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Review: Marvel Rivals Is Better Without Balance Cartoonish visuals, slick, sans-serif fonts, and a roster of heroes encompassing almost every role under the sun? You wouldn't know what hero shooter I'd be talking about on the market these days, or at least the ones that still exist. Marvel Rivals is Disney and Marvel's attempt into what many consider an oversaturated genre that had it's time in the sun nearly a decade ago. And while it does take cues from it's predecessors, namely Overwatch , it still manages to distinguish itself from it's different gameplay perspective, self-contained story, and wide cast of characters. Marvel Rivals appeals to the casual player, which I've become over the course of a decade. While I had dedicated some hours to Overwatch during it's original release in 2016, and played a substantial amount of Valorant over the past two years, Rivals benefits from a lack of role queue and implicitly forced meta. Yes, a competitive mode does exist, which can prove frustrating to player that expect the compositions from hero shooters such as Overwatch to translate one-to-one in specific situations. But Rivals ' large roster of characters means that you can flex between it's Vanguards, Strategists, and Duelists with ease and come out with an advantage to shut down enemy teams forcing choke points or refusing to swap. Image via NetEase For example, if the enemy team is solely focused on using Hit Scan characters like The Punisher and the Winter Soldier, you can swap to Doctor Strange or Captain America to shield your team from an aggressive spray of bullets. Or even utilize Cloak and Dagger's ability to blind opponents temporarily to get a foothold and push forward. Generally, there is always an answer to some tactic and I've found Vanguards that are capable of jumping into the backline can generally change the tide. Wolverine is excellent in this way, even if he can be hard to get a hang of due to just how much he moves around due to his kit which focuses on diving. That said, there is a high barrier of entry to characters like Wolverine and Spider-Man specifically. I can't play Spider-Man for that reason, as he's too mobile and makes me feel sick, similar to Genji in Overwatch . But the third person perspective helps circumvent that for me in the case of Venom, which I would consider a "dive tank." It's that lack of enforced meta and loosely defined roles between the Vanguard, Sentinel, and Strategist that allow for Marvel Rivals to more or less carve out it's own space in what is already an oversaturated market. While being vastly different from Valorant , which is more akin to Counter-Strike , and Overwatch 2 being it's closest competitor, it has (for the time being) managed to carve out a space for those with a preference to the third person shooter — or the casual. While playing with my dedicated group, which includes our very own GC Vazquez, one of the most common sentiments I heard was that regardless of the role you pick, you feel like you're doing some kind of damage. Which for some makes it feel like you're contribution to the team is more tangible. Strategists, which are Marvel Rival 's version of healers, don't feel boxed in to just pocketing a DPS to make some kind of sizable impact on team fights. It felt good to play Jeff the Landshark (God's greatest or worst little solider depending on who you talk to, but arguably the best design in the game to date) or Cloak and Dagger and still pile on kills while chasing our Wolverine through stages to keep him alive in more frantic team fights. Especially as I had to content with destructible environments in the game's two different game modes; escort the payload or capture the point. Image via NetEase I also won't pretend Marvel Rivals is a perfect game, even if it is a very fun one. Because there isn't a focus on balance you can sometimes win super hard or lose at a staggering pace. Though I would chalk this up to team coordination. Sometimes a single player can impact a chance of walking away victorious (I have a 100% win rate on the Winter Soldier for example) but more often than not, swapping characters for counters and having that team synergy is going to be the most important, like any team game. Marvel Rivals does have some team synergies available, with the Scarlet Witch impacting Magneto's basic attack and Rocket Raccoon allowing for the Winter Soldier to have unlimited ammo when in proximity to one of Rocket's skills. These aren't as important as they sound, since they tend to be circumstantial and can, again, be countered with the right team. It's just about your team willing to make those concessions and swap off characters that aren't working. Because Marvel Rivals is a team game above all else, and as mentioned previously, you won't go far without coordination. You could be an incredibly skilled Iron Fist player (another character that can dive the backline to cause problems for the enemy team's strategists) but if you get shut down every time you dive, you're going to be useless in more important fights. And I genuinely believe it's due to Marvel Rival 's lack of balance that allows for this. As the team isn't concerned with making sure every character works within specific parameters, but instead of the player fantasy of being the hero or villain you select. Image via NetEase Playing the Winter Soldier feels good, and his kit aligns with his character. Cloak and Dagger having a character swap that plays into their lore is cool. And sometimes the rule of cool wins out over everything else. As a game being fun, especially one that leans into such a heavy cooperative experience, will determine how long an audience is willing to engage with it. This is what I'm most concerned about regarding Marvel Rivals . While it's rife with recognizable characters like Iron Man and Captain American, it still has some more niche characters like Jeff the Landshark, to appeal to different kinds of fans of Marvel's behemoth of an IP, I'm worried about future support. The Battle Pass is extremely generous and allows you to hold onto it to slowly work through rewards at your own pace, and skins are reasonably priced with all of the extra bells and whistles that come with it. But I have no idea what Disney and Marvel expect in terms of profits, and if they are unreasonable, I'm worried Marvel Rival s will shut down in a handful of years. Yes, the game has hit over 20 million players, which is extremely impressive, but if a good chunk of those players stop buying skins and Battle Passes, what will that mean further down the line. It's that live service model that concerns me, above all else, when it comes to the future of Marvel Rivals and the kind of game it could eventually become. As it stands, it's a serviceable hero shooter, and perhaps the one I've had the most fun with in a very long time. It's easy to pick up and put down. The destructible environments make for unique level design and presents more ways to tackle obstacles. The large roster of character also helps with counterplay, and gives players a lot to work with. But who knows what kind of game it could be in six months, or even a year from now depending on who has a say in what. Marvel Rivals is available for the PlayStation 5, PC , and Xbox Series X. The post Review: Marvel Rivals Is Better Without Balance appeared first on Siliconera .

