100 Word Review - #54 - 10,000,000

10,000,000

Genre - Action, RPG, Indie

Metascore - 65%

Developer - EightyEightGames

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Playtime - 10.7 hours

10,000,000 is a game that caught my eye the first time I saw it. It contains an interesting mix of dungeon crawler, RPG and match-3 puzzler. You saunter through a dungeon, facing enemies, doors and chests and you need to match the symbols to traverse these obstacles. 10,000,000 tends to be quite unforgiving – you don’t have much time to think about your moves and this can lead to quite a bit of random scrabbling to try and keep going. The upgrade system works well and is not too easy – there are times when you will have to grind for resources.

My Score - 8/10



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100 Word Review - #52 - Sanctum

Everyone loves a good pile of bodies.

Sanctum

Genre - Action, Strategy, Indie, Casual

Metascore - 70%

Developer - Coffee Stain Studios

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Playtime - 3.9 hours

Sanctum is another game with an interesting mix of genres – tower defence and FPS. This blend works very well and means you can get your strategy and action fixes in the same place. Before each wave, you can set up and upgrade your towers and also upgrade your weapons. I’ve found the game to be relatively easy, especially when you’ve fully upgraded your first few towers and main weapon. As soon as you do that, enemies rarely get past you. Apart from the genre mix, nothing about Sanctum really stands out, with the graphics and music feeling a bit bland.

My Score - 6/10

100 Word Review - #51 - Bulletstorm

"Burn, baby burn..."

Bulletstorm

Genre - Action

Metascore - 82%

Developer - People Can Fly, Epic Games

Other Games by Developer - Painkiller: Black Edition, Unreal Tournament 3 Black

My Playtime - 3.8 hours

The market is saturated with FPSs of different qualities, and they can all get a bit samey. That’s why it’s refreshing when something different comes along. Bulletstorm’s gameplay is quite standard FPS fare (apart from the ability to pull and kick people all over the place), but the silliness of the script and the world in general sets it apart from some of the more sombre, if more technical and simulation FPSs – I was hooked when it had me fighting a mini-boss to the tune of Disco Inferno. Bulletstorm rewards you for killing in different ways and therefore stays fresh.

My Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #50 - The Binding of Isaac (Wrath of the Lamb DLC)

New characters, new floors, new enemies.

The Binding of Isaac - Wrath of the Lamb DLC

Genre - Action, Adventure, RPG, Indie

Metascore - N/A

Developer - Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl

Other Games by Developer - The Binding of Isaac, Super Meat Boy (as Team Meat)

My Playtime - 5 hours

TBoI is still one of my favourite games and was pushing to get full marks, the new expansion has just pushed it over the edge. For £2, you get double the amount of floors (which randomly interchange with the old ones), a new character and new items, enemies and bosses. There are also challenges that require you to use set combinations of items to beat the game. The base game was difficult enough, but the new floors just seem overly cruel. I’ve now put over 65 hours into this game and I can see myself at least doubling that. Addictive.

My Score - 10/10

100 Word Review - #49 - Dino D-Day

You're damn right I'm a T-Rex!

Dino D-Day

Genre - Action

Metascore - 53%

Developer - 800 North and Digital Ranch

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Playtime - 2.1 hours

In an alternative universe, the Nazis got around to resurrecting dinosaurs. Dino D-Day allows us to experience this insanity. If you can look past the inclusion of dinosaurs, you have a pretty standard WWII FPS, and to be honest, I did look past the dinosaurs as I found them to be ineffective when going against the humans. I first tried this during the last Steam sale and it was quite fun, mainly because there were loads of new people playing the game. Six months on and there were only 15 available servers, and only one of those had people playing.

My Score - 4/10

100 Word Review - #48 - Waveform

If you like blinking, this isn't the game for you

Waveform

Genre - Indie, Action

Metascore - 81%

Developer - Eden Industries

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Playtime - 3.5 hours

So, it turns out Waveform is a disgustingly difficult game. The core gameplay involves collecting orbs of light by adjusting the frequency and amplitude of a wave using the mouse. This in itself isn’t where the difficulty comes from; it’s the inclusion of mirrors, wormholes, refraction clouds and the like that gives it its ‘disgusting’ tag. It only just falls short of being frustrating, especially at the end of each planet, where you are chased by an event horizon and pretty much any false move will kill you. The innovative gameplay alone means you should defiantly give this a try.

My Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #T24 - Zombie Driver

Ignore all that mutiplier nonsense. It distracts from the important stuff...
Killing zombies.

Zombie Driver

Genre - Action, Racing, Indie

Metascore - 60%

Developer - EXOR Studios

Other Games by Developer - D.I.P.R.I.P. Warm Up

Tom's Playtime -  4.9 hours

Zombie Driver is what Wasteland Angel could, and should, have been. An inbred hybrid of Carmageddon and Left 4 Dead, Zombie Driver dumps you in a city crawling with zombies and gives you some objectives, most of which involve rescuing people in your increasingly upgradable taxis, limos and buses . Unlike Wasteland Angel, Zombie Driver has actual longevity via a few good different game modes and it's incredibly satisfying to simply take out your best car and weapons and go crazy. If you don't fancy waiting until next year for the new Carmageddon, this should tide you over very nicely.

