mean that the game isn’t worth a closer look as even though it is still an Early Access title, it already impresses

Tokyo Dark

Tokyo Dark

Explore the sinister side of Toyko in this compelling point-and-click adventure / visual novel hybrid. When a seemingly supernatural opponent confronts Detective Ayami Itō, she must put her job and sanity on the line to figure out what is happening. Tokyo Dark features an engaging storyline and a unique system where every choice and action influences your sanity, professionalism, investigation, and neurosis. You also have the option to be as professional or reckless as you would like to be, which can alter the story and lead to more than ten different endings. While the game has some minor flaws, these do not detract from the overall experience, and Tokyo Dark definitely lives up to expectations.

Gameplay: The storyline is compelling, and the game has buckets of replay value.

Graphics: Tokyo Dark has its fair share of interesting characters and locations.

Sound: Full voice acting would have been great, but the music and sound effects are great

West-First Japanese Visual Novel Launching Soon Courtesy Of MangaGamer And Circus

West-First Japanese Visual Novel Launching Soon Courtesy Of MangaGamer And Circus

Thanks to the efforts of companies like MangaGamer, there has never been a better time to be a fan of visual novels. MangaGamer, the world’s first legal download site for English translated visual novels, have been tireless in their efforts to bring these titles to the Western Market. This has resulted in numerous Japanese titles getting translated and exposed to a larger audience and more Japanese developers realizing the potential of selling their products to English audiences. One such developer is Circus, a long time partner of MangaGamer, and creators of the Da Capo and Dal Segno series. However, Circus and MangaGamer are now taking things one step further by partnering for the launch of Space Live. What makes this such a noteworthy event is the fact that Space Live will be a Japanese visual novel that is developed primarily for the Western Market

The Secret Order 6: Bloodline

The Secret Order 6: Bloodline

Sarah Pennington is back and this time her adventures take her to a mysterious jungle where a visit to her mother turns into a showdown with the Dragon Clan over an extraordinary plant. The Secret Order 6 won’t disappoint those who are expecting more of the beautifully detailed visuals that has become a staple for Sunward Games titles. However, the game is also quite short and can easily be completed in a couple of hours. It is still very enjoyable though, and one of the better recent entries in this particular series, so if you are a fan of the genre or previous titles then this will be a good fit for your library.

Gameplay: Short and easy, but definitely entertaining.

Graphics: The scenes in this game are imaginative as well as very detailed.

Sound: Decent voice acting and a fitting, albeit limited, soundtrack

Crashday Redline Edition

Crashday Redline Edition

Crashday: Redline Edition might look a little dusty compared to some of the other titles currently on the market, but it still offers a fast paced and adrenaline fueled experience for racing fans. This re-release of the 2006 original packs a whole host of new features and improvements, which is sure to please fans. In addition to a plethora of content, this Redline Edition also has full Steam Workshop support, which has already paid off in the form of hundreds of new mods for the game. Whether you have fond memories of the original or simply want a racing game that offers speed, destruction and stunts, Crashday: Redline Edition deserves a closer look.

Gameplay: Tons of different modes and the ability to get on the track without having to waste hours tweaking your ride.

Graphics: An improvement over the original, but not quite up to the high standard of modern games.

Sound: The soundtrack is a mix of old and new, but the sound effects could have been better