Reviews Archives - SiliconeraDec 20

Review: MySims Cozy Bundle Made Me Wish for a Switch Wiimote I loved the MySims games back in the day. They were a great way to relax and enjoy a sort-of Sims experience that felt like it prioritized decorating, creating, and interacting with characters. It was never taxing, and I could hop in and enjoy the often silly experiences. I was delighted to see the titles return on the Switch with MySims Cozy Bundle as both MySims and MySims Kingdom feel like they should be timeless titles, but things like the control scheme and execution of one title hold them back. In each of the MySims Cozy Bundle Switch games, our character becomes something of a savior to the people around them. In the original game, a town fell into disrepair after their designated Builder left them. You’re a newcomer who is able to work with Essences, essentially “vibes” dropped by interacting with the world around them, and use them as building blocks for the blueprints to make things like buildings and furniture. In MySims Kingdom, King Roland’s kingdom, filled with different islands that have their own theme, is also falling apart. This is because the Wandoliers who maintained them left. Fortunately, after a short tutorial, the player’s character is named the new Wandolier and sent around the islands to fix them and assist people with their issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jScgVXIGbXg&t=1s The gameplay in both games is relatively similar. There will be missions, and it is up to you to fulfill those requests to build up the area. In the case of MySims, there’s not so much of a story to it. Instead, you’ll take on requests to build furniture or buildings to build up your Star Level. This, in turn, gives you more blueprints, building material options, and places to go. Since this is essentially designed to be the “optimal” version of the game, the PC content that wasn’t present in the Wii game is here. It’s a nice touch, since it means you can meet and work with Alexa, Cedella, Natalia, Tad, Terry, and Wendalyn. You can also go to a Garden after Star Level 2, which means more places to gather Essences and build. It’s more freeform, which is nice, especially since you can build items and really customize buildings. However, since it is the “first” game, it can be more fiddly when following blueprints and getting things settled. Plus, I noticed you’re going through the exact same actions a lot. It’s still fun! It just hasn’t aged as well as I expected. With MySims Kingdom , I feel like it held up better. There are a lot of recurring characters, but there’s more structure to it. This allows the story to get quite silly and be more involved. That also means when you get to go to different islands and have those different experiences, it feels fresher even if you are doing similar sorts of gathering and creating tasks. It’s clear that EA learned from the first title. Even though creating furniture was fun in the original, having premade items is just easier and faster, so I can get back to enjoying interactions, building more, and exploring. Especially since, while it isn’t as big of an issue in this entry, both games in the MySims Cozy Bundle share a common issue. Images via EA The thing is, and this applies to both MySims and MySims Kingdom in the MySims Cozy Bundle , the Switch control scheme really is uncomfortable since you don’t have a Wii Remote, DS stylus, or mouse. It’s not intuitive, precise, or even comfortable when using a controller, and there is no option to use just one Joy-Con as thought it was a Wiimote. I didn’t realize how perfectly suited it was until I started playing through both games again. It doesn’t put me off to the point that I don’t want to play! Also, I do feel like perhaps MySims Kingdom is slightly easier to play, because of the lack of the more precise furniture constructing and other building decisions regarding its parts. But I feel like EA should have done some additional work on these remasters to ensure the could be comfortably enjoyed with a more conventional control scheme or the Joy-Cons. I get why the company didn’t, but it would make it a lot more pleasant. That aside, the other elements of these remasters are handled well. Both games of the MySims Cozy Bundle games look good on the Switch. The original game has the extra content added for the PC release. The ideas are still fun, and it isn’t like EA is just trying to capitalize on the “cozy” trend because those titles are popular now. Both games feel genuinely relaxing and pleasant. Are they also a little simple? Sure. You can tell the target audience was likely those newer to gaming or younger audiences. But they’re fun all-ages titles. Images via EA Which is probably the best reason to pick up MySims Cozy Bundle ! It’s a good way to take it easy. Both MySims and MySims Kingdom are pleasant, upbeat games that let you be creative, and MySims Cozy Bundle lets you take your time with both. It’s a nice timesink to play in the evening as you relax at the end of the day. MySims Cozy Bundle is available on the Nintendo Switch. The post Review: MySims Cozy Bundle Made Me Wish for a Switch Wiimote appeared first on Siliconera .

