MattDoesWords

#23 - Fractal: Make Blooms Not War

2012-03-08T15:35:00.003Z

Pretty

Fractal: Make Blooms Not War

Genre - Casual, Indie

Metascore - 84% (iOS)

Developer - Cipher Prime Studios

Other Games by Developer - Auditorium

My Current Playtime - 1.1 hours

There is a plethora of block puzzle games to choose from and they can get all get a bit samey. “Fractal” puts a new spin on the genre in which you have to push blocks from different directions to make little flower shapes. You only have a certain number of pushes in which to make a certain number of ‘blooms’ and it becomes more about resource management than just franticly clicking to try and complete a level, especially in the puzzle mode. “Fractal” is a pretty game that is very challenging, with more to think about than “Bejeweled” and others.

My Score - 7/10

Reviewapalooza

2012-03-08T15:35:00.002Z

HELLO! It's been a while, hasn't it? For the past couple of months I have been working really hard like a really, really hard-working thing. But from today I have 11 days off. And as you may have gathered from the title of the post, there's going to be a lot of action on this blog during these days. I will be writing one review a day, from my pre-selected list of games I fancy playing. Hopefully I can convince Tom to write a few along the way as well.

While I'm here, I may as well formally announce the death of my origami making. I started doing it to try and relieve some boredom, but it itself is excruciatingly boring and testing at the same time. They never look like what they're meant to be, for fucks sake.

So here's a link to my first review of my holiday - the pretty, but obtusely named Fractal: Make Blooms Not War. Do enjoy.

100 Word Review - #T12 - Sid Meier's Civilization V

2012-02-23T15:05:00.001Z

Could do with a few more tanks.

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Genre – Strategy

Metascore – 90%

Developer – Firaxis Games

Other Games by Developer – Sid Meier's Pirates!, Sid Meier'sCivilization IV

Tom's Current Playtime – 33.7 hours

The fifth installation of a series which has seen much evolution,“Civ5” benefits from many of the plus points of previous games with few of thecons. With numerous victory possibilities, from killing everyone else tosending the first shuttle into space, and many civilizations with uniquetraits, you'd be hard pressed to find two identical games. One of the few gamesaround where every decision genuinely does have some impact, the gameencourages you to play your cards carefully, lest one of your opponents takeadvantage. Is this the best “Civilization”? Maybe. Regardless, a damn finegame.

Tom's score – 9/10

100 Word Review - #22 - NightSky

2012-02-19T14:07:00.001Z

Absolutely stunning

NightSky

Genre - Strategy, Indie, Casual

Metascore - 78%

Developer - Nicalis

Other Games by Developer - Cave Story+

My Current Playtime - 2.4 hours

‘NightSky’ is a deceptively simple puzzle platformer in which you play as a little glass orb that rolls around a beautiful twilight world, trying to solve puzzles and get to the next screen. You sometimes have the use of special powers, like being able to invert gravity, although these powers can also be forced upon you to add an extra challenge. There are also various contraptions (such as flying machines) that get you through the levels. It is quite short but there is a higher difficulty available. I’m pleasantly surprised and sorry that I've overlooked this game for so long.

My Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #M2 - Dead Island

2012-02-19T13:02:00.000Z

I don't know where she keeps it, or if I want to touch it.

Dead Island

Genre – RPG, Action

Metascore – 80%

Developer – Techland

Other Games by Developer – Call of Juarez, nail’d

Mat’s Current Playtime – 23.8 hours

ZOMBIES! Like the rest of the world I too have been conned into liking them for no particular reason, and what better way to live out the fantasy than in a game? 'Dead Island' isn’t the first of its kind but it successfully mashes two enjoyable games into one, taking the tense atmosphere of 'Left 4 Dead' and the free-roam/weapon modding of 'Dead Rising'. Sure, it’s occasionally glitchy and the voice acting is terrible, but it doesn’t matter when a game is this fun. Adding an expansive number of missions, you’ll be playing for longer than you’d like to admit.

Mat’s Score – 8/10

100 Word Review - #T11 - Dinner Date

2012-02-18T16:20:00.001Z

This is about as exciting as it gets.

Dinner Date

Genre – Casual, Indie

Metascore – N/A

Developer – Stout Games

Other Games by Developer – N/A

Tom's Current Playtime – 0.4 hours

I've played some very strange games in my time but I don't think I'll ever come across one as strange as 'Dinner Date'. In 'Dinner Date', you play a neurotic and shallow man who has set up a nice dinner for a lady who never turns up. The entirety of the 15 minute-long game is spent agitatedly going about the dinner alone while listening to the delusional thoughts of a man who undoubtedly deserves a punch in the face. 'Dinner Date' was very confusing, not very engaging and hardly qualifies as a “game.” Glad I didn't pay for it.

Tom's Score – 2/10

100 Word Review - #21 - Critical Mass

2012-02-18T15:58:00.001Z

This game has a colour-blind mode. Just for Tom.

Critical Mass

Genre - Indie, Casual

Metascore - 81%

Developer - Manic Game Studios

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 0.6 hours

I generally like to play at least a couple of hours of a game before reviewing it, but I just can't with this one. It is so incredibly boring, that I can only last about 5 minutes without having to stop. The game requires you to create groups of 4 coloured blocks by placing them on a 3D structure. I found having to move around the structure really quite annoying, but maybe I’m just too used to 2D block/puzzle games like ‘Tetris’. There are a few game modes, the best being ‘‘Meditation’’ where you have to start building from scratch.

