Minotaur Arcade Vol.1 | Trippy Arcade Action For The PS4

Llamasoft continues their trend of trippery with this micro-collection of arcade tribute games for the PS4, and PSVR consoles. Going from "Polybius" to what could best be described as a virtual assault on the senses "Minotaur Arcade Vol.1" brings to the gamer two hard to master experiences burdened by blinding colors, flashing lights, and oldschool chiptune sounds. Something I couldn't see being all too pleasant in VR, but definitely doable in the standard console format. Epilepsy, and seizure potential aside. With the budget priced package that is this game you get both "Gridrunner" and "Goat Up", collectively. Both in standard PS4 format as well as PSVR format. The titles alone are probably confusing to anyone reading this, but one is a shmup, and the other a tough as nails platformer.

Pig Eat Ball | Grotesque Game Of Gluttonous Gobbling

Mommy's Best Games once again delivers an indie of insane proportions. A grotesque game of gluttonous gobbling. This time it is centered around a junction of connected space stations, the Cake King who is the ruler of them all, and his daughter to be wed, Princess Bow. For whatever reason the king decides it's high time his daughter, who happens to be a pig, gets married. To find a suitable suitor he plans on hosting a series of challenges. Learning of his plans Princess Bow decides to enter the contest herself in disguise to keep from having her dreams of getting out, and exploring the universe to be dashed to bits. And thus it is through these disguises that she gains abilities that will help her better suction tennis balls like a Hoover vacuum cleaner as she attempts to collect them all in order to win the pearls that it takes to advance to the next part of the competition. As you will find out this is done by taking on clam challenges, winning medals for timed completion, and objective based goals bested. The competition along the way is varied, and the challenges challenging. You'll find Princess Bow facing simple ball collecting challenges, racing against the clock to collect balls, and even fighting for survival in challenges filled with bacon letting hazards that will keep Princess Bow from collecting what needs to be collected. Supposing you are able to help her through though she will come out on top as the victor, and not be made to marry her life away.

The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors | An Updated Port From The Arcades To The PS4

Hailing from a time when local Arcades were still a thing, and co-op 4 player brawlers were the trend there existed Taito's, "The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors". A game meant to be played in the company of friends on a weekend when school wasn't in session, or even during after school hours. Staying true to the Arcade experience of the late 80's that it was born from this port brings back in full the fight of three cybernetic assassins at the heart of the story as they face off against a nation's corrupt leader named Banglar, and his loyal regime. As a Ninja, a Kunoichi, and a Kamaichi the game tasks you, and your joining friends to battle the enemy as they come in from all sides, and in all kinds of forms. It's seven stages of challenging mob style gameplay, and one final fight with easy to understand mechanics that will allow you complete the entire set of operations, stylishly. 

Indivisible | An RPG And Metroidvania Hybrid Of Colorful Proportions

From Lab Zero Games, the creators of Skullgirls, comes an RPG hybrid about a rambunctious teenage girl named Ajna who finds herself as a part of a haunting mystery that one day comes calling. Training under the tutelage of her father Indr, the village elder, she learns the ways of combat. All while wondering who her father really is, and why her mother died when she was younger. As fate would have it a ruler of a certain kingdom sends his lieutenant to destroy the disobedient population of the Ashwat village shortly after one of Ajna's training sessions. The very village where Ajna, and her father live. In his murderous rampage Dhar, the lieutenant sent to plunder, kills Ajna's father leaving her with a lot more unanswered questions, and a fight that she will thankfully not have to face alone. Utilizing a mysterious undiscovered power activated in the heat of battle Ajna captures certain people of interest including Dhar, and has them fighting on her side as she makes her way to face off against the man who had her father killed. It's with this interchangeable army of individuals, and assisting acquaintances that Ajna will be able to see her mission through to the end. That, and some abilities she gains along the way through her journey of discovery, and maturity.

