The Ascent | PS4 Review

In what could possibly be one of the most awe inspiring blends of sci-fi, and cyberpunk I have ever witnessed "The Ascent" boldly does what a lot of games in the genre don't. It is a large scale isometric cyberpunk looter shooter RPG that takes place in what could best be described as a living and breathing industrialized world. The story itself unfolds in an intergalactic hub for corporations called Veles where travel weary indentured servants come to earn a living at the expense of freedom. In a way it's a blend of the story of corporate America done up with a Star Wars-like lore. Every square inch of it's metallic & rusty infrastructure is adorned with a bustling busy body of workers of various species, and alignments. All of which are individually a part of the chain of command. From the top all the way down to the grunts. Much like America the species in this action adventure act as races, and the hierarchy within reflective of the upper, middle, and lower classes. Ultimately adding a realism to the applied layers of fiction. 

Story-wise, as a hired hand for an unsavory alien taskmaster known as Poone it is your job to clean up the mess caused by a corporations downfall. What's at stake is the very lives of those on Veles who depend upon their paychecks to get by. That, and the vital supplies provided by the corporate bigwigs. Something that the citizens of Veles are as much a slave to as the corporations themselves ...

Wife Quest | PS4 Review

Wives, and girlfriends can be quite protective of their husbands, and partners. Jealousy is definitely a thing in some relationships. And as "Wife Quest" would have it such too is the case for the wife in this scintillating tale of a husband kidnapped by beastly babes. It seems farmer Fernando, and his short tempered waifu Mia have been being harassed by the local monster girls on a regular basis. Fernando, in particular. Everyone including Mia wants a piece of Fernando, and all Fernando wants is peace. Caught up in the clutches of a harem of horny hotties Fernando is fated to be rescued by his beloved in a topsy turvy take on the old damsel in distress situation. In essence Fernando is now the dude in distress awaiting rescue from his fair maiden. Mia is all up in arms for the job too as her temper knows no bounds. 

Phantom Breaker: Omnia | PS4 Review

If you had the opportunity to get your deepest wish granted would you go all out for it? Would you fight the world for that wish to come true? Against morals? That's the question posed to the duelists in "Phantom Breaker: Omnia". Propositioned by a mysterious man of magic known only as Phantom the girls and guys of parallel worlds within the given universe must decide whether their wish is to be fulfilled in a selfish or selfless way as they fight among themselves with weapons borne of their unbridled emotions. Led by the desire to do good, and some led by evil the duelists in question duel to the finish while trying to fulfill their end of the bargain. Deception is possibly at play though as Phantom's deal may or may not be as legit as it seems. This is, but one of many things that you'll discover lying in wait if you fancy giving this new fighting game experience a fighting chance ...

Young Souls | PS4 Review

Coming at you like a colorful 90's cartoon for adult children "Young Souls" pulls no punches in aspiring to be a multi-genre action game of proper blend. This arcadey brawler with fighting game mechanics, and RPG elements presented in a light Soulsborne fashion transcends the realm of humans and takes a deep dive into the cavernous world of goblins. Through the eyes of twins Jenn and Tristan we discover a fantastical world hidden just below the surface. A world of war torn goblin species discovered by their father-like professor. A man of educational renown who acts as a mediator between human, and goblin kind in a geo-political sense. Unsuspecting of the secretive goings on of the professor's work Jenn and Tristan stumble haphazardly upon his portal to the goblin world after realizing he'd been kidnapped from their home. Filled with teenage angst, and a devil may care attitude the pink haired duo jumps head first into an otherworldly adventure that might be more than the two of them can handle ...

The Cruel King & The Great Hero

With the charm of a children's storybook and moral lessons not unlike that of Grimm's fairytales NISA's, "The Cruel King & The Great Hero" takes the gamer on a heartfelt journey involving one of the most unlikely duos in RPG history. Starring a young and determined girl named Yuu, whose father passed on early in her life, we find her with a fatherly caretaker in the form of the great Dragon King. A king of monsters who now lives in harmony between two worlds that were once at odds with one another. The human world, and the world of monsters. 

Aspiring to be a great hero like her passed away papa, Yuu trains under the guidance and aid of her newfound father figure the Dragon King as she attempts to achieve her dream of heroism. Through acts of kindness, and the battle against the bad monsters Yuu along with the Dragon King, and other tag along partners befriended along the way help her in her quest to become the heroine she's always dreamt she was capable of being. Of course this telling of Yuu's and the Dragon King's tale comes with some twists and turns as there is deception and secrets amongst the ranks. A plan to turn ally against ally in the world of both monsters, and men. Trust is tested, and faith realized as Yuu sets out to face her destiny ...

Dexter Stardust: Adventures In Outer Space | Nintendo Switch Review

If you're old enough, like I am, you might know of old TV shows like Buck Rogers. You might also know of a gaming genre known as point & click adventures which were made popular by the likes of studios such as LucasArts. Through games like Monkey Island. If you're not aware of the existence of these things though be prepared to be educated through my review of "Dexter Stardust: Adventures In Outer Space". A game that embodies both the 60's era sci-fi TV series, and the point & click video game adventures of yesteryear ...

Dexter Stardust, and his adventures in outer space span several chapters which are included in this ten dollar package deal. Each episode, much like the TV series that inspired it, are titled and numbered with their own stories and plot twists. Each following the goings on between space courier Dexter Stardust, and his female co-pilot Aurora. Both of whom are survivors of humanity's near extinction at the hands of an alien species known as the Vreesians. Inhabitants of Planet X who wiped out Planet Earth, and left Dexter fatherless and in the care of his business minded uncle Jedo. 

While Dexter's current life situation has him as a courier peddling dashboard hula girls for cash, and a lover of tacos he always seems to find himself in a puzzling predicament on route to delivering the goods. Often times with a surprising lack of awareness. It is here, in the many spacefaring encounters, that the pointing and clicking comes in handy as it allows Dexter and company to interact with both the planetary environments they find themselves in, the objects that are strewn about, and the characters of interest. All of which forwards the plot through five episodic adventures that are tied together, universally, but distinctly different in content and style.

Crown Trick | PS4 Review

Roguelikes have grown in popularity over the past several years. There's been all kinds of different takes on them ranging from action roguelikes to bullet hell driven ones. Most are indies, and most get their fair share of time in the streamer spotlight. In that regard Team17's "Crown Trick" is not all that different. The gated room based dungeon structure holds true to games like "The Binding of Isaac" while the more involved mechanics take on a slightly new form. 

Centered around a girl known as Elle, and her adventures to save her world we find a certain crown shaped being has summoned her for a cause not unlike her own. Venturing onward with the omniscient and outspoken one eyed crown resting firmly on her brow as a partner with benefits Elle tries to right the wrongs of an Evil Duke named Vlad whose sacrificial shenanigans has bled the Nightmare Realm's problems over into the real world, and vice versa. The synchronous turn-based battle that ensues between the unlikely pair, and their newly sworn enemy is one that's all about randomized runs, looting, and turn based strategy ...