Tom's Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #46 - BIT.TRIP BEAT

How the hell am I meant to keep track of all that?

BIT.TRIP BEAT

Genre - Action, Casual, Indie

Metascore - N/A

Developer - Gaijin Games

Other Games by Developer - BIT.TRIP RUNNER

My Playtime - 1.9 hours

BIT.TRIP BEAT is a good 8-bit rhythm game that has a few flaws. The concept is simple enough – blocks fly across from the right in time to some lovely music, and you have to rebound them with a paddle on the left. The more you hit, the ‘fuller’ the music becomes. The main problem is the difficulty. By the end of the first (of three) levels, you have to start waving your paddle about like a madman to try and keep up. The stages feel too long, but the game itself is too short. Fun, but can quickly become frustrating.

My Score - 6/10

100 Word Review - E6 - Mirror's Edge

DONT. LOOK. DOWN.

Mirror's Edge

Genre - Action, Adventure

Metascore - 81%

Developer - DICE

Other Games by Developer- Battlefield 2, Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Edgar's Playtime - 9 hours

Mirror's Edge is a kind of negation of the first person shooter genre. It is first person alright, but you are advised to shoot as little as possible when you get a gun, while you try to navigate through a highly detailed and exquisitely designed skyscraper city, unveiling an assassination plot by running - a LOT - and using and exceptional set of parkour skills to avoid obstacles and enemies. It's an amazing, different, immersive and engaging twist to the first person theme that pleads to be lived and is only marred by the long loading times in the elevator rides.

Edgar's Score - 9/10

100 Word Review - #45 - Bioshock

Would you kindly bash that nonce round the head?

Bioshock

Genre - Action, RPG

Metascore - 96%

Developer - 2K Australia

Other Games by Developer - Bioshock 2

My Playtime - 6.2 hours

I don’t know of many gamer folk who haven’t played Bioshock, and there’s no real reason not to. Set in Rapture, a fallen underwater utopia, you play a survivor of a plane crash who is drawn deeper into the city and the stories of the people who are left there. Bioshock is one of the most atmospheric games I’ve ever played, with fear and dread being the most played upon feelings throughout. You are able to tailor your character with certain ammunitions and gene-altering ‘plasmids’ that will encourage multiple playthroughs with different set-ups. Without doubt in my all-time top 10.

My Score - 9/10

100 Word Review - #S5 - Rock of Ages

Nothing can stop the rock

Rock of Ages

Genre - Action, Racing, Indie, Strategy

Metascore - 74%

Developer - ACE Team

Other Games by Developer - Zeno Clash

Stef's Playtime - 4 hours

Marble Madness meets Tower Defence, ACE Team clearly didn't want this title to be pigeon holed. Set up your defences of elephants, catapults, fans and explosive barrels, then roll your boulder down a winding hill towards the enemy's gate while avoiding their defences. Each run allows you and your enemy to add more defences which makes each attempt that bit harder. The very colourful and Monty Python-esque art style really complements this wacky title. RoA is not a game to sit and play for hours but it's great fun to pick up once in a while for a quick roll.

Stef's Score - 7/10

100 Word Review - #E5 - BIT.TRIP RUNNER

Please abduct me now!

BIT.TRIP RUNNER

Genre - Action, Indie

Metascore - N/A

Developer - Gaijin Games

Other Games by Developer - BIT.TRIP BEAT

Edgar's Playtime - 2 hours

...and I've played 2 hours of this before smashing my keyboard against the wall. This a nice retro-styled auto-runner game where a superb chiptune music is built by adding extra instruments when you pick up special trinkets splattered along the level, while jumping, dodging and trying not to get trampled by all the obstacles. If you "die", you'll return to the BEGINNING of the level again... and again.... and again.... because "checkpoint" is an unknown word in this world and, unfortunately, the initial enthusiasm with the game quickly turns into rage and frustration after a couple of levels. What a shame.

Edgar's Score - 3/10

100 Word Review - #44 - Data Jammers: FastForward

Anyone else remember the Tomytronic 3D?

Data Jammers: Fast Forward

Genre - Action, Indie

Metascore - N/A

Developer - Digital Eel

Other Games by Developer - BRAINPIPE: A Plunge to Unhumanity

My Playtime - 1 hour

What we have here is another short, weird and visually stimulating game from Digital Eel. DJ:FF reminds me of the Tomytronic 3D video game ‘goggles’ that I had when I was a kid, specifically a cross between the racing and space-shooter versions. You play as some sort of anti-virus software travelling through systems to (shockingly) eradicate viruses, and this takes the form of travelling down a track, with things attacking you from all sides, as you try to get to the end while collecting rings to boost your score. It only took me 40 minutes to finish, far too short.

My Score - 6/10

100 Word Review - #T23 - Hoard

Flame on!

