The Deadly Tower of Monsters PC Game Reviews

The Deadly Tower of Monsters

The Deadly Tower of Monsters challenges players to make their way up an enormous tower while dispatching an assortment of B-movie monsters. The whole game is framed as a DVD re-release of an old sci-fi movie, complete with commentary by the director. It obviously doesn’t take itself very seriously, and some elements, like the camera, can be a little annoying, but the game is a blast to play from start to finish.

Gameplay: Players spend most of their time hacking, slashing, shooting, and platforming, but freefalling off the tower is a lot of fun, too.

Graphics: The attention to detail is excellent, from the stop-motion enemies to the dizzying heights from which players can freefall.

Sound: The soundtrack is really good, and while the commentary might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it is really well done

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion PC Game Reviews

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion

After committing tax evasion, Turnip Boy is indebted to the mayor of Veggieville, who sends him off on all kinds of fetch quests in this lighthearted, top-down adventure. The game is short and accessible, with plenty of humor, but the memes and pop culture references might not appeal to everyone. It also features quite a bit of backtracking for such a short game. Nevertheless, it’s hard not to be charmed by Turnip Boy and his weird obsession with ripping up every piece of paper he finds.

Gameplay: Players must help Turnip Boy explore Veggieville and its surroundings while killing enemies, solving puzzles, and fetching items for NPCs.

Graphics: The visual style resembles a Gameboy Color Legend of Zelda game but has plenty of charm.

Sound: The soundtrack for the game is varied and quite catchy

FAR: Lone Sails PC Game Reviews

FAR: Lone Sails

FAR: Lone Sails is a vehicle adventure game that is all about the journey towards an unknown destination. Controlling a vehicle that feels like it was cobbled together and designed for a bigger crew requires some multi-tasking, but the stunning views make it worthwhile. Despite being relatively short, the game also feels very epic, and traversing a zombie-free apocalypse has never been this much fun.

Gameplay: Playing the game requires juggling multiple tasks, but it never becomes overwhelming, and the puzzle platforming sections are not too challenging either.

Graphics: The painterly look of the mostly gray visuals is a perfect match for the lonely and desolate feel of the game.

Sound: The soundtrack is great, and even in quiet moments, the sound effects enhance the game’s atmosphere

Paratopic PC Game Reviews

Paratopic

Paratopic is a game about smuggling VHS tapes across the border, but how it presents itself is more like a fever dream than a traditional adventure. To unnerve players even further, the visuals look like they are straight from the 32-bit era of horror titles, and the distorted speech sounds as creepy as can be. Even the story is split between three characters and plays out in disjointed vignettes that abruptly cut between each other. Despite all this and the short length of the game, it is a memorable experience and will definitely find an audience amongst certain players. 

Gameplay: Paratopic is short, baffling, unnerving and somehow also very compelling and memorable. 

Graphics: The 32-bit visuals look like they wouldn’t tax a Playstation One, but the frame rate is smooth, and the low-poly aesthetic really fits the game’s style. 

Sound: The soundtrack consists of silence punctuated by synthesizers and droning sounds, while the distorted speech is unsettling, to say the least. 

Blackwell Unbound PC Game Reviews

Blackwell Unbound

Blackwell Unbound is the second title in the Blackwell series, but it is a prequel instead of a sequel to The Blackwell Legacy. Instead of Roseangela, players take control of her aunt, Lauren Blackwell. Along with her spirit guide, Joey, Lauren must track down two ghosts and help them move on to the afterlife. However, to do so, she must first figure out what is keeping them from doing so themselves. Blackwell Unbound is short but entertaining, and despite some flaws, it will appeal to fans of classic point-and-click adventures. 

Gameplay: Players must talk to various NPCs and gather clues to piece together the mysteries of Blackwell Unbound.

Graphics: The visuals are designed to look like low-res titles from the DOS era and succeed in this regard.

Sound: The quality of the soundtrack and the voice acting are good.      