Reviews Archives - SiliconeraDec 19

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie Review - A Delightful Change-upI didn't expect much from Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The first movie was a nice little diversion from COVID, but the sequel was quite irritating--and with the same director and writers back for another go-around, I figured we were in for another round of "more of the same." Fortunately for all of us, I was wrong: The threequel successfully reins in the pop culture references and Jim Carrey's wackiness just enough, while also giving us a serious villain for the first time with Keanu Reeves's Shadow, and the result is that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 works better for audiences of all ages than its predecessors, which were more squarely aimed at children. Sonic 3 picks up some time after the last movie, and the Wachowskis have adopted Tails and Knuckles along with Sonic--they've got a nice little family unit going. Robotnik, meanwhile, is very depressed, just hanging out in his crab mech binge-eating snacks and binge-watching telenovelas. In other words, all is well. At least until an unknown person manages to free the mysterious Shadow the Hedgehog from stasis, letting him loose to pursue revenge for something that happened long ago and putting him into conflict with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. That unknown person was, it turns out, another Dr. Robotnik--grandpa to the one we know (but still played by Jim Carrey). Robotnik Sr. and Shadow are allies, having shared a deep trauma decades earlier that is driving them both to extreme lengths for revenge. The younger Robotnik, the one who was a bad guy in the other two movies, serves as a wild card, because he wants to team up with his grandad but has a pretty different ultimate goal. Continue Reading at GameSpot

GameSpot - Game ReviewsDec 18

Alien: Rogue Incursion Review This first crack at Alien in VR is immediately compelling with lots of room to grow.

IGN PC ReviewsDec 18

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 4 ReviewA surprisingly haunting twist and a showcase for the best member of the team ensure episode 4 of Skeleton Crew is a great Star Wars adventure.