Valfaris | A Metal Game That Will Test Your Mettle

Valfaris is a game that takes it's focus from it's own namesake. It is a 2D action-platformer of a Contra persuasion that is centered around a paradise gone dark, and the son of it's king who returns to it in order to try, and figure out why it is the way it is. Valfaris is the location at which this game takes place, and Therion is the protagonist with which you'll face what lies in wait. Armed with a trio of weapons, and other useful abilities such as a shield Therion must brave the darkness infested wilds of Valfaris as he journeys forth to find his father, or at the very least what happened to him. The road from beginning to end is wrought with perils in the form of environmental hazards as well as bosses, and lesser creatures. An adventure that's made all the more impressive by masterful pixel art, and Celtic Metal music made just for this experience.

Burgertime Party! | A Retro Based Remake Done Justice

Do you like burgers? Do you like the cartoony Cuphead character style art? Do you like puzzle platformers? Do you like it all with a side order of local multiplayer? If you do chances are you'll like this re-imagining of Data East's retro Burgertime experience. Complete with four fully fledged modes of play that are playable solo, and with up to three other players you'll be tasked as Pepper Pete to take on the Food Foes as well as both of said characters as they clash in the ultimate food fight party extravaganza. You'll find that along with the new art direction, new modes of play, and new challenges comes a Solo, Main, Challenge, and Battle Burger option where perfecting your playthrough is the key to a high score. Whether you are trying to earn the gold star ranking, the trophies for feats accomplished, or are going classic with higher tiers of difficulty for that global leaderboard position you'll need to master your maneuvers across obstacle laden ladder accessible towers as you use pepper to fend of fiendish Food Foes in an attempt to make burgers layer by layer. It is not an easy undertaking as this time around pepper is somewhat limited, and the environmental hazards to overcome while you dodge Mr. Hotdog, Mr. Pickle, Mr. Egg, and Mr. Donut are aplenty.

Family Tree | Trajectory Based Puzzle Platforming With A Fruity Twist

Perhaps one of the most interesting platformers I've ever played comes in the form of, "Family Tree" from Infinite State Games. This pinball meets platforming experience featuring a fruity family torn apart by a sinister sugar skull named Pedro really takes the cake. With added music of an interesting variety including dub-step, and acid house it's a trippy experience to say the least. One that will have you playing through 128 increasingly challenging levels across four theme inclusive seasons while taking on side challenges, and an endless climbing mode for up to four players. As you command the role of Mister, and Misus Fruits whose children were abducted by the nefarious Pedro you will need to quickly ascend the towering tree innards before you via cannon catapults as you dodge wacky enemies, and odd obstructions keeping you from collecting that which will mean perfection for the playthrough rescues at hand. Both the fruity children themselves, and the 4 coins per level that hover ever so conveniently within the hollowed out tree structures included.

Alliance Alive HD | An Upscaling Of An Amazing JRPG Adventure

Mirroring the evils of society, and the governing bodies of today's real world, 'Alliance Alive' brings to us a familiar plot premise told through classic RPG gameplay, and enhanced HD visuals. Complimented by added mechanics paying homage to RPGs of the past, and others that are somewhat new to the genre as well as specific to this experience. As the game opens up through visually enhanced cutscenes, textual art panel inclusive storytelling, and in-game character interactions we find a fantasy world plagued by the invasion of  Daemons, and divided realms born from a resulting barrier where beast folk enforce the laws without mercy. Leaving humans to be the last underground resistance to the oppressive darkness, and the rule thereof. In the midst of the darkened skies, and society's downfall there lies hope in the guise of a girl named Azura, her childhood friend Galil, her father Wyatt, and the guilds that will join in an alliance to find the blue skies of a thousand bygone years. It's a story of hope enduring, and the final fight for freedom. One we all can relate to.

Habroxia | An Entry Level Shmup For The PS4

If you've played earlier shmups like Gradius and Space Invaders you'll have a good clue as to how Habroxia plays, and what type of shoot 'em up it is. Even though it has it's own slightly different hybrid take on mechanics, and even features it's own unique visual design as well as it's own approach to gameplay the waves of enemies including how you approach them within the handful of modes made available will feel very familiar. Compared to other shmups, and bullet hell shooters Lillymo Games' creation is also a bit more tame, and entry level by design. Said design has it's ups, and downs to note. For example, it is somewhat too reliant upon the upgrade system that is it's base feature for progressing through the 15 stages of the main mode. Outside of that the alternate modes that you unlock such as Invasion, Rescue, and Shield Maiden at every five level completion will offer only slight replay value as well as a means to farm for credits which act as the game's in-game currency. Sadly, in all that it offers it does not include global leaderboards though. Thus making the chain combo scoring that is attached to the experience less than beneficial to those gamers looking to compare their feats of mastery with other worldly competitors.