My Score - 3/10

100 Word Review - #20 - inMomentum

2012-02-12T00:39:00.000Z

There's a reason this game has an epilepsy warning

inMomentum

Genre - Racing, Indie

Metascore - 62%

Developer - Digital Arrow

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 0.8 hours

My head hurts, and I’m sure it’s from playing this game. It’s not often I’ll start by mentioning the visuals, but they’re just so completely mental. ‘InMomentum’s single player is a fast-paced run through an area with floating platforms, as you collect gems to open the exit gate. It kind of reminds me of the time trial levels from ‘Mirror’s Edge’. The multiplayer takes the form of a multi-lap race with awesome power-ups. The game isn’t helped by the awkward control scheme, switching the usual controls for shooting and jumping. And when do you ever use the ‘Alt’ key? Seriously...

My Score - 5/10

100 Word Review - #19 - AaAaAA!!! – A Reckless Disregard for Gravity

2012-02-08T13:08:00.003Z

AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!!

AaAaAA!!! – A Reckless Disregard for Gravity

Genre – Action, Sports, Indie

Metascore - 81

Devleloper – Dejobaan Games

Other Games by Developer - AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! for the Awesome, The Wonderful End of the World

My Current Playtime – 1.8 hours

‘AaAaAA!!!’ is the only game I’ve ever seen that features BASEjumping. You jump off buildings and cliffs, trying to stay as close to them asyou can, whilst smashing through scoring plates and flicking off protestersbefore you deploy your parachute and land in a scoring zone. Simple, right? Wrong.The sheer speed at which you’re falling means you have to have lightning-fastreflexes to not smash into a building and break every bone in your body. It canget very addictive, as every time you fail, it spurs you on to try and completeit. Or rage quit.

My Score - 7/10

What's Occurring?

2012-02-07T13:26:00.000Z

Hello there. I've fallen quite a bit behind on writing reviews lately, only doing one a week. This is mainly because I've been working a lot. Hopefully I'll get down to writing a couple tomorrow.

I've been asked if I want to start doing video reviews for a friends YouTube channel. I may end up doing this, I may not. It doesn't help that the majority of a review from me would be silence or 'ums and ahs' - hardly compelling viewing.

A thing I'm definitely going to start doing is inspired by Alec Meer's feature on (gaming news website) Rock Paper Shotgun, which is him playing Football Manager 2012, and writing about it as if he was the manager. I've started a separate blog to house this and the first entry is here. I would appreciate any comments anyone may have about that.

Well, time to get to work, Ciao!

100 Word Review - #T10 - The Sims Medieval

2012-02-03T23:01:00.000Z

Easier to kill Sims in this one too.

The Sims Medieval

Genre – Simulation

Metascore – 77

Developer – Electronic Arts

Other Games by Developer – Medal of Honor

Tom's Current Playtime – 58.9 Hours

Never before has a game title been so indicative of said game's content, “The Sims Medieval” is pretty much standard “Sims” affair but set in the medieval era. Customisation is scaled back drastically to account for the limits present in medieval architecture and textiles, but in return you receive the advent of quests. The quests are nicely varied and add an actual point to the game, catering for those who complained “The Sims” lacked a true purpose. Very fun to play with a broad selection of features, the few nitpicks present knock the score down a peg.

Tom's Score – 8/10

Origami - Week 2

2012-02-02T16:06:00.001Z

It's (mostly) animal week here at origami corner. Enjoy!

#8 - Dog

#9 - Baby Bunny?

#10 - Dinosaur

#11 - Horse

#12 - Pencil

#13 - Koala Bear('s Head)

#14 - Fish

100 Word Review - #18 - Breath of Death VII

2012-02-01T14:07:00.001Z

Not for graphics whores.

Breath of Death VII

Genre - RPG, Indie

Metascore - N/A

Developer - Zeboyd Games

Other Games by Developer - Cthulu Saves the World

My Current Playtime - 3 hours

I long for a decent JRPG on Steam and I think I may have found one. ‘BoD VII’ is a parody of the entire genre that is filled with humour that will, at times, cause you to burst out laughing. Of course, it’s tailored to fans of classic JRPGs, with it’s difficulty, graphics and gameplay set back in the early NES years. It is short at around 4 hours long but it’s free with Zeboyd’s ‘CStW’, so you can’t really expect much in terms of longevity. This is a great way to fill a few hours on a slow day.

My Score - 7/10

100 Word Review - #17 - From Dust

2012-01-25T15:55:00.002Z

I made this lovely river all by myself!

From Dust

Genre - Simulation, Adventure

Metascore - 76%

Developer - Ubisoft Montpellier

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 2 hours

In ‘From Dust’ you are a deity that has the ability to pick up sand, water and lava to manipulate your surroundings in order to allow your followers to make settlements and move to the next area. You work against persistent tidal waves and volcanic eruptions that make this game just too hard too early on. In the end, I just started to mess around with the environment, changing the paths of rivers and whatnot – this was a lot more fun. It’s like a cross between ‘Lemmings’, ‘Black and White’ and ‘Sim Earth’, but nowhere near as good as either.

My Score - 5/10

Origami - Week 1

2012-01-25T14:01:00.000Z

Hello there! I've finally started doing some origami, so here's the first batch of 7...

#1 - Motorsail

#2 - Nightingale

#3 - Ladybird

#4 - Handy Stand

#5 - Flapping Butterfly

#6 - Paper Boat

#7 - Yapping Bird

I've got a couple of days off from work, so I'll probably do a couple of reviews if I can be bothered. Laters!

100 Word Review - #16 - Beat Hazard

2012-01-19T02:43:00.001Z

Standard twin-stick tactics - spin like a lunatic!

Beat Hazard

Genre - Action, Casual, Indie

Metascore - 70%

Developer - Cold Beam Games

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 4.9 hours

I do love me some twin-stick shooters and ‘Beat Hazard’is a great example of one. You are a spaceship that must have royally pissedsomeone off, as everyone else seems to want to destroy you and do a good job ofit, as the game is quite difficult, at least until you get used to it. The wholegame is set to music from you library, or internet radio and everything thathappens, from the number of enemies on screen to various effects is dependenton the music. Whether played single or multiplayer, this is quite an addictivegame.