IGN PC ReviewsDec 18

Review: Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Shows Promise, Lacks Polish It's the dead of night, thunder roars and nothing but a dim flashlight and lightning strikes illuminate the path forward. The vast wasteland between my last safe haven and the current destination is devoid of life, human or animal. Yet, I remain vigilant of my surroundings, questioning if those leaves that whipped by my ear were an omen of a deadly anomaly ahead, or simply just the wind. At last, I hear voices as I approach my objective — a rising altercation between a member of a friendly faction and an unknown instigator. Shots fire and I whip out my rifle, only for my game to turn into a glorified slideshow. The enemy’s shotgun begins to levitate and wiggle in front of his face, before he suddenly contorts himself into an indescribable shape on the ground. Meanwhile, my newfound ally unloads a magazine into the nearby wall. This is Stalker 2 : Heart of Chornobyl . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKO4PL8Xzik In a universe where the 1986 Chornobyl disaster wasn’t an isolated incident, the Zone of Alienation — or simply “the Zone” — is a hostile wasteland inhabited by opportunists seeking to exploit its supernatural properties. You are Skif, a veteran drawn into the Zone after an anomaly destroyed your home, leaving behind a mysterious artifact in its devastation. With nothing but a pistol and the clothes on your back, you must utilize the limited resources of the Zone to survive and uncover the web of conspiracies you find yourself tangled in. As a first-person shooter, firearms naturally play a central role, but don’t expect to charge in guns blazing. There’s a significant emphasis on vulnerability, where a single mistake often results in another tick on an ever-increasing death counter. Ammo and medkits are scarce throughout most of the game, forcing you to cautiously approach every encounter or to work out how to avoid conflict entirely. Even as resources become slightly more abundant, inventory management remains a constant battle. Each item adds weight to your satchel, forcing difficult decisions between leaving loot behind or becoming encumbered. Screenshot by Siliconera The issue with Stalker 2’s combat system is that enemies frequently swing between extremes: laughable incompetence or pinpoint accuracy. Every fight is a toss-up between enemies firing at the wall and running in circles, or barraging you with bullets with impossible aim from across a field. Mutants, on the other hand, will devour your entire stock of ammunition, kick your ass, and (metaphorically) spit on you while you’re down. While also susceptible to broken AI, these bullet sponges are so powerful that this rarely matters. Don’t get me started on those little gremlins that telepathically launch your weapons from your hands. When combat does work, it works rather well. Between holding my head in my hands, waiting for the loading screen to return me to my checkpoint, there were triumphant fist pumps after defeating tough enemies. There are few feelings better than overcoming difficult sections, whether it’s the relief or survival, the thrill of accomplishment, or a mix of both. Often, the only reward is satisfaction, as mutants don't drop loot. Image via GSC Game World Armor and weapons in Stalker 2 are subject to a durability system, gradually deteriorating with use or when damaged. Luckily, most bases have an NPC who can repair and even upgrade your gear, provided you have the cash. This is where side quests come into play, offering a means to earn money, acquire new weapons and gear, and learn more about the Zone and its people. There are several factions to align with, including Spark, a familiar band of stalkers from previous titles; Noontide, a clan of former brainwashed individuals seeking redemption; and the Ward, a military branch “serving” the Zone. You begin on relatively good terms with each of these, but tensions will eventually begin to rise. Difficult decisions must be made eventually, shifting your relationships and the story itself. The open world of Stalker 2 feels massive, amplified in scale by the absence of vehicles or traditional fast travel. Anomalies mean that navigating the Zone is never a simple task. From gravitational distortions to sudden walls of jagged glass, staying vigilant is essential on every journey. The long walks between objectives offer plenty of time to soak in the game’s incredible atmosphere. I often found myself cranking up the volume of my headphones during storms, immersing myself in the thunderous clashes in the sky above, the patter of rain, and the crunch of leaves underfoot. As frustrating as they could be at times, the “emissions” were one of my favorite examples of how the game builds atmosphere and tension. These deadly surges of energy envelop the Zone in a sinister red mist, gradually intensifying until stepping outside means certain death. Screenshot by Siliconera As phenomenal as the atmosphere is, it can only carry the game so far. Eventually, the long treks grow tiresome, and the Zone starts to feel hollow. The once-advertised A-Life 2.0 system, which was meant to create dynamic NPC interactions without player interference, is essentially nonexistent. Aside from a horde of enemies spawning out of thin air, there are no memorable moments that make the Zone feel alive. NPCs are mostly confined to bases and similar areas, offering little interaction and seemingly borrowing one another’s faces. Unfortunately, Stalker 2 ’s technical issues don’t stop there. As you might have noticed, this review comes nearly a month after the game’s release. Despite my system meeting the recommended specs, the game ran at an unplayable frame rate during my early access period. When the game finally launched, I was greeted with constant crashes. It wasn’t until a week after launch that I was able to actually run the game, but that doesn’t mean it’s smooth sailing. The game still suffers from frequent stuttering, freezing, and occasional moments where I have to manually restart to regain a playable frame rate. There are brief stretches where the game runs buttery smooth, but those moments are typically short-lived. Image via GSC Game World Despite its significant technical and performance issues, the allure of the Zone and the intrigue of the narrative drove me forward. From carefully weighting each decision to navigating the many twists and turns, I was hooked . I particularly appreciated how the game avoids clear-cut “good” or “bad” choices, instead opting to mirror real life complexities of morality in dire situations. However, the true intrigue lies in the Zone and its mythic, as many of the characters failed to make a lasting impression. Partially due to the English voice acting, which, aside from Skif himself, was generally lackluster for several main characters and NPCs. Overall, I struggled to form any genuine emotional connection with any character, which is a rare exception for me when it comes to story-heavy titles. Considering the conditions Stalker 2 was developed in , it's remarkable that it exists at all, but it's clear the game needed more time to fully realize its grand ambitions. The foundations are solid, and beneath the grime of poor optimization, bugs galore, and broken AI lies the potential for a truly excellent game. GSC Game World appears committed to its equally dedicated fans and with any luck, we'll see a Cyberpunk 2077 -esque turnaround in the years to come. In the end, Stalker 2 is an experience that is as frustrating as it is engaging. It's brutal, unforgiving, buggy, and often unfair — yet it's precisely this combination of atmosphere, world-building, and challenge that earned the franchise its fiercely loyal fanbase. The most dedicated players will likely uncover a brilliant gem beneath the grime, but for many, the game's technical flaws and questionable decisions may prove too difficult to overlook. For now, it's a matter of waiting to see whether GSC Game World can iron out its issues and unlock the true potential of a remarkable foundation. Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is available on PC and Xbox Series X/S . The post Review: Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Shows Promise, Lacks Polish appeared first on Siliconera .

