At the time of writing this review, I have put 121 hours into this game. I initially bought this game when it came out in early access and immediately fell in love. I thought it was beautiful, captivating, and immersive. After dedicating dozens of hours to it, I left a glowing review. I steamed it on my Twitch channel for weeks at a time. I praised every update from the devs and was so excited to show off the new features every time something new was added. I knew every trick, every location, every strategy. I even hosted the GOG Twitch Channel release stream for the game when it came to GOG. Sadly, I have done a complete 180 shortly after the games' release... To put it simply: there are just too many issues with the game, many of which prevent you from even completing it. It has also never been properly optimized, resulting in many users complaining that their otherwise stellar hardware is being brought it its knees after 1 hour of gameplay or overheating. While you can forgive a game for having these issues in early-access, or perhaps shortly after release, there's no excuse for leaving these issues unaddressed for so long, and then simply abandoning the game. Many users reached out to the devs to try and get these issues fixed. At first, the devs were responsive. They released a few patches shortly initial release. But now it has been many months and some of the biggest issues remain unresolved, and the title appears to be abandoned by the developers. This game could've been a masterpiece and a defining title for the studio. Instead, it was allowed to become the victim of its own shortcomings. Too many un-addressed issues, resulting in poor reviews, resulting in developers feeling exhausted, beaten, and basically giving up, resulting in more un-addressed issues, resulting in more poor reviews, etc. Rinse, repeat, and say goodbye to PAMELA and hello to one of the greatest missed-opportunities in the genre. I do not recommend this title.
I had the pleasure of streaming this game for the GOG Twitch channel, and was pleasantly surprised with the overall experience. I found it hidden among the list of "new releases" for that week, and being a fan of puzzle platformers I decided to give it a shot. What immediately drew me to this game was the wonderful visuals and art style. Drawn in a retro 8-bit style, this game does a great job with lighting, color and atmosphere to provide a truly engaging story presented with fairly intuitive mechanics. As you progress through the game (which takes place somewhere between the main protagonist's dreams and reality) you solve various environmental puzzles in order to collect "stars" that were stolen from your childhood bedroom by monsters which lurk in the dark. Using your ability to manipulate light-sources, you eventually learn how to use these "monsters" to your advantage and progress through the levels. These techniques range from a simple flip of a light switch, all the way through to manipulating the time of day. There is an absolutely beautiful soundtrack by 'Lombus' that perfectly compliments the game's rich and emotional atmosphere, and helps contribute to the games' overall "chill" atmosphere. It's almost criminal that this game has not gotten more exposure and recognition post-release, considering how good it is! The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is due to a few lingering bugs. However, the game's developer joined me during GOGs launch stream and promised these would be fixed. He also provided wonderful insight into the game's development. It's a wonderful effort for virtually a one-man team! If you are a fan of beautifully designed atmospheric puzzle platformers, retro design and emotional storytelling, I strongly recommend this game! It truly is a gem!
Cuphead is a fantastically unique run and gun platformer that is a truly rewarding experience in almost every way. The art is phenomenal... the hand-drawn style and scratchy 1930s feel like you're playing through a time capsule into the cartoons of old. The accompanying soundtrack is quirky, jazzy and I often found myself dancing to the swing tunes while playing (even helped a bit too!). It is a challenging game, but not frustrating in the slightest. Rarely do you feel cheated, or that the game is being unfair. While the levels and bosses may be relentless, each attempt becomes a learning experience that nudges you that little further towards a truly satisfying victory! This is also helped by the very responsive controls that feel natural and are easy to get the hang of. I recommend this game to anybody who likes run and gun platformers (or platformers in general) who are looking for a unique experience that offers a whole new approach to the genre.
Hot Tin Roof really surprised me with its overall “modern retro” style, combined with a good story and classic feel which makes for a very unique exploration of the adventure platforming genre. The artwork is a unique mix of 8-bit and pseudo 2D/3D platforming which navigates smoothly and looks amazing, especially the way the environments are lit (you can tell the developers took a page out of Grim Fandango for this style, and it works!). The music, which combines jazz noir with chip-tunes is executed brilliantly, and provides this title with one of the more unique soundtracks I have heard in a long time. There is no spoken voice work in this game, so expect to do a lot of reading, but the characters are written so well and the humor (and banter) shared between the main protagonist (Emma Jones) and her wise-cracking cat in a fedora, Frankie, is hilarious to read. There are a lot of characters in the game, in fact, each with their own personalities, which indicates a good attention to detail in the development of the game's cast of characters. The game mechanics and navigation are what you would expect from a platformer, with a few added gems to make things interesting. These include good physics, and gun/weapon with multiple modes such as a bubble shooter which helps reveal clues, and a grappling hook which helps you traverse the environment in one of many unique ways. These help to smooth over the inevitable frustration of trying to navigate sometimes complex areas (in which there are some). Overall I can see a lot of passion went into producing this title and I have enjoyed it thoroughly. This game can be recommended to anybody who appreciates great story, style and execution, not to mention a penchant for retro gaming, and detective adventures!