My Score - 7/10

100 Word Review - #T9 - Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

2012-01-16T11:00:00.000Z

I hope you like Japanese voice acting. And Japan in general.

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

Genre – RPG, Indie

Metascore – 82%

Developer – EasyGameStation

Other Games by Developer – Chantelise – A Tale of Two Sisters

Tom's Current Playtime – 3.2 hours

The idea behind 'Recettear' is an intriguing one. Essentially imagine any JRPG from the point of view of a random shopkeeper and there you have 'Recettear'. Most of 'Recettear' is spent acquiring stock from various places and selling said stock to patrons from your shop. Considering that it is the main portion of the game, the bartering isn't very varied or engaging and more fun is to be had in the item scavenging adventurer sidequests. Despite its flaws, 'Recettear' is something unique in a market bloated with cloned products and it does the job just well enough to be fun.

Tom's Score – 6/10

100 Word Review - #15 - Plants vs. Zombies

2012-01-15T18:35:00.000Z

I would say that it can get a bit hectic,
but apparantly I'm not allowed.

Plants vs. Zombies

Genre - Strategy

Metascore - 87%

Developer - Popcap Games Inc.

Other Games by Developer - Peggle Deluxe, Insaniquarium Deluxe

My Current Playtime - 45.1 hours

Popcap has a wealth of turds in its catalogue, but it also contains some gems. ‘PvZ’ is an example of the latter. It’s a spin on tower defence, where your towers are plants, and the attackers are zombies (shock). The main story leads you on a journey around your house, trying to defend the different entrances. The different factors added in each level (water, night, etc.) make you adapt the way you play, bringing in different plants to develop a winning strategy. It’s a very addictive game, and the puzzle and survival modes you unlock later keep you coming back.

My Score - 9/10

100 Word Review - #T8 - Cogs

2012-01-15T18:30:00.000Z

Looks like those people at NASA have been at the sauce again.

Cogs

Genre – Casual, Indie

Metascore – 73%

Developer – Lazy 8 Studios

Other Games by Developer – N/A

Tom's Current Playtime – 1.1 hours

'Cogs' is deceptively difficult, hiding under the disguise of a simple sliding tile puzzle lies a “casual” game whose complexity in its later levels is rivalled only by my earlier reviewed 'SpaceChem'. While this kind of puzzle may not seem interesting enough to carry an entire game, 'Cogs' keeps things fresh by integrating this central mechanic into a variety of machines which helps breaks up the monotony. While the game won't punish you for taking too long on a level, there are awards for doing well and some puzzles provide a real satisfaction when the solution is finally reached.

Tom's Score – 7/10

Not Long Left

2012-01-14T23:50:00.000Z

It's mostly been a week of boredom for me - I haven't been working, I haven't had any money and most importantly, I haven't been gaming. What I have been doing is watching stuff on Netflix, while I try and decide whether to keep it past it's trial month. It has impressed me so far - the quality is fantastic, and there hasn't been constant buffering like there can be on other VoD sites. The catalogue, while lacking more recent films, has a good collection of cult and indie films, past blockbusters and some crap I've never heard of. It also features a huge collection of TV shows, both past and present. We'll see what happens at the end of the month.

I've also started to read Chuck Palahniuk's 'Fight Club', because, like pretty much everyone, I enjoyed the film, and have been told that the book is even better. I'm only 4 chapters in, but I'm coming down on the side of the film so far. I've also been told what to read next, which will be 'Choke', also by Palahniuk.

The reviews on the blog have been in good hands during my brief hiatus, but I've felt a bit left out, so I've written a review (without playing the game recently), and we'll see how that turns out, as I generally like to play a game for a bit before reviewing it. I'll probably publish that and another review from Tom at some point tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I'll be going to the Liberty Stadium to watch the mighty Swans probably get trounced by Arsenal. It's something to do, I suppose. (Ticket courtesy of Alun).

So, not long left now, then maybe I can quench this endless boredom. How about a nice game of chess?

100 Word Review - #K8 - Atom Zombie Smasher

2012-01-14T20:00:00.000Z

"Pew, pew! Pew, pew! Take that you yellow dots!
Mwahaha!" Need I say more?

Atom Zombie Smasher

Genre - Strategy, Indie

Metascore - 75%

Developer - Blendo Games

Other Games by Developer - Air Forte, Flotilla

Kris' Current Playtime - 0.8 hours

Despite being based around zombies again (are we not done with zombies yet?) I love this game. This game is listed under RTS but I prefer to think of it as tower defence with a new twist. This is truely one of the better indie games to have come around in the last few years. It is such great fun to find new ways defending your (procedurally generated, geek thumbs up there) city from of hoards of yellow dots whilst saving your pink dots, with a little humour thrown in from the creators to keep you chuckling along for hours.

Kris' Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #T7 - Borderlands

2012-01-13T23:05:00.000Z

Do I really need all these guns? Not really.

Borderlands

Genre – Action, RPG

Metascore – 81%

Developer – Gearbox Software

Other Games by Developer – Duke Nukem Forever, Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30

Tom's Current Playtime – 146.9 hours

I've not played a game which captivated me equally playing alone or with friends to this extent without it involving plastic instruments. 'Borderlands' is one of the most enjoyable shooters I've played in a long time. If you take time to play through the sidequests, it's length can only be described as Titanic with so many variables in place that even playing with 3 friends is unlikely to produce the exact same character build. Stunningly designed, 'Borderlands' successfully delivers fantastic gameplay, a delightful art style and razor sharp wit which completely negates any bad points I could pick with it.