Reviews Archives - SiliconeraDec 17

Review: Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Feels Like the Original Otome Fan disks for otome games are tricky things. The audience is both more limited and more picky. There are expectations that you’ll perhaps learn more things about characters you already love. You hope for opportunities to romance ones who didn’t get routes in the original. Basically, it’s building on a foundation. Which, in turn, limits who may be interested in the title. Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is a really well-done follow up in some ways, with a fascinating story, but I also can’t help but feel that it isn’t good at delivering when building on existing romances or finally romancing Sachsen. To begin with, Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam isn’t like fan disks for otome games like Virche Evermore -EpiC: Lycoris- or Radiant Tale: Fanfare . In both of those examples, you get additional epilogue stories set after the best endings of different character routes. There are also extra love interests, which in Radiant Tale: Fanfare ’s case involved two pretty meaty stories for supporting cast members. With this Steam Prison follow-up, you basically get two paths, and there aren’t really individual, lengthy storylines for any love interest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUYpeTsous0&ab_channel=MangaGamer Cainabel Story builds off of the Grand Ending from the first game. If you’re coming to Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam without having the original otome game, then good news! There’s an option to go through a summary to find out what happened. Which I did, because I never actually went for that ending in the first game. I went for Adage and Eltcreed, then decided I was done. Because of that decision, our heroine Cyrus didn’t form the ties you’d expect with the love interests from the original game. (You can change her name, of course.) Since the events of the Grand Ending mean many of the issues present in society previously are absent, there’s no divide between people from the Heights like her or ones in the Depths. The new legislature also means people are working together and aren’t limited to who they can or can’t associate with. But since we didn’t get to meet (and romance) people then, we now get new chances to build relationships with characters like Adage, Eltcreed, Fin, Ulrik, Yune, Jevite, and Jereme. It’s a very well written and executed story! We’re getting to see people interact in different ways, which I appreciated. There’s also a focus on the investigation around Cainabel, the new area discovered after going through the Depths. I still enjoy Cyrus as a heroine, and the bachelors are interesting candidates for love. The art is also still quite fantastic, and I love the design direction for characters and how this really feels like a steampunk type of period piece. Image via HuneX and Manga Gamer The downside is, Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam doesn’t feel as much like an otome game as the original. This isn’t completely unexpected. I had an idea this would happen going in, as Steam Prison was more about the story about the divide between the Heights and Depths, dealing with government and authority figures I don’t agree with, and getting to see different sides of the world’s society depending on who you had Cyrus pursue. In this fan disk, this is basically a single storyline with events for the love interest you like occasionally coming up at certain points. Said moments might not feel completely romantic. So it’s an expected sort of progression and approach, but I will admit being a bit disappointed that there wasn’t the same weight and variety with separate routes and branching storylines based on who you choose to love. The other main draw for Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is the new Sachsen route in A New Theory. I loved Sachsen in the original otome game. I wanted to date him. Unlike the other mode, this one follows the story from the first entry, but adjusts it so Sachsen is an option after Cyrus finds herself living in the depths. In some ways, it is exactly what I wanted! I appreciated the art and the characterization still remains great. However, it is shorter than those routes for love interests in that installment, while also feeling a bit rushed. The pacing is off, which affected my enjoyment of it and made me feel like I wasn’t getting to know him as well as I did other characters like Eltcreed. Image via HuneX and Manga Gamer Oh, there’s also Petit Prison. It’s a minigame with the characters. You basically look at scenes and need to find what is different. It is fine, but I didn’t feel an urge to play it more than once. The thing about Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is that going into it, you probably know this otome fan disk is going to be a lot like the original game. That means the romance won’t be a major focus, and a narrative getting into world building and perhaps making a difference in some ways will. The characterizations are on point, and it is fun to see familiar faces again. I just wish there had been more romance to it, with more fleshed out routes for characters, especially Sachsen since this is his moment. Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is available for the Nintendo Switch and PC . The post Review: Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Feels Like the Original Otome appeared first on Siliconera .