Sudden Strike 4: Complete Collection | A Military RTS In All It's Entirety

Sudden Strike 4 is a real time strategy (RTS) game that focuses heavily on the various WWII campaigns. It includes eleven campaigns stretched across the core game, and bonus DLC including various axis & ally perspectives. Through voiced narration, historic video clips, and added textual facts the game takes the player through the war from different fronts as they command troops, and units to see the battle through as they would have seen it done, but with guided mission objectives, and rewards for completing the tasks at hand accounted for. You'll fight as the Germans, the Soviets, and the Allies among others as you use the doctrines of historical commanders, and tweak said skill based doctrines to your benefit. There are over 45 missions in total within the complete collection. The DLC campaigns included. Each with an obtainable 3 star rankings based on objective performance, and your ability to come out of the set battle victorious. Using user friendly commands tied to face buttons, shoulder buttons, thumbsticks, and the DPad you will be able to fast track combat as you point, and click troops, and units from point to point on the mini or main map. The troops, and units being like their real world counterparts in that they feature functions, and abilities that can be used to aid other troops and units as they make their way to areas of interest, and do as directed.

Borderlands 3 | My Own Thoughts & Opinions

Beyond the drama, and past all the technical issues I am personally finding myself engrossed in the Borderlands 3 grind loop. This is coming from a gamer who has never fully completed Borderlands or Borderlands 2. For whatever reason the third installment has hooked me where the others failed to do so. Maybe it's the newly updated mechanics, the new characters, or the engaging plot filled quests and side quests that are more than just target hunts to participate in. For me everything in the game is enriched in some way. Through well thought dialogue, and humor that I actually laugh at I'm finding the entirety of the new Borderlands universe to be alive, and thriving. There's never a dull moment. Whether you are completing the campaign, farming for guns, or engaging with NPCs it all comes together in a complimentary fashion befitting of a Triple A label. In the company of friends or alone there is plenty of fun to be had, and it scales appropriately while rewarding accordingly. Depending on how much the drama surrounding development and corporate PR effects you though you'll either be willing to give it a chance, or not. Just know that there is an entire team of developers involved that may or may not have had the same ideas in dealing with things as the head of marketing did.

FUZE4 | A Unique Coding Experience For Experienced Coders

At times I've referred to coding as digital witchcraft. Media magic conjured up by deals with the Devil. I've stated that making games out of text, symbols, and numbers does not make any logical real world sense. Not even with the modern hardware to back it up. Going into FUZE4 I'd hoped I'd be wrong about this assumption. That I'd not only be able to see and understand how coding works, but also make some sense out of the seemingly illogical. Unfortunately in my time with the programming tool I still ended up completely clueless as to how any of it functions. The developer of the FUZE coding program definitely went out of their way to explain things through help menu references, and definitely offered all the necessary tools to create programs, but even with all of that available content I was at a loss. I still do not understand coding. I did not figure out how to write my own programs, and I did not understand how to use the tools at hand. Even after reading through the help menu tutorials, and looking over each of the eight menus I could not make sense of anything. It was filled with college level lingo as if it were a college lesson being taught by a professor, and not the beginner's guide I thought it would be. It reads as if it expects you to understand the basics enough to apply them to advanced coding applications. It's like it skips past the fundamentals, and the foundation rushing into what you could do if you understood coding on a slightly deeper level. I digress though ...

