If Jupiter Hell is a love letter to DOOM. Not so much gently scented with memory but soaked in fluids better not described. I have never played DOOM RL, although I have read great things about it. I adore this game. Somehow this turn based, top down game manages to capture the energy of running down the corridors shooting baddies in the face. Or, even better, 'sploding the liberally placed barrels. The cover system is zen simple and the movement has an extremely fluid quality in between gun fights that I find extremely pleasing. Weapon Variety - the weapon variety expands as you progress through the game, and any individual game is stingey with the interesting weapons. The game is by no means complete, and the developers are frequently replying to people in the community. The core gameplay loop is firmly in place and is extremely satisfying. It has that Soulslite quality where even low level enemies can ruin your day if you don't pay attention. My biggest negative criticism is that the camera doesn't give the player enough space when headed into a south-west direction. My much smaller niggling criticisms are the key bindings. They came from Hell along with the demons. The music isn't very good, which is a bit of a let down. It's just generic metal that lacks forward momentum.
I am a Quake newb and have been playing Quake for a couple days now. Let's start with the fixes, First, I downloaded a replacement for the Glquake.exe called DarkPlaces (http://icculus.org/twilight/darkplaces/) which provides higher resolution textures. They look very good. If you rename the DarkPlaces.exe "Glquake.exe" it will run with the updated graphics. Be sure to read the readme because there is a file that needs to be deleted before it will execute. Second, I found a fix that puts the music back (it appears to be a technical issue rather than a rights issue). The score is fantastic. Having Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails composing the score is a perfect match and the job they did is superb. (Thanks to Johnny Law on Steam http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=119489135) The best thing I can say about Quake is that it is beautifully optimized (thank you John Carmack) and the design does a great job of simultaneous introducing mechanics while simultaneously throwing up a speed bump for 90's FPS Newbs (or just people who haven't played a 90's style FPS in a long while, thank you John Romero). The controls are great. In spite of being a 20 year old game, the controls are seemlessly adaptable for a contemporary audience. The aforementioned optimization makes this a perfect low-power PC game. I have an Intel Atom Windows 10 Tablet and Quake runs perfectly on it, which means I can bring a mouse to work and set up in the break room and shoot not-Hellspawn. The aesthetic is rather kitschy. Everything about the visual design looks like it would be the perfect place to set up a Hot Topic. The level names read like the album titles that would be sold at a Hot Topic. It's rather silly, but Quake owns it and it works beautifully. Theres a definite consistent atmosphere here, but it is not as colorful or as memorable as the first two DOOM games. That is not to say that it is bad. I just wish it was a bit more colorful.
[HumbleBundle / Steam version] This is such an 8 bit (or very early 16-bit) throwback action game. The creators of this game did something quite nifty in order to merge the Metroid and NES Castlevania gameplay styles. You can revisit previous levels once you gain power ups in other levels (Mario 3 style). That way you can unlock hitherto unexplored areas of the game an levels locked on the map. It's slightly clunky, but the overall retro feel makes feel like it works exactly like it should. I have not hit the halfway point in this game yet, but I am looking forward to it.
Do you remember watching Star Wars as a kid? Did you ever wonder how it might feel to exterminate the competition as the Emperor after wiping away the rebel Alliance at Yavin IV? I got that feeling on a whim and destroyed just about every planet in the galaxy. I ADORE this game. Star Ruler 2 is an fantastic blend of 4x and RTS grand strategy, though the RTS strategy is a little anemic (just a little). There are few ways that the AI will put up much of a fight outside of sending ships into battle, though there are options for human players to stop their opponents from retreating (I am a fan of upgrading a battleship with an Ion cannon to stop opponents in their tracks). There are a lot of other options by unlocking technology to do things like building FTL jammers but I would like quite a bit more of. Having dangerous star systems (perhaps with high radiation levels that make colonizing and manning star systems more difficult or the odd supernova) would go far into making the game more interesting after the basics are mastered. I cannot praise the political system of this game. It makes negotiation and making hostile political action MUCH more interesting than in any game I have played before. Think of it as a simultaneously running minigame where one acquires influence points and must accumulate action cards in order to effectively use the galactic council to your advantage. This way you can spot a valuable star system and take it away from your friends or enemies without declaring all out war. It's fabulous. A tip for people using low powered PC's (like me): turn off civilian trade ships. Having the trade ships makes blockading a system much more profitable but also makes the game much more unstable. Also, keeping time under 10x seems to make the game more stable as well.
When I picked this up, I didn't really expect to be impressed. I have Binding of Isaac and I enjoy everything about it except the game play. I saw a review call this "An Impatient Man's Isaac" and decided to take a dive. I am so glad I did. This game rewards exploration, thought, and the ability to think quickly. It can seem quite mindless at first, but one is not just REacting through this game; one is putting together plans. Suddenly, a boss will randomly emerge from the wall and cause you to realize that thing that every general realizes: "the battle plan does not survive first contact with the enemy". Suddenly you have to change your strategy. I had no idea that I would be instantly sucked into this game as I have. Hell. Yes.
The star system doesn't adequately describe everything that Dust: an Elysian Tail accomplishes. It earns it's five stars then comes back for seconds. Every aspect of this game has been thoughtfully crafted to the point that it leaves a lasting impression upon the player by the time the story has concluded. The game opens with our playable character gaining consciousness and realizing that he has no memory. The quest becomes not just one for identity, but also one of understanding the opposing sides of a destructive conflict which threatens innocent bystanders which are caught in the middle. The dialog is top notch. Simultaneously cartoony and meaningful. There are many instances where Dust and his cohort are characterized to be three dimensional characters capable of sorrow, joy and mischief. Plenty of comic relief so that the events on screen are not unbearably depressing, but the moments of levity add contrast to the serious notes that punctuate the story. Art design is gorgeous, inspired by anime. The music is largely ambient and sets the tone for one's location in the game extremely well. The game is also, somehow, extremely kid friendly. The weighty themes take the front seat and the core of those themes, who is right, who is wrong, is clear without being overly preachy. This is not just a game that is kid friendly, this is a game that your kid SHOULD play. The simple Us vs Them dynamic is ever present, but it is also nuanced. Buy this game. Play it. Adore it. It will not disappoint you.
I'm giving this 3 stars for now. I've been playing it for a few hours, and I'm a complete newb being introduced to this game for the first time. Be prepared to read the manual and take notes because this game will not go easy on you just because you're learning. The difficulty ramps up very quickly. Although I have to say I find the experience quite fulfilling. A few optional tutorial missions that teach you the commands would have gone a long way. Instead I alt-tabbed out of the game. That being said, I have a feeling I'm on to something special and I'll be returning to it before long. Inertia and momentum are things I'm not accustomed to dealing with, and it definitely adds the need to keep an eye on one's acceleration. If you pick up too much speed, you'll end up swerving into space trying to get your momentum going the direction you need. It's interesting, and you'll have to just get the hang of it. If you're a fan of space shooters, definitely pick it up.
Love this game!!! It's the kind of game that you can invest a few minutes for a quick break, or HOURS in a caffeine-fueled binge. You earn money by killing enemies, upgrade your ship, and dive into the next next level. However, you CANNOT grind your way to victory at the higher difficulty settings. It straddles the line between RPG and shmup deftly. This game is great for kids (I remember playing the shareware version for hours when I was a kid) and I still have fun with this game as an adult. It's a must-buy!