Reviews Archives - SiliconeraDec 15

Review: Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island Feels Like It’s for Kids Cozy games is one of those genres that can have a different definition depending on who you ask. Some view them as non-violent games with pleasant interactions where you help people with their issues. Others view them in the same realm as casual games to relax to, like The Sims or Animal Crossing . Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is a picture perfect example of the first kind of cozy game. Despite that, I found it very difficult to remain cozy while playing it due to its shallow story and character interactions, as well as its visuals. Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island follows Alex, a normal backpacker who goes on a trip to take a break from modern life. After a storm hits her boat, she finds herself on an island full of amnesiacs who share the names of Greek gods and goddesses. In fact, they are the gods and goddesses themselves. They all had a falling out in the past, though they don’t remember details of that, nor do they recall their lives or powers as deities. Alex needs their assistance in order to get off the island, and so she helps them regain their memories and their senses of self. However, ‌there’s a greater mystery afoot as to why these gods and goddesses lost their memories in the first place. I didn't scale my output properly in OBS. The game doesn't have a border. Screenshot by Siliconera. This game reimagines the gods and goddesses in a pretty modern way. For example, Hephaestus appears in a wheelchair due to his Greek mythological counterpart having a physical disability in his legs. It does also whitewash the figures, sanding away some of their more controversial history and personality traits. Zeus and Hera seem like they’re a happy couple here. “Dysfunctional” isn’t a strong enough word to describe them in the original myths. It’s an interesting interpretation of the familiar stories and characters. Ares was my favorite, because the idea of him taking up farming as therapy and his opinion on how wars are in modern times was something I’ve not seen in other media. Hades looks like he would’ve been popular with those who were in the Onceler fandom way back in the days of yore. While I did like Ares’s depiction in this, I have to say that I wanted a lot more from the dialogue and character interactions. For all that the gods and goddesses’ falling out and severed connection play a huge part in the story and their character arcs, we hardly see them speak with each other in the game, even though they'll gossip and complain about their fellow deities to Alex. I’ll discuss more about this point later. Screenshot by Siliconera For now, let’s talk about what it’s actually like to play this. The gameplay loop of Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is really simple. After speaking with one of the Greek gods, they’ll request that you do something for them. What they want differs from god to god. For example, Hermes wanted me to go feed birds, while Aphrodite wanted me to clear the dust and rubble off the mosaics she made around the island. Meanwhile, Poseidon wanted me to fill up the fountains again. You’ll also need to search for mementos to help them regain their memory. Your friendship level with a particular god will only increase after finding the mementos and completing their requests, and you’ll need to max out your friendship with everyone in order to clear the game. The entire game is running around the island and completing these tasks. There’s a limit on how many requests you can fulfill at every friendship level. Once you hit the maximum, you need to unlock the deity’s memory before you can continue doing so. This then sets you off on a trip around the island again. In other words, the entire game feels like you’re completing fetch quest after fetch quest, which isn’t bad on its own. It's what I expected from a cozy game. But the characters and Alex herself are a little unlikable because of their dull or one-note personalities. Since the entire game revolves around helping them out, it can feel like you’re completing a bunch of chores rather than enjoying running around the island. Like, the only reason I want to help them is because the game locks me out of progression otherwise. Fortunately, the game is really easy to play. Because everything is on my map, I never got stuck. Alex will also constantly remind you of what you’re looking for in an area, and when I needed an item to let me traverse the water, Alex was kind enough to tell me so I wasn’t wasting time looking for a memento I couldn’t access. When returning mementos to the gods and goddesses, you have to figure out what belongs to who. They’re pretty easy to figure out, but even if you’re unsure, you can simply test out all the mementos and see which one works. There’s