Tom's Score – 9/10

100 Word Review - #K7 - Lucidity

2012-01-13T23:00:00.000Z

This might be taken from the game.
I'll probably never know...

Lucidity

Genre - Family, Casual

Metascore - 59%

Developer - LucasArts

Other Games by Developer - Star Wars: Dark Forces, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

Kris' Current Playtime - 0.1 hours

It's going to be difficult to call this one a review. I barely got out of the gate with Lucidity before I stopped playing to go and do anything else. I really like puzzle platformers (despite some of the low scores that I have given them) but this one just had nothing in the opening to get me going. The moral of the story for me is "just because a game is on sale, doesn't mean that you should buy it, no matter how cheap". I might try it again but the first impression made me uninstall it straight way.

Kris' Score - 2/10

100 Word Review - #K6 - Toki Tori

2012-01-12T23:03:00.000Z

Probably really good as a commute timewaster

Toki Tori

Genre - Indie, Casual

Metascore - 80%

Developer - Two Tribes

Other Games by Developer - EDGE, RUSH

Kris' Current Playtime - 3 hours

This is a game that I bought one day because I was bored and it was very cheap. I didn't really expect much out of it and to be honest it isn't going to be winning an innovation awards any time soon. Having said that, it does add a new dimension to what is essentially Sokoban puzzles. It's quite good for whiling away some time but I think is better suited to the platform of it's roots; mobile. Having this game on Game Boy Colour or your iPhone makes sense. Your super beefy gaming rig PC however? Not so much.

Kris' Score - 5/10

100 Word Review - #T6 - Uplink

2012-01-12T23:00:00.000Z

Maybe I went a bit overboard with this re-routing thing...

Uplink

Genre – Strategy, Indie

Metascore – 75%

Developer – Introversion Software

Other Games by Developer – Darwinia, DEFCON

Tom's Current Playtime – 5.2 hours

Being in possession of a Computer Science degree, 'Uplink' should make me a very angry person. In 'Uplink', you play a “hacker” working for a hacking organisation, given missions of varying difficulty to hack into a computer somewhere in the world and steal, delete or alter a file, all the while ensuring you aren't detected. A format which gets a bit stale. Being a game it is, naturally, hideously innaccurate so don't expect to learn how to actually hack, but as something to keep you entertained for a few hours, 'Uplink' is something different and does the job nicely.

Tom's Score – 6/10

100 Word Review - #K5 - Puzzle Bots

2012-01-12T14:55:00.000Z

Using the pushing robot to push the book over?
Ground breaking.

Puzzle Bots

Genre - Adventure, Indie

Metascore - N/A

Developer - Lively Ivy

Other Games by Developer - N/A

Kris' Current Playtime - 0.2 hours

I went into this game with high hopes hoping that I was going to get something a little like the 'Professor Layton' series but much less talking and more puzzles. I was wrong. I didn't get any of those things. I think this would make a fun game for kids who like puzzles but just isn't engaging enough to keep adult wanting to play it all of the way through. Maybe it got harder as the game went on but the game never made me want to get that far. Unskippable chatting from the backdrop humans doesn't help much either.

Kris' Score - 4/10

Stat Attack

2012-01-12T00:10:00.000Z

Good morning! The passing of midnight marks the one month anniversary of this blog. HAPPY ANIVERSARY!!!! First off I'd like to thank my fellow contributors - Kris, Mat and Tom. We've had 24 reviews in this time, which have gathered 532 views with the average score being 7.2/10. I think this is far too high and I pledge to review some nice, shitty games when I'm done with my gaming hiatus.

One of the nice features of Blogger is it's stat tracking, giving breakdowns of pageviews and I have used my GCSE ICT skills (which future generations will apparently not be learning) and put together a few highly interesting pie charts for y'all to take a look at.

Well, that was fun, wasn't it?

100 Word Review - #K4 - VVVVVV

2012-01-11T22:57:00.000Z

8-bit retro style never gets old for me

VVVVVV

Genre - Action, Indie

Metascore - 81%

Developer - Terry Cavanagh

Other Games by Developer - N/A

Kris' Current Playtime - 0.8 hours (on Steam)

I orignally played this as a flash demo and fully enjoyed it without realising that it would become a full (although both short and long) game. This is another one of those "twitch" platformers that rewards you for bouncing through obstacles for 5 screens without going wrong. The game is short because the world isn't particularly large. At the same time the game is lengthened by the fact that you end up repeating sections over and over. I don't mind a challenge in a game but for me there was too much of the "try, fail, try" playtime stretcher.

Kris' Score - 5/10

100 Word Review - #T5 - King's Bounty: Armored Princess

2012-01-11T20:57:00.000Z

Believe it or not but there are units other than humans and dragons.

King's Bounty: Armored Princess

Genre – RPG

Metascore – 82%

Developer – Katauri Interactive

Other Games by Developer – King's Bounty: The Legend, King's Bounty: Crossworlds

Tom's Current Playtime – 36.7 hours

When I first heard that a new 'King's Bounty' was being made 18 years after the Amiga classic, I was overjoyed. 'King's Bounty: The Legend' didn't disappoint so naturally, a sequel was only a matter of time. In 'King's Bounty: Armored Princess', you lead an army of your creation with every standard fantasy creature represented. Gameplay follows grid-bound turn-based strategy with magic and pet dragons bolstering attacking options in a game with a nicely-mapped difficulty curve. While 'Armored Princess' adds little new to the formula, its sheer depth and replayability make it stand out as a spectacle of the genre.