Assemble with Care PC Game Reviews

Assemble with Care

Assemble With Care casts players in the role of Maria, an antique restorer who arrives in the town of Bellariva seeking to finance her travels with some repair jobs. While she finds plenty of unique things to repair, Maria also learns more about her clients and herself in the process. Assemble With Care is a cozy and charming game that lacks any challenge but is still entertaining while it lasts. 

Gameplay: The game is very short and lacks any challenge, but the story is good, and the repairs, as basic as they are, are very satisfying to do.

Graphics: The pastel-colored visuals are very easy on the eyes, and the overall art style of the game is very charming. 

Sound: The music and sound effects are good, but the voice acting is superb for an indie title. 

198X PC Game Reviews

198X

198x pays homage to the arcade scene of the nineteen eighties with five different retro games that are all styled around popular classics of that era. The whole package is wrapped up in a narrative about Kid, a teenager who uses these arcade games to escape from some trauma in their personal life. Most of the games in 198x are really good, but sadly, they are very short-lived. Even with the extended narrated scenes, players will be left staring at the credits in less than two hours. It is definitely a lot of fun while it lasts and very nostalgia-inducing for those who still miss the eighties arcade scene. Unfortunately, players looking for retro experiences will find longer and more in-depth titles available elsewhere. 

Gameplay: 198x offers a nice slice of eighties nostalgia with five different genres that feel very faithful to the games of that era. 

Graphics: The visuals look much better than games of the nineteen eighties actually looked, but they perfectly capture the feel of these titles. 

Sound: The synth soundtrack is great, and the narration standard is very high. 

A Short Hike PC Game Reviews

A Short Hike

A Short Hike invites players to spend a day in Hawk Peak Provincial Park with a small blue bird named Claire. The primary goal is to reach the mountain’s summit to get cellphone reception, but there’s plenty to see and do along the way. The park is filled with charming characters, and players will also find a surprising amount of activities to keep them occupied. The game is as wholesome as can be and provides a cozy, entertaining experience suitable for players of all ages.

Gameplay: A Short Hike is a very casual experience that features plenty of optional challenges that are fun to complete.  

Graphics: Players can adjust the amount of pixelation to their liking, but the vibrant visuals look good on any setting.

Sound: The adaptive soundtrack and clear sound effects make exploring the park more atmospheric. 

BIOMORPH PC Game Reviews

BIOMORPH

Biomorph is a dark Metroidvania game with beautiful 2D hand-drawn visuals and animations. Playing as an amnesiac character named Harlo, players must explore a massive interconnected world to recover their memories, upgrade their arsenal, and unlock new biomorphs. These biomorphs, which involve killing enemies to turn into them, is one of the most unique elements in the game, but doesn’t feature as prominently as we expected. Instead, access to new areas mostly depends on unlocking traditional Metroidvania-style skills and abilities. Having said that, the game is still very entertaining, and its fascinating world is a joy to explore.

Gameplay: Biomorph features all the traditional Metroidvania elements along with the ability to morph into fallen enemies and use their abilities to traverse the game world.

Graphics: The 2D sprites and backgrounds look great, and there are plenty of different biomes to explore.

Sound: The Biomorph soundtrack is good, and the game also has decent sound effects

Fallout 4 Nuka-World PC Game Reviews

Fallout 4 Nuka-World

For the sixth and final Fallout 4 DLC, players are invited to embrace their inner raider and help some gangs take over a pre-war amusement park. Nuka-World is a massive place with plenty of interesting locations and a ton of things to do, but the story is very thin on the ground compared to Far Harbor. This is sure to divide players, as many will love the diverse environments and unique locations while others will find the endless killing and searching for hidden items a chore. Nuka-World also offers much fewer role-playing elements, which could leave players who prefer playing as a virtuous character feeling a bit short-changed. We enjoyed our tour of the park, though, even if it is a bit of a bittersweet farewell to Fallout 4.

Gameplay: Nuka-World is packed with interesting locations and has plenty to do, but most of it involves killing or finding hidden items instead of following engaging storylines.

Graphics: Each section of the park has its own unique look and feel, and there are even some new variants of enemies to battle.

Sound: The addition of a new radio station is great, but it can become repetitive after a while