no penalty in doing so. The music is my favorite thing in this game, so running around the item while listening to it and a podcast or something made for a pretty relaxing time. Screenshot by Siliconera While I like the music in the game, the visual aesthetic isn’t exactly my cup of tea.... The character designs themselves aren’t too bad. However, their expressions always make them seem like they smelled something bad in the air As well, the shading for skin tones, especially on Aphrodite and Alex, makes them look like they’re exhausted and haven’t blended out their make-up. It didn’t look appealing to me. Hermes in particular looks like a joke. Since I’m not sure if this was an intentional stylistic choice or an art style, I won’t say anything more about this. The environments do look really nice with the light color scheme, though. But I wish the island was more varied. So much of the game has you running around Ambrosia Island, yet so much of the island looks the same that it can start getting boring. The biggest criticism I have towards Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is the story. As mentioned earlier, very few of the characters are compelling, which is detrimental in a game that revolves around helping them. The dialogue never quite becomes “therapy speak” or “Tumblr language,” but it still feels like I’m reading something that I might hear on a children’s show. While Alex may have spent anywhere between fifteen to twenty days on the island, the actual play time is short enough that it’s possible to clear the entire game in a single sitting. So I found it difficult to connect to these characters and care about their issues, even though that’s the entire point. The game seems to expect a base level of affinity towards the characters, who are classic figures in mythology. Unfortunately, they’re reimagined versions so removed from their real-world counterparts that I'm basically meeting people I've never met in my life. I like Athena in mythology, but feel nothing for Athena in this game. Conversely, I despise the mythological Zeus, yet feel nothing for him in Mythwrecked . That apathy is a pretty baseline emotion I had throughout the entire seven hours of playtime. In fact, I found it fascinating that I never grew to care for anyone, since I’m usually quick to like characters. Screenshot by Siliconera At several moments, the game seems to introduce themes, but it never gives them much attention or fleshes them out enough that I'm confident in saying that's what the game is about. The entire point of the game, as well as a part later on, seems to criticize technology. It never actually says anything about it, though. There are also several moments when Ares and Poseidon criticize modern warfare and marine pollution. But again, the game never really delves much further in that. Not every game really needs a deep theme or message. But introducing them without any meaningful follow-up can get a little frustrating, especially when they're interesting enough conflicts in a game that's already devoid of them. Conversations between Alex and the deities can feel shallow, because they don’t sound like actual people talking to each other. It reminded me a lot of the skits on children’s TV shows—the ones that teach kids to share or be nice to each other. In fact, this entire game, between the gameplay loop and dialogue and even the collectible mythological lesson, feels like an educational game for a much younger audience. I won’t delve into spoilers in this review. But I will say that, outside of a brief moment when I thought the story was going to have some real depth, the ending for this is ridiculous in the same way that shows for very young children can be. I've played many cozy games in private and for work. It's a genre that's received some flack over the years, and the criticism isn't without merit. If Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island was a simple game about Alex running chores for the Greek gods, then complaining about the story might be gauche. But I've played cozy games where the story didn't matter, and this isn't it. From the amount of dialogue and lore, it does seem like the developers had a story they wanted to tell. Unfortunately, it kind of fell flat here. While Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is a nice way to unwind at the end of the day, it’s definitely not something I would recommend for long consecutive hours. The story and characters lack meaningful depth, and the 3D models were distracting. However, if there’s a child in your life who’s interested in Greek mythology, this might be a fun game to get them for Christmas. Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is readily available on the Switch, Xbox, and Windows PCs. The post Review: Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island Feels Like It’s for Kids appeared first on Siliconera .