Tom's Score – 9/10

100 Word Review - #K3 - Eufloria

2012-01-11T10:08:00.000Z

Tranquillity and good game play is a recipe for burning time

Eufloria

Genre - Strategy, Indie

Metascore - 63%

Developer - Rudolph Kremers & Alex May

Other Games by Developer - N/A

Kris' Current Playtime - 3 hours

Personally, there are 2 things that make this game interesting. The first is that the combination of the 'easy to pick up but hard to master' gameplay and the soothing music make this game so easy to play. It's very entrancing. After first installing it, I sat playing for hours and didn't realise how much time had passed. The second interesting part is the games visuals. The minimalistic design which is underpinned by some clever fractal algorithms makes something that is very plain also beautiful. The simple beauty adds to the ease of play and draws you in for hours.

Kris' Score - 7/10

100 Word Review - #T4 - Jolly Rover

2012-01-10T23:26:00.001Z

Nowhere near as likeable as Guybrush either...

Jolly Rover

Genre – Adventure, Casual, Indie

Metascore – 71%

Developer – Brawsome

Other Games by Developer – N/A

Tom's Current Playtime – 2.2 hours

As an adventure game, you have to count yourself very lucky to not be compared with 'Monkey Island'. Unfortunately for 'Jolly Rover', it's trying to be Monkey Island so hard that the comparison is very easy to make, and it does not come out favourably. As far as the genre is concerned, 'Jolly Rover' is par for the course, with the closest thing to a unique selling point being the magic spells you can perform at arbitrary intervals. 'Jolly Rover' is adequate at best, not delivering anything groundbreaking and it didn't manage to compel me enough to actually finish it.

Tom's Score – 5/10

100 Word Review - #K2 - Portal 2

2012-01-10T23:20:00.000Z

The multiplayer is good too

Portal 2

Genre - Action, Adventure

Metascore - 95%

Developer - Valve

Other Games by Developer - Portal, Left 4 Dead 2,

Kris' Current Playtime - 16.1 hours

It is a bit obvious but this is my favourite game of last year. It was the perfect sequel to an amazing game. I like that there were new game constructs such as the gels but not too much to take away from the portaling heart. The story and comedy definitely need a big mention as they elevate a clever puzzle game into a true fan favourite. Everytime I see or hear Steve Merchant, I now think of Wheatley. GLaDOS is as funny as ever and I loved the idea of Cave Johnson. A truly modern classic in every respect.

Kris' Score - 10/10

Cold Turkey

2012-01-10T00:25:00.001Z

So, because of an off the cuff remark from my fellow reviewer Kris, I will not be playing any games for 7 whole days. This means that I will have to go cold turkey 'till next Tuesday (17/1/12). I'll still be logging into Steam for chat and possible game purchases, and I may pop online on PSN while using Netflix, but you have my word that I will not play any PC/PS3/360/DS/Android games until my time has been served. You'll just have to trust me. Yes, I will be bored, and yes, other people will have to write all of the sexy reviews, but it will be worth it just to prove a point. Fuck you, Kris.

100 Word Review - #14 - Lucid

2012-01-09T23:36:00.001Z

This is how you clear the blocks

Lucid

Genre - Indie, Casual

Metascore - N/A

Developer - YeaBoing (EVERYONE CLICK ON THIS LINK NOW!)

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 1.1 hours

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this is just another oneof the multiple ‘Bejeweled’ clones, because for the most part, it is. The realdraw of this game is the twist it puts on this gem-clearing format – you haveto clear all same-coloured touching blocks at once. You do this by dragging aline through the blocks visiting each one once. If you can’t get them all inone go, you can’t clear them. ‘Lucid’ has the same addictive gameplay as itssister games - I couldn’t drag myself away to write this until I had failed astage.

My Score - 6/10

Origami

2012-01-09T16:33:00.002Z

Paul Tillich once said, "Boredom is rage spread thin." so to save those around me from feeling that ever-thickening rage, I decided to get myself a new hobby. And following on from my fantastic haiku the other day, I will be continuing my Japanese odyssey and starting to do origami.

Need to end boredom
Origami could save me;
Will upload results

To start me off, I have bought a page-a-day origami desk calendar. This is so I will have a steady stream of origami to create throughout the year. Also, it should help me keep track of the date, which is always useful. Other than that, I may buy some nice coloured squares of paper and do some extra manic folding, or I may not - it depends if I enjoy doing it. And as my also fantastic second haiku states, I will post pictures of my creations for all to see.

UPDATE 10/1/12 - I've had to put a pin in this because of lack of funds :(

100 Word Review - #T3 - Torchlight

2012-01-08T02:17:00.000Z

Can get a bit hectic at times

Torchlight

Genre – RPG

Metascore – 83%

Developer – Runic Games

Other Games by Developer – N/A

Tom's Playtime – 17.9 hours

Probably the closest thing to a single player MMO that exists at the moment, 'Torchlight' reminds me of why I never played 'World of Warcraft' in that I've racked up 17 hours of gameplay yet I feel as though I've barely touched it. While the “story” leaves a lot to be desired, the gameplay is well-paced and holds up well with three very different playable classes. While the game tends to schizophrenically flit between having nothing on-screen and so many enemies that you cannot see, the obscene degrees of variation between playthroughs offer each player a truly unique experience.

Tom's Score – 8/10

100 Word Review - #13 - Nimbus

2012-01-08T02:15:00.000Z

You'll have fun just drifting around

Nimbus

Genre - Indie, Racing

Metascore - 80%

Developer - Noumenon Games

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 3.1 hours

‘Nimbus’ is a cool little game in which you pilot a craftthrough a hazard-filled area. The catch being that apart from the occasionalboost pad, you have no propulsion other than gravity. It’s a shame that ‘Nimbus’ doesn't have much more to it than that core mechanic. I’ve found that, for themost part, it has a calming effect on me. This ends rather abruptly when I comeacross an insanely difficult level, but the game is good enough to keep me fromrage-quitting and burning my computer. And that, my friends, is the sign of agood game.