Sennheiser GSP 670 Wireless Gaming Headset | A Bit Pricey And A Bit Flawed

Gamers always seem to be searching for that perfect headset to compliment their online gaming sessions. The one that affords them a luxury feel of comfort, quality sound input/output, clear chat, ease of use, and overall durability. It's very rare to find such a headset at the usual price point though, especially one that incorporates expert design and deep technological understanding from the manufacturer's tried and tested standpoint. Supposing you were willing to pay top dollar though, and are in the market for such a headset that has, but one flaw you might be interested to know that Sennheiser has such a thing. In fact I'll be giving you the lowdown about one of their finer examples soon enough. Before I do though I'd like to give some brief background information on Sennheiser. Sennheiser is a audio/communication product company that isn't a new name among established headset, and peripheral providers. Their series of products comes from upwards of 70 years of experience in the industry. An award winning legacy that started in 1945 through Dr. Fritz Sennheiser, and continues to this very day through globally reaching outlets. They are, at heart, a global reaching company with a specialty for catering to those consumers who only want the best of the best in regards to communication, and audio tech. While their products are anything, but cheap in price, you will get a product that mostly reflects the high cost to be paid. Whether or not it's something you're willing to pay for is up to you. Hopefully by the end of this review you'll have a good idea what the headset can do in regards to performance regardless of that choice.

Injection π23 - No Name, No Number (PS4)

Do you miss that old school Silent Hill fix? That psychological horror that makes you question your sanity while delivering pulse pounding puzzle solving investigations involving pop-ins from the paranormal? Well, Abramelin's "Injection π23" might just fill that void of wanting. Might being the keyword. Taking inspiration from games like Silent Hill, and Slenderman this indie nightmare, in all of it's sensory overloading glory, drags the gamer kicking and screaming back down retro gaming's memory lane where a certain disturbed individual finds himself in a world filled with macabre mystery. While utilizing tools found in the various haunting landscapes, and finding clues among the gore plastered scenery you'll need to mind your health, stamina, and noise making as you unlock rooms, and locations that hide various key items meant to get you to the end of hellish world you find yourself in. A goal that will either free you from the madness therein, or make you realize the futility in your running of errands.

Doughlings: Invasion | A New Entry In A Series That Reinvents Retro Games

The Doughlings franchise by Hero Concept is a sort of series of games with it's own unique lore that utilizes retro gaming genres as it's core gameplay element. This particular installment of the Doughlings series, for example, features a tale of the Doughlings being invaded by space invaders who aim to conquer the residents of the Doughling world through a sneaky preemptive meteor strike. They basically send down a meteor of mass destruction down to the Doughling planet to obliterate all existence there, but Dr. Morpheus finds out the plan, and launches a counter offensive against the would be invaders. Packing heat in the form of a color gun, and utilizing various personas, or abilities gained from elixir allocation Morpheus must make a stand or risk the very existence of his own kind. A story which is nicely packaged in comic book panel form with a spoken voice-over inclusive introduction at the start.

TERRORHYTHM (NS)

Terrorhythm. I can say it is definitely a terror to play, and it's definitely got rhythm. I think what it all boils down to though is an awkward control scheme, poorly explained mechanics, and the loss of story in translation. Believe it or not, but Terrorhtyhm does have a backstory. A backstory about a music led rebellion via a protagonist who is fighting music censorship through what equates to dance combat. As said protagonist in a stationary position you must apply the beat to the music while fighting off foes through four different actions including right and left directional attacks, intermittent shield dropping beat pulses, and a range extension. By constantly pressing buttons to the beat you setup combo opportunities, and gain score standing through a feat inclusive end tally. Things like enemies killed, beats correctly hit, beats dropped, life left, combos, and a few other things included. The game features several stages with unique trance or electro-synth music tracks, and four different difficulty settings including relaxed, normal, hard, and terror. The music is actually catchy, but the gameplay not so much. All in all it's a score based leaderboard affair, but one that ultimately complicates itself through a control scheme that isn't really viable in handheld mode, nor doable in docked mode due to a confusing UI.

Vasara Collection | A Classic Shmup Revival With A New Mode Of Play

For the first time on console. You don't often see such a claim when it comes to video games. Even when it's shmups from Asia. That being said QUBytes did indeed bring to us the "Vasara Collection" in all it's wonderful glory for the first time on consoles, and modern consoles at that. Included in the collection are the two older game ports titled, "Vasara" and "Vasara 2" from the respective series developed by Visco as well as "Vasara Timeless" which seems to be a more modern version of those older releases with it's own unique mechanics for an up to four player local co-op session. All in all it's a three for the price of one kind of deal which may or may not be worth it to you depending on what kind of game genres you like ...

