News
The launch of WRC 9 is looming large on the horizon, which means plenty of new and exciting reveals about what fans can expect. The latest gameplay trailer released by NACON introduced Rally Japan, which is a brand new rally that will feature in the game. With narrow asphalt roads and aggressive corners, it is going to require some serious driving skills to overcome
PC Game Reviews
Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a homage to the original game that does far more than simply slapping on some high-resolution textures. Instead, it makes use of the Legend engine to ensure that the game looks and plays much smoother than ever before. Most levels retain the spirit of the originals but have been redesigned to accommodate Lara’s new move set and grappling hook. Unfortunately, the game does have some technical issues and the controls, as well as the camera, doesn’t always cooperate, which makes it an occasionally frustrating experience.
Gameplay: Stays true to the original game, but gives everything a modern makeover.
Graphics: Makes use of the Legend engine to give the original game a visual revamp.
Sound: Decent music, sound effects, and voice acting
News
One of the most surprising comebacks that we’ve seen in recent years was when Leisure Suit Larry surfaced again in 2018. It introduced a leaner looking Larry trying to navigate the perils of online dating while coming to terms with how much the world has changed in his 30-year absence. The game wasn’t without flaws but showed that the developers, CrazyBunch, understood the character and had what it takes to create an entertaining adventure around his bumbling exploits. It also seems that we haven’t seen the last of Larry as the publisher of Wet Dreams Don’t Dry, Assemble Entertainment, has announced a sequel
PC Game Reviews
Forgotten Trace: Thanatos in Nostalgia is a visual novel with an interesting premise, but some parts feel padded out unnecessarily. It is also the first part of what was supposed to be a three-part series, but there is no sign of the other two parts yet. This makes it hard to recommend the game as there is no guarantee the story will ever be completed. It’s a pity as Forgotten Trace does have some nice elements and the art style is good, despite the low resolution.
Gameplay: The story is interesting, but ends on a cliffhanger and can be a slog to read at times.
Graphics: The resolution is fixed at 1024×768, but the art style is decent.
Sound: Japanese voice acting and decent background music
PC Game Reviews
Lust for Darkness attempts something a little different with the horror genre by combining it with erotic and occult themes. Unfortunately, it struggles with pacing and the overall experience is very short. There are still some good elements, such as the great environmental detail and design of the alien dimension you get to visit, but the gameplay is very shallow. Hopefully, all the issues will be addressed in a sequel as there is a lot of potential with the story and setting.
Gameplay: A walking simulator with some mild puzzles and a few enemies to evade.
Graphics: The environments are almost photo-realistic, but character models and animations are very rough around the edges.
Sound: The voice acting is not very good, but the soundtrack is decent
News
It seems like the wait for Metamorphosis, the narrative adventure inspired by Kafka’s curious imagination, is almost over as the release date has been officially announced. The publisher, All in! Games, revealed that Metamorphosis is set to release this summer on August 12, 2020. Metamorphosis will be available on PC from both Steam and GOG, as well as PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One
PC Game Reviews
Chuusotsu! 1st Graduation: Time After Time is a kinetic novel that features three girls who end up living under the same roof while trying to regain their place in society. It is set in a future where aptitude tests determine your career for life and those who fail end up as worthless outcasts called chuusotsu. The game features bright, colorful visuals but the story can veer into unexpectedly dark directions. It is certainly an intriguing tale and hopefully, future installments will reveal more of the world and characters introduced here.
Gameplay: This is a kinetic novel, so there is no interaction beyond reading the story.
Graphics: The backgrounds are detailed and the character sprites look very nice.
Sound: Both the voice acting and background music is decent
News
From the Monkey Island series to Day of the Tentacle, the Point & Click Adventure genre delivered plenty of classics during the height of its popularity. These days it has become a lot more niche, but some great remasters along with a handful of new releases has kept the genre alive. One of these new releases is the upcoming Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town, developed by imaginarylab and published by VLG
PC Game Reviews
CARRION is a great, although brief game that gives players the chance to go wild in a research facility as a flesh-eating tentacle monster. The game is extremely bloody, but between all the mayhem there are also plenty of puzzles to solve. Your creature can unlock a ton of new abilities, which opens up new areas to explore, but the lack of a map could frustrate some players. Despite some repetition and a few small niggles we thoroughly enjoyed our time with CARRION and the game comes highly recommended.
Gameplay: Plays like a very violent Metroidvania, except without the platforming elements.
Graphics: The pixel art looks great and the animations are smooth, but more unique locations would have been a big plus.
Sound: Atmospheric music and great sound effects
PC Game Reviews
Since Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening is an expansion instead of a full-blown sequel it’s not quite as lengthy or epic as the original game. However, it’s still a great game with plenty to offer RPG fans. The new party members are just as good as the original ones and the inclusion of new class specializations, spells and abilities also make the combat more interesting. If you were a fan of Origins, then you won’t want to miss out on Awakening.
Gameplay: More of the same compared to Origins, but still fun.
Graphics: The visuals are still good, albeit very bloody.
Sound: Good music, sound effects, and voice acting
