The Secret Order 5: The Buried Kingdom

The Secret Order 5: The Buried Kingdom

Although The Secret Order 5: The Buried Kingdom ditches the time traveling elements of the previous titles, it still offers some solid puzzles, mini games and hidden object scenes. This time the adventures of Sarah Pennington take her to a legendary buried kingdom on a quest to save her friend from the sinister Dragon Clan. The setting for The Buried Kingdom is more fantasy themed than the fourth installment, but features the same imagination and attention to detail that has made this series such a hit with fans. The Buried Kingdom doesn’t really advance the overall plot of the series much, but since it is such a self-contained adventure, it is also more accessible to newcomers who are unfamiliar with previous installments.

Gameplay: Plenty of puzzles, mini games and hidden object scenes for players to sink their teeth into.

Graphics: Lots of detailed hand-drawn locations that feature plenty of imaginative touches.

Sound: The music is good and the voice acting is decent too

PSYCHO-PASS: Mandatory Happiness

PSYCHO-PASS: Mandatory Happiness

PSYCHO-PASS: Mandatory Happiness is based on the popular anime series of the same name, but this engaging visual novel isn’t afraid to carve out its own path. It features a very memorable setting, interesting characters, and plenty of content to explore. The story is a little darker than most visual novels on Steam, which is a good thing, and familiarity with the anime series isn’t required to enjoy this title. Any fans of the genre looking for something that will keep them busy for a while should definitely add PSYCHO-PASS to their collection.

Gameplay: The game features an engaging storyline, two protagonists, and many different endings.

Graphics: The visuals consist of great character designs and backgrounds but not much in the way of animations.

Sound: Players can expect full voice acting for all the characters and some nice background music

NEKO-NIN exHeart

NEKO-NIN exHeart

Join Haruki, the protagonist of NEKO-NIN exHeart, as he suddenly finds himself with two catgirls on his doorstep claiming that he is their new master. Haruki is understandably dubious about the whole situation and not entirely keen to accept responsibility for the two ninjas, but eventually warm up to their cuteness. This visual novel is a lighthearted affair with beautiful artwork, but the story isn’t’ exactly memorable and it is all over without much really happening along the way. Fans of cat girls will definitely enjoy it, but everyone else should probably try the free demo first.

Gameplay: Only two choices in the entire game and not much in the way of character development, but still enjoyable.

Graphics: The artwork is beautiful and the moving cat ears are as adorable as advertised.

Sound: Nice Japanese voice acting for all the girls, but the music isn’t exactly memorable

A Rose in the Twilight

A Rose in the Twilight

Help a young girl and her giant companion navigate a treacherous castle while unraveling the mystery of the thorns in this unique puzzle title. With its somber visuals and blood drenched gameplay, it is probably not a title that is going to appeal to everyone, but puzzle fans are in for a treat. A Rose In The Twilight can be a little frustrating at times, but makes up for it with challenging puzzles and captivating characters. If you don’t mind your puzzle titles infused with equal measures of cuteness and creepiness then this one comes highly recommended.

Gameplay: Making progress requires teamwork, puzzle solving and some light platforming.

Graphics: Dark and moody, but very stylish.

Sound: No voice acting, but the music is suitably somber

The Secret Order 4: Beyond Time

The Secret Order 4: Beyond Time

Sarah Pennington continues her epic time traveling saga in this fourth installment of the popular hidden object puzzle adventure series. This time Sarah finds herself stranded when her time machine is destroyed and has to deal with the sinister Dragon Clan while planning an escape. Beyond Time leaves the fantasy theme of the previous game behind for a mixture of Egyptian and Aztec elements, which results in good looking as well as interesting locations to explore. The bonus chapter, which is set in the Realm of The Dead, is also a nice addition. Although it is probably not the best place to start if you are not familiar with the series, for fans this one is a no-brainer.

Gameplay: Slower paced, but features plenty of nice puzzles and mini-games.

Graphics: The setting allows for some very interesting and unique scenes.

Sound: Great use of sound effects and the music as well as voice acting isn’t too shabby either

Sakura Space

Sakura Space

The Sakura series heads into space for a yuri adventure with this release by Winged Cloud. Players get to experience what happens when Captain Shika and her crew of mercenaries stumbles across the bounty of a lifetime. Although it might look like you have choices in the game, it plays out more like a kinetic novel, but offers some entertainment nonetheless. We would recommend sticking to the uncensored version though, as it offers a bit more content.

Gameplay: There are some interesting story elements, but the focus is mostly on the ecchi escapades of the girls.

Graphics: The artwork by Inma is gorgeous as always, but the cast is small and the locations limited.

Sound: No voice acting and decent, but unremarkable music

Senran Kagura: Estival Versus

Senran Kagura: Estival Versus

Senran Kagura Estival Versus offers an impressive amount of fanservice mixed up with some solid hack and slash combat. The game does have its fair share of questionable elements, but it certainly doesn’t skimp on content. There is a meaty story mode to complete, along with plenty of side missions, while the money you earn can be spent on clothing and accessories for the girls. Like most hack and slash games it can get a little repetitive, but despite the large cast none of the girls feel alike in personality or fighting style. If you are a fan of the series or enjoy fighting games, this comes highly recommended, as long as you realize you are going to get bombarded by fanservice around every turn.

Gameplay: Features plenty of content and a learning curve that eases you into the various combos and attacks you can pull off.

Graphics: Looks great on PC and the detail as well as animations are impressive.

Sound: Full Japanese voice acting for all the girls and a funky soundtrack that complements the action nicely

Marvel Continues To Make A Mark On Entertainment

Marvel Continues To Make A Mark On Entertainment

Who could have predicted that a small company named Timely Comics, founded in 1939, would go on to not only dominate the comic book market, but other forms of entertainment as well. Timely Comics became known as Atlus Comics during the fifties before adopting the Marvel moniker in the sixties. Of course, today, Marvel Entertainment is owned by The Walt Disney Company and many of their iconic characters are arguable even more popular than ever before

Artifex Mundi Reveals Release Schedule For Next Three Months

Artifex Mundi Reveals Release Schedule For Next Three Months

No matter what your platform of choice is, if you are a fan of hidden object puzzle adventures, then Artifex Mundi has got you covered for the next few months. The publisher, known for some of the best titles in the genre, has revealed the release dates for some of their upcoming games and fans can look forward to a whopping ten titles over the next three months. These include a mixture of new releases as well as fan favorites making their debuts on other platforms. The list shows The Secret Order 5 and Queens Quest 3, scheduled for April releases on Steam and mobile, to Enigmatis: The Mists of Ravenwood due on Playstation 4 in May and Grim Legends 2 heading to Xbox ONE in June

Sakura Shrine Girls

Sakura Shrine Girls

In Sakura Shrine Girls you step into the shoes of Toru, a young priest-in-training, who gets more than he bargained for when following in the footsteps of his grandfather. Toru has always been a skeptic, but when he encounters two guardian sprits at the shrines he is supposed to maintain his whole world is turned upside down. Sakura Shrine Girls features decent art, but the story is fairly predictable and the characters not that memorable. It is still an entertaining read and you can pick which one the girls Toru ends up with, but don’t expect to be blown away by anything.

Gameplay: Not bad, but unfortunately quite predictable.

Graphics: The artwork is lovely, but sprites and CGs are limited to only two characters.

Sounds: No voice acting, but the soundtrack is quite good