Most of you reading this are probably wondering what theme this particular shoot 'em up series contains at this point, and if you guessed samurai you'd be close. The two main games take some of the real life feudal Japanese history/lore, and put a sort of fantasy anime twist on it all. As one of a handful of various fully named male, and female protagonists sporting different period attire according to profession (Ninja, Samurai, Rogue, Shogun, Monk), and piloting a variety of different mechanized ships you go into battle against the forces involved in the fall of Osaka Castle of 1600 as well as against Oda Nobunga, and his army of loyal generals. At your disposal on your journey to rid the world of the nefarious opposition is a blocking melee attack, and rapid fire shot of varying types according to ship/character as well as the usual bullet hell clearing bombs. Utilizing your tools of destruction you must clear out enemies large, and small in order to face off against the main enemies that lie in wait within the six stage playthrough. Whether it be soldiers, sub-boss generals, or boss type generals piloting enemy craft. With each defeated enemy leaving in their wake a banner that adds to an end score tally along with other tallied loot found hidden away you could find yourself on at the top of the games' global leaderboards, and in the footnotes of feudal fantasy history if you can prove yourself worthy enough to capitalize on such point earned fame and fortune.

Mortal Kombat 11 | Flawless Failure! Greedality!

Fighting game developers throughout the years have tried desperately to find a place among the gaming community for their games to thrive. We've seen the genre start off in a humble manner, and with basic functionality evolving into a more complicated spectacle of flash, and deeply involved mechanics. From there we've also seen the push for online competition, and casual play as well. We've seen the domination of Japanese fighters, and the rise of a select few American borne creations as well as the fall of both. What we haven't seen though is anyone in the business perfect the formula, and release a fighter that not only offers a tournament worthy challenge, but also proper value for what the consumer pays. It seems more, and more often that studios take away features that were once commonplace in a fighting game, and freely so, replacing them with blatant monetization schemes that take advantage of the community's goodwill. Fastforward to the here, and now and we find Netherrealm Studios releasing one of the most undeserving fighting games in all of fighting game history. A culmination of grind, and greed made manifest in an experience that does not take itself seriously enough.

Kill la Kill the Game: IF (PS4)

I'm going to do something I usually don't do. I'm going to suggest that if you are on the fence about buying this game to download the demo, and play it first before reading my review. Afterwards return here to find out what I think about the game, and what features the game has to offer ...

Pawarumi (NS)

Rock, paper, scissors, and a shmup. A shmup, and an Aztec theme. These are things we usually wouldn't think of as something that would go together so easily or smoothly. Thankfully the French studio Manufacture 43 put them together quite seamlessly, and in such a way as to create one of the genre's most unique experiences, to date, for the Nintendo Switch.

Utilizing divine creatures, and a future mythos taken lightly from Aztec mythology we find a shmup that foregoes the need for upgrades, power-ups, and the usual shoot 'em up approach. In the place of the usual staple features the developer has applied a system where shields, and supers are gained by pitting certain colored weapons of the animal variety (Red Jaguar Missiles, Blue Condor Lasers & Green Serpent Gatling) against opposing ship colors to build up respective meters, and the use of a crushing mechanic to do bonus damage in a similar fashion. The triple color scheme, and how it works is explained away in a hands-on demo style tutorial that can be intimidating at first, but more understandable as you play. A tutorial that tells you to build up a shield via a boost mechanic you have to shoot colored enemies with the same color weapon. That to build up your super via a drain mechanic you have to play a sort of rock-paper-scissors opposite game putting the weaker weapon color against the stronger enemy ship color. Needless to say earning the crushing blow is done by using a stronger weapon color to destroy ships of a weaker color. To make things easy pressing a button will show you what each shot type does in accordance to colors with a color coded meter, and crush indicator at the bottom of the screen.