My Score - 7/10

A Haiku for Andrew

2012-01-08T02:13:00.001Z

So you speak your mind

Said my blog needs more haikus -

Challenge accepted

100 Word Review - #T2 - Ghost Master

2012-01-07T00:12:00.000Z

Gotta catch 'em all!

Ghost Master

Genre – Strategy

Metascore – 81%

Developer – Sick Puppies

Other Games by Developer – N/A

Tom's Current Playtime – 9.8 hours

In 'Ghost Master' I'm reminded of my childhood playing 'Haunting Starring Polterguy^TM' on my Sega Mega Drive. As the title suggests, you are the master of ghosts with various abilities and given new ghosts to collect and various objectives to complete per level, most of which involve using your ghosts to scare people out of buildings. While far from perfect, lacking any real story and relying a little too much on the seemingly random movements of the NPCs, I found it a nice time sink with some charming pop culture references and it's easily the best 79p I've ever spent.

Tom's Score – 7/10

100 Word Review - #M1 - Amazing Adventures Around the World

2012-01-06T13:37:00.001Z

Now where did I put my lion's head?

Amazing Adventures Around the World

Genre - Casual, Family

Metascore - N/A

Developer - Spintop Games

Other Games by Developer - Amazing Adventures: The Lost Tomb, Escape Rosecliff Island

Mat's Current Playtime - 9.9 hours

Have you ever looked at an unsorted mess knowing that you had to find one tiny object in it? Have you ever wanted that feeling of frustration captured in a game? No? Tough. “Amazing Adventures Around the World” provides you with a selection of scenery filled with objects that aren’t so much hidden as simply overwhelming, before asking you to find 10 specific items. It might not sound exciting, and that’s because it’s not. It is, however, a perfect time waster for people that don’t require fun in their games. Oh, and one more thing... this is actually a sequel.

Mat's Score - 4/10

100 Word Review - #12 - Left 4 Dead 2

2012-01-06T02:14:00.000Z

Some useful advice here

Left 4 Dead 2

Genre - Action

Metascore - 89%

Developer - Valve

Other Games by Developer - Left 4 Dead, Portal 2

My Current Playtime - 76.6 hours

‘L4D2’ is another one of these great games to play with acouple of friends, and with the campaigns normally lasting around an hour; youdon’t need to dedicate much time to each survival attempt. The AI is some ofthe most intelligent I have ever seen, and has a way of turning the game on itshead. This game was a great improvement over ‘L4D’ and now that they’ve addedthe maps from the original, it’s even better. Valve rotate game modes everycouple of weeks and there is a plethora of custom campaigns, which keeps thegame fresh.

My Score - 10/10

100 Word Review - #K1 - Machinarium

2012-01-06T00:46:00.000Z

The quirky humour adds a lot of value

Machinarium

Genre - Adventure, Indie

Metascore - 85%

Developer - Amantia Design

Other Games by Developer - Samorost2

Kris' Current Playtime - 5.4 hours

I've had little to no luck with point and click adventurers; I just don't have the time or patience. 'Machinarium' is the only one that I have played from start to finish. It is quite short but that is made up for with the beautiful art style and the warm and fuzzy feelings that you get for the main character. I ended up using some hints but regret it, the puzzles aren't that hard and the game can easily be completed in an evening. Unless you spend most of your play time just staring at the backdrops like I did.

Kris' Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #11 - Poker Night at the Inventory

2012-01-06T00:13:00.003Z

How can I lose?

Poker Night at the Inventory

Genre - Casual, Sports

Metascore - 71%

Developer - Telltale Games

Other Games by Developer - Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, Jurassic Park: The Game

My Current Playtime - 4.9 hours

My friend Tom commented that the fact that this game costsactual money makes him want to throw up blood. This is quite a solidobservation. ‘PNatI’ is, quite simply, poker - poker with characters from other(mostly ‘Telltale’) games that crack wise about your terrible poker skills. Thereis an option to turn the chatter down to a minimal amount. If there wasn’t, Iwould’ve gone insane. The poker is fine, as it’s poker - you can’t really gotoo far wrong there. I would feel a lot more comfortable if this was given freewith any Telltale game.

My Score - 4/10

100 Word Review - #T1 - SpaceChem

2012-01-05T01:48:00.000Z

Pretty, isn't it?

SpaceChem

Genre - Indie, Casual

Metascore - 84%

Developer - Zachtronics Industries

Other Games by Developer - N/A

Tom's Current Playtime - 6.3 hours

'SpaceChem' is a game that I go back to every now and then before realising the reason whyI stopped playing it. It truly is a shining example of how gaming can challengethe very depths of one's intelligence. The idea behind 'SpaceChem' is to create asystem to take some input and deliver the required output. Some of thesesystems can become complex to the point of frustration, however I've yet toplay a game to deliver the level of satisfaction that this delivers when youspend an hour of trial and error to come up with the solution.

Tom's Score - 8/10

Guest Reviews

2012-01-05T01:37:00.001Z

Hello! The next review I will be adding will have been written by a friend of mine, Tom Davies. I encourage anyone who reads this to also write some reviews and send them to be so I can put them here. It'll be fun, trust me. So without further ado, I give you Tom on 'SpaceChem'.

100 Word Review - #10 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

2012-01-02T19:29:00.000Z

What would you do if you turned around to see this?