Hoard

Genre - Action, Strategy, Casual, Indie

Metascore - 65%

Developer - Big Sandwich Games

Other Games by Developer - N/A

Tom's Playtime -  2.4 hours

If ever the genre “Casual” was meant for a game, it was probably this. Hoard is a fun little title, in which you play a dragon competing against none or more dragons to collect the most treasure via destruction, intimidation and the such. The gameplay actually gets quite frantic towards the end of each stage as towns become better guarded and wizards show up, but Hoard earns its casual tag from the fact that playing any single session of decent length becomes dull as there is very little variance. However, as a game to play occasionally, it's very enjoyable.

Tom's Score - 7/10

100 Word Review - #43 - Titan Attacks!

The answer, more often than not, is no.

Titan Attacks!

Genre - Action, Indie, Casual

Metascore - N/A

Developer - Puppygames

Other Games by Developer - Revenge of the Titans

My Playtime - 3.0 hours

Titan Attacks! quite obviously borrows its core gameplay from Space Invaders, and it’s done so well, with its flashy retro-inspired graphics and soundtrack, that it’s truly one of the most enjoyable indie experiences I've had recently. The difficulty is ramped up quite early, but your progress is saved at the beginning of each of the 5 groups of 20 levels so you don’t have to start from the beginning when you die. You end up having to learn how to manage your resources – can you afford to take the risk of buying a much-needed weapon upgrade over an extra life?

My Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #S4 - Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

By the end you may have quite a strong relationship
with your quick save and quick load keys

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

Genre - Action

Metascore - 68%

Developer - Croteam

Other Games by Developer - Serious Sam 2, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter

Stef's Playtime - 9.6 hours

SSHD:TFE is an FPS from a time before chest high walls were invented - your primary method of not getting killed is to run around in a circle and dodge incoming bullets... and lasers... and bulls... and lava! The action can go from calm to incredibly frantic in a instant when 100 enemies suddenly spawn out of nowhere, completely surrounding you. Some of the later fights are hard to the point that they actually feel unfair but finally clearing a difficult room is extremely satisfying. If you find the single player a bit dull there is always the sixteen(!) player co-op mode.

Stef's Score - 6/10

100 Word Review - #M3 - Star Wars: Dark Forces

It's like a hidden-object game all over again.

Star Wars: Dark Forces

Genre - Action

Metascore - N/A

Developer - LucasArts

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

Mat's Playtime - 6.6 hours

The nostalgia, the whimsy, the Nintendo-hard difficulty – we all love retro gaming, but probably only console platformers. Dark Forces hasn’t aged well at all. Essentially a key-hunt, the gameplay depends on you exploring every level completely, but the textures are so repetitive you often can’t see corners along walls. It’s like running through a tedious optical illusion. Supposedly the first FPS to let you look up/down, it’s clumsily implemented through pageup/down. Luckily the glass-like enemies fall as soon as you look at them so you have plenty of time to dance the robot. Pushing boundaries then, but just painful now.

Mat's Score - 3/10

100 Word Review - #40 - Tobe's Vertical Adventure

Ah, nostalgia...

Tobe's Vertical Adventure

Genre - Action, Adventure, Indie

Metascore - 75%

Developer - Secret Base

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Playtime - 1.5 hours

There aren’t many old-school platform games on Steam, let alone good ones. Tobe’s Vertical Adventure is a great looking, great sounding nostalgia-driven platformer that is really fun to play. You play as one of two characters through 4 worlds of 4 (obviously) vertical stages. The game is incredibly short (my playtime was for one and a half playthroughs) - this is really the only thing that counts against an otherwise great game, and I guess there is some replay value to be had in trying to collect everything in each level. The difficulty is well scaled, and never gets overly frustrating.

My Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #T20 - Flight Control HD

If you can land more than 150 aircraft,
 I have some serious respect for you.

Flight Control HD

Genre - Action, Family, Casual

Metascore - 88% (iOS)

Developer - Firemint

Other Games by Developer - None

Tom's Playtime - 90 Minutes

Apparently I'd be no good as an air traffic controller. FCHD is a fun game, the sole premise being that you have to juggle planes and helicopters which need to land on specific runways without any of them crashing into each other. There are about 8 different levels of varying difficulty and it becomes genuinely hard after a while trying to keep track of what's going on but without becoming too frustrating. Nothing astounding, FCHD is ultimately harmless, an enjoyable game to kill a bit of time with nice replay value, though probably better suited to mobile devices than PCs.

Tom's Score - 7/10

100 Word Review - #37 - Dead Horde

Please just make it stop

Dead Horde

Genre - Indie, Action

Metascore - 45%

Developer - DnS Development

Other Games by Developer - Booster Trooper, Twin Sector

My Playtime - 1.9 hours

I should start taking metascores more seriously. What we have here is a poorly executed attempt to cash in on the huge success of the zombie genre. The only redeeming feature of this game is the amount it makes you laugh, because it’s so laughably poor. The best example of this is the incidental music that lets you know when you’re about to get attacked. Or not - it can just trigger and then turn itself off with nothing happening. There are tons of movement glitches, the difficulty is all over the place and it’s just not worth your time.

My Score - 3/10