Reviews Archives - SiliconeraDec 14

Review: Sorry We’re Closed Confronts Love and Heartbreak Head On Some say that to be loved is to be changed. There are few things as scary in life as fully opening yourself to someone else and the possibility of love changing your very own self. Even worse, possibly losing the person that caused such a potent metamorphosis. The fear of heartbreak is at the core of Sorry We’re Closed , a hybrid third person and first-person survival horror full of style. The plot of Sorry We’re Closed follows Michelle, a stylish Londoner that has been grieving the end of her last relationship for the past few years. Between her day job at a convenience store and hanging out with her friends, Michelle’s life has fallen in a comfortable, monotonous rut. That is until the archdemon known as the Duchess chooses her as her next victim. Forced to fall in love with the Duchess or suffer the consequences of rejecting her, Michelle now has to use her cursed third eye to navigate the mundane human world and the divine world. She can even choose to intervene in the complex romantic lives of her friends and closed ones, as well as an angel or two, if she so chooses. Image via à la mode games The first thing you will notice when booting up the game is how incredibly stylish everything is. The art and character designs by C. Bedford are beyond divine, with the character portraits and various of the in-game portraits in particular offering very lush, avant-garde, and sensual visuals. The cursed eye mechanic allows every level of the game to mix bold, bright colors and the decay of rust and blood. The soundtrack puts a nice ribbon on top of the package with a moody blend of hip hop and electronic music in its tunes. It compliments the visuals and the setting perfectly. A small detail I really enjoyed was the music having a distorted, otherworldly feel when using the Third Eye. But Sorry We’re Closed is not just stylish, as there’s plenty of substance in here too. The game is divided between intermissions in town and more action-focused levels. During the first ones, Michelle interacts with characters, learns about their stories and troubles, helps them navigate their lives, and receives advice from them on her particular demonic situation. Meanwhile, the various action-focused levels of the game are slow paced exploration in an abandoned location in the city of London. They usually revolve around places where other victims of the Duchess’ curse met their demise and offer context to the curse that threatens Michelle. Each level gets progressively bigger and more elaborate, and while navigating them might not be tense in the way other horror games are, in this case it still felt alluring and dangerous. Additionally, there is no map to keep track of your location, but I never found the need for one, as the levels are pretty well connected. Image via à la mode games Exploration is done in third person with fixed camera angles. The fixed camera offered very deliberate and beautiful angles that emphasize the brilliant art of the game, and I really loved this aspect of I’m Sorry We’re Closed . Combat only happens during the levels, and it shifts to a fixed first-person perspective where the player can’t move and only pivot the camera. The game can be played with either controller or keyboard and mouse. While I was more comfortable exploring and moving with controller, I quickly found that aiming and shooting your guns felt better and more fluid with a mouse. The game offers three weapons: a hatchet, pistol, and shotgun. While the firearms are effective at dealing damage from far away, Michelle’s third eye reveals enemy weak points, and can only be damaged while inside the range of the cursed eye. Because of this, I opted for a riskier playstyle in which I let demons get closer to me so that I could exploit their weaknesses. However, headshots outside of third eye can deal even more damage, so considering every scenario will be vital for survival. While the shotgun was a nice upgrade from the pistol, I wish that it had been a bit more distinct from it. During my time with the game, I felt like the shotgun was a more powerful version of the pistol with a slower fire rate, and I would have liked seeing some sort of variety or distinguishing mechanic. There’s plenty of enemy variety for the length of the game, with some standouts like the armors that can only be fought using Third Eye and only move when it’s active. Bosses are the real challenge, with them acting as a sort of combat puzzles. Image via à la mode games There are a few puzzles in the game and they help break the pace of combat. However, the best ones happen in the very last level of the game and they involve creative combat scenarios where you have to do things in a certain order and a certain way to survive. I found that these took full advantage of the combat system and were very cool. On the other side, I didn’t enjoy the caged eyes that lock you from using your Third Eye and appear in the earlier levels, but I understand that they are supposed to be that annoying. They made me feel powerless against enemies, even though I could have faced them regardless of revealing their weak points. During the intermissions, you can make decisions as Michelle that lead to different outcomes for the characters, as well as different endings. Various characters will offer or request their help with the promise of either ridding you of the Duchess’ curse, allowing you to learn how to love it, denying anything and reclaiming your lost, unrequited love, or even other more dangerous avenues. Michelle navigates these different vignettes of love and heartbreak with the help of her friend Robyn. I found that the game takes a little bit to really kick into gear, but once it does, I was really captivated by both its storytelling and the way it delivers it. I got to see two of the endings of the game, both of which I really enjoyed, and I will definitely go back to get the rest when I get the chance. Image via à la mode games The Duchess is, without a doubt, the most interesting character in the game. Developers à la mode games completely nailed both their design and the tone of allure in the dialogue and backstory of the character, as well as the contrast between their beautiful “false” and real demonic appearances. Their relationship to Michelle and the ambiguity in their interactions, curious, tempted, and scared of each other’s different promises of love easily carries the narrative of the game by itself. However, my standout characters were both Chamuel and the Dream Eater, their stories both serving as a fascinating foil to the central conflict. Sorry We’re Closed enticed me with a bold and striking art style with no paragon and kept me hooked with a story about heartbreak and finding out our reasons for loving. The combat and Third Eye system are very interesting, and I wish it could have seen them expanded in some way, especially with puzzles or more environment interaction. Regardless, Sorry We’re Closed is a beautiful and impressive game, especially considering that this is the debut title of studio à la mode games. Sorry We’re Closed is readily available for Windows PC . The post Review: Sorry We’re Closed Confronts Love and Heartbreak Head On appeared first on Siliconera .

Reviews Archives - SiliconeraDec 14

Mouthwashing ReviewA horror game that paints an unsettling picture of who we can be in our worst moments.

IGN PC ReviewsDec 13