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Genre - RPG

Metascore - 94%

Developer - Bethesda Game Studios

Other Games by Developer - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Fallout 3

My Current Playtime - 46.2 hours

You can’t help but notice the visuals in ‘Skyrim’- they arespectacular. The gameplay is a well-executed version of the standard fantasyRPG formula (magic, dragons, etc.) and the series has been improved upon withaddition of features from the ‘Fallout’ series, like perks. It does however, likeall Bethesda fare, contain a few bugs. I love messing around when playing gamesand this is facilitated quite well - I spent far too much time messing aroundwith NPCs. As good as ‘Skyrim’ is, I just didn’t feel like playing it anymoreafter completing the main quest, which is sad.

My Score - 9/10

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T12:34:00.000Z

The (3) people have spoken and my next review will be of ...... Skyrim! Now that the Steam sale has finished, maybe I can go back to writing a bit more, instead of buying them.

100 Word Review - #9 - Solar 2

2011-12-30T18:16:00.000Z

I think I'm at a disadvantage here...

Solar 2

Genre - Indie, Casual

Metascore - 72%

Developer - Murudai

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 2.9 hours

In 'Solar 2' you start life as an asteroid, smashing into other asteroids to become a planet. Your growth continues until you're a black hole and you eventually collapse the universe. Happy times. This game has a simple premise but is actually deceptively difficult. Alongside your 'evolution', you are given missions by a god that will need a bit of time and effort to complete. It's similar to 'Osmos', and if you liked that, I'm sure you'll like this. It's moments like this that I love the Steam sales, when you find a cheap gem that comes out of nowhere.

My Score - 8/10

Have you missed me?

2011-12-26T01:07:00.002Z

Hello! It's been a good while since I posted my last review. It's because of the following reasons :-

The Steam winter sale has been going on, and I've been playing games to get achievements to fulfil objectives and get some lovely presents from Valve (games I already have (of course), money off coupons for games I already have (of course) and coal, which can be crafted into one of the former options).
It's Christmas, so I've been busy with family and stuff, pretending to be happy and stuff.
I can't be arsed.

So, I'm planning on writing a couple this week to keep my brain from melting and I would like your suggestions on what to review next. (There should be a poll around here somewhere). If you choose other, please write your preferred choice in the comments section.

Oh, and Merry Christmas!

100 Word Review - #8 - Payday: The Heist

2011-12-18T15:17:00.000Z

Take a hostage or kill a man, both valid options

Payday: The Heist

Genre - Action

Metascore - 76%

Developer - OVERKILL Software

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 17.8 hours

I was interested in this game from the first time I saw it, with its ‘L4D2’-style co-op gameplay and RPG elements. I was waiting for the inevitable price drop when some nice person bought it for me. ‘Payday’ is a hard game, especially during your early levels. The difficulty has been tweaked recently to make the higher difficulties more forgiving, but there’s still a grind before you can enjoy it properly. The game consists of 6 heists, each lasting around an hour and is varied enough for occasional play, but can become stale, especially if playing alone, so bring friends.

My Score - 7/10

100 Word Review - #7 - Sequence

2011-12-18T15:08:00.000Z

I knew I should've brought my dance mat

Sequence

Genre - RPG, Indie

Metascore - 72%

Developer - Iridium Studios

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Current Playtime - 7.9 hours

‘Sequence’ has a strange mix of genres, but for the most part, it works. You’re basically playing three games of ‘Dance Dance Revolution’ at once. This, for me, is the main draw of the game – moving between the offence, defence and mana replenishment boards makes for some frantic gameplay. The handful of included songs includes are of a pretty good standard, but you will be hearing them a lot while grinding in the later levels and you will learn to hate them. The RPG elements are basic and don’t add much to the game except for the need for said grinding.

My Score - 6/10

100 Word Review - #6 - Team Fortress 2

2011-12-18T15:03:00.000Z

TF2 - More than just a hat simulator

Team Fortress 2

Genre - Action, Free to Play

Metascore - 92%

Developer - Valve

Other Games by Developer -Half-Life 2, Left 4 Dead 2

My Current Playtime - 371.2 hours

That’s right; I’ve spent over 15 days playing this game. This alone should tell you how I feel about it. ‘TF2’ is a class-based FPS set in the 1960s and is definitely one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever played. The gameplay stays varied and fresh due to the number of classes and customisation options available and the cartoon art style looks fantastic (even if slightly disturbed by the recent laser weapons). Valve updates the game with new features and items every month and best of all; it’s free(ish), with just the in-game store to sap those hard-earned pennies.

My Score - 10/10

Welkom!

2011-12-17T01:08:00.002Z

So, checking the stats on my blog, it seems that I had a visitor from the Netherlands yesterday. Wow! How? Hopefully some website will pull up something I say and use it as an example of bad education of employees by major companies. Remember that? I shit myself for a while after that.

Also, yesterday was the first day of not posting a game review since restarting the blog. Guess that means it's going to die a death. A slow, painful one. Goedenacht!

100 Word Review - #5 - Fortix 2

2011-12-15T14:49:00.000Z

Is it too cheap to go straight up?

Fortix 2

Genre - Indie, Casual

Metascore - 73%

Developer - Nemesys Games

Other Games by Developer - Fortix, Ignite

My Current Playtime - 1.9 hours

You have an area to capture. You capture by drawing lines. While trying to avoid enemies. Sounds familiar, right? But does what you're thinking of have Dragons? Or Catapults? If the answer is yes, we're on totally different tracks here. ‘Fortix 2’ is a fun little game, and contains all of the levels from the original, so should give you a reasonable amount of gameplay. There isn’t much of a difficulty curve, but it should keep you coming back. This clearly owes a lot to 'Qix', and if you've enjoyed that or one of its many clones, you'll enjoy this.

My Score- 7/10

100 Word Review - #4 - Chime

2011-12-14T17:47:00.001Z

It's like Tetris, right?

Chime

Genre – Casual

Metascore – 79% (XBLA)

Developer – Zoë Mode

Other Games by Developer – N/A

My Current Playtime – 5.4 hours

In ‘Chime’ you try and fit blocks intoa grid before time runs out. It’s not this gameplay that makes it a great game,it’s the fantastic soundtrack. Featuring ambient tracks by artists such asMoby, the songs get more complex as you fill more of the grid. You can attemptto complete the grid in 9, 6 or 3 minutes, which increases the difficulty asyou become more confident, or just play in Free Mode and enjoy the superbmusic. This is a great little game if you’ve got 10 minutes to kill. Or 10hours, for that matter.

My Score – 8/10

It's Chriiiiiiiiiistmaaaaaaaaaas!

2011-12-14T01:30:00.001Z

... screams Noddy Holder in a blaring reminder that this joyous season is once again upon us. Whether it's that Coke advert or the people who put their lights and decorations up far too early, it's pretty hard to miss that it's here. Now, as I work in retail, this isn't the best time of the year for me. December is by far the busiest month as people flutter about buying presents for their nearest and dearest and filling up their cars to go and deliver them. One perk though, is that I hardly have to work as no-one is allowed to go on holiday so there are no extra hours for me.

I hope you all remember 50/50.

Today was the day of the Christmas outing for The Gang, which consisted of a trip to the around the world, all-you-can-eat Peachy Keens and a viewing of '50/50' starring Tommy from '3rd Rock from the Sun' and Ken from 'Freaks and Geeks', which was the heartfelt tale of a young man with cancer. Any guesses as to his survival rate? It seems I have a heart of stone though, as the people either side of me were bawling all the way though, and I the only thing I felt was bored.

So yeah, seeing as I'm only going to be in work 2 days a week for the next month, I think I'll be playing loads of games and hopefully be writing some AWESOME reviews of them. Bis später, Lieblingen.

100 Word Review - #3 - Terraria

2011-12-13T15:52:00.000Z

Have you ever wanted a lakeside log cabin?

Terraria

Genre - Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG

Metascore – 83%

Developer – Re-Logic

Other Games by Developer – N/A

My Current Playtime – 16.8 hours

‘Terraria’ is an addictive game. You start with simple tools and have to rush to build a house before night-time and you get mauled by some zombies. When you’ve built your shelter, you dig down, waaaaaaay down. The rest of the time is spent trying to find ores to craft better tools, find new areas and pretty much becoming awesome. The developers have recently doubled the amount of content in the game, and are planning to keep adding. I would highly recommend bringing others along for some mining fun, especially when the difficulty starts to increase when visiting new areas.

My Score – 8/10

Indie Extravaganza

2011-12-12T23:22:00.000Z

I love games. I especially love games when they are dirt cheap. The main reason I have so many games in my Steam catalogue is because of Steam sales. Actually, the main reason is that I seem to have no self restraint when it comes to my money (but that's another story for another time). Recently though, a new way for developers to take my money has come around - indie game bundles. It started off with the Humble Bundle, of which there have been 8, and we now also have Indie Royale which is currently in it's 4th iteration.

The Humble Bundles allow you to set your own price for a collection of (normally) 4 indie games. You can also dictate how you want the money split between the developers, gaming charities, and the running costs of the website itself. I was originally paying the minimum of $0.01, but I am now pushing the boat out at $5.00 a pop (because I am a generous person).

The Indie Royale bundles of (again, normally 4) indie games starting at £1.99. You can choose to pay the minimum which will then raise the minimum price for the next buyer, or you can choose to pay more, which will drop the minimum. You can go from paying £7 to drop the price by a penny, to paying £65 which will drop the price by 55p. I, of course have been buying them for the minimum as soon as possible.

I estimate that these bundles have added around over 50 games to my collection, and my friends have also benefited by receiving copies of the games I already had.

So, you've learned two things really. Firstly, the new trend of indie bundles are a great way to pick up some obscure titles that you wouldn't normally look at (It's how I found 'The Binding of Isaac'). Secondly, I am cheap. So there.

100 Word Review - #2 - Puzzle Agent

2011-12-12T19:20:00.000Z

Many of the puzzles are just slight alterations of earlier ones

Puzzle Agent

Genre - Adventure, Casual

Metascore – 70%

Developer – Telltale Games

Other Games by Developer – Sam and Max, Back to the Future: The Game

My Current Playtime – 2.7 hours

Anyone who’s played a Telltale game before should know what to expect – constant pointing and clicking. This is pretty much a knock off of the ‘Professor Layton’ games on the DS, and doesn’t come anywhere close to the quality of it. I completed it in less than 3 hours, in which there were only 37 puzzles. The puzzles are easy and repetitive and the art style is distracting. The story redeems slightly and the voice acting reminds me of the excellent ‘Fargo’. If you want a good puzzle game, get your hands on a DS emulator and ‘Professor Layton’ ROM.

My Score – 3/10

100 Word Review - #1 - The Binding of Isaac

2011-12-12T14:34:00.001Z

This character's single heart adds an extra challenge

The Binding of Isaac

Genre - Action, Adventure, RPG, Indie

Metascore – 83%

Developer – Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl

Other Games by Developer – Gish (as Cryptic Sea), Super Meat Boy (as Team Meat)

My Current Playtime – 42.5 hours

‘TBoI’ is a randomly generated adventure game which at first glance reminds me of ‘The Legend of Zelda’ on the NES. You have six (later eight) increasingly difficult levels to complete, each with items to collect, enemies to kill and bosses to overcome. It seems criminally short at around an hour, but it has massive replay value as you unlock new characters and new items that freshen up the whole experience. It can be horrendously difficult at times, but then you find that combination of items that lets you breeze through. Until you get killed cheaply by a fly. Fuck.

My score – 9/10