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 - #T21 - Gratuitous Space Battles

The battles aren't even that gratuitous.

Gratuitous Space Battles

Genre - Strategy, Indie, Simulation

Metascore - 72%

Developer - Positech Games

Other Games by Developer - N/A

Tom's Playtime - 2.4 hours

I saw GSB on sale once and thought “that looks interesting.” Conversely, GSB is one of the least engaging “games” that I've ever seen. The idea is that you design your own spaceships using a plethora of different components, before assembling a fleet to take on each level. Interaction stops here as the only option during battles is to watch in ecstasy or exasperation. I imagine GSB is enjoyable if you're persistent enough to decipher the egregious amount of mathematics involved in making anything decent, but it failed to give me any reason to want to do so.

Tom's Score - 4/10

100 Word Review - #38 - BRAINPIPE: A Plunge to Unhumanity

Trippy

BRAINPIPE: A Plunge to Unhumanity

Genre - Indie, Casual

Metascore - 59% (PSP)

Developer - Digital Eel

Other Games by Developer - Data Jammers: FastForward

My Playtime - 0.6 hours

This is a weird one. BRAINPIPE is a game with trippy music and visuals that tasks you to fly down some tunnels avoiding things and collecting other things. This is pretty much it. The items you collect are elements of your humanity, and the ones you collect affect your outcome and final ‘unhuman’ form. The difficultly is well scaled, making the later levels very difficult to complete. At just 30 mins to complete the entire game though, it’s never going to be worth the £8 asking price, even if you do play it through multiple times to get different results.

My Score - 4/10

100 Word Review - #T16 - Your Doodles Are Bugged!

At least Lemmings was fun in a
smash-your-head-on-the-desk-in-frustration kind of way

Your Doodles Are Bugged!

Genre – Casual, Indie

Metascore – 69%

Developer – Spyn Doctor Games

Other Games by Developer – N/A

Tom's Current Playtime – 0.7 hours

In its basic goal, “YDAB!” can be most easily compared to “Lemmings”. You have a group of small creatures that you must guide to some sanctum in each level. The main mechanic behind “YDAB!” is the ability to draw pathways for your creatures to take however drawing using a mouse is rather awkward and you only have a set amount of ink for use at one time. Levels feature existing objects to use as platforms but many of the levels are tests of perseverance rather than logic and the overall experience leaves a lot to be desired.

Tom's Score – 4/10

100 Word Review - #26 - The Wonderful End of the World

Wait, is this even the right game?

The Wonderful End of the World

Genre - Indie, Casual

Metascore - 69%

Developer - Dejobaan Games

Other Games by Developer - 1... 2... 3... KICK IT! (Drop That Beat Like an Ugly Baby),  AaAaAA - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity

My Current Playtime - 1.2 hours

I don’t think too much needs to be said about “TWEotW” other than it’s a complete and utter unabashed rip-off of the “Katamari Damacy” series. In “TWEotW”, you pick up objects to grow and are able to pick up bigger objects. You only have a certain amount of time to do it in, so it will take a few tries to learn the best strategy. “TWEotW” tries the same cutesy style as the “Katamari” games but doesn’t quite pull it off, and it’s short at just 10 levels. The music and sound effects are the only things that are superior.

My Score - 4/10

100 Word Review - #25 - Shank

So, what weapon can we give this "Shank" character...?

Shank

Genre - Action, Indie

Metascore - 67%

Developer - Klei Entertainment

Other Games by Developer - Shank 2, Eets

My Current Playtime - 0.8 hours

I’ll be the first to admit that “Shank” never stood a great chance of getting a high score from me, being a side-scrolling beat ‘em up, (perhaps my least favourite genre). It is however, so repetitive that the three chapters I played through felt more like 50 hours than 50 minutes. It’s this button-mashing repetitiveness that means I might as well be playing “Streets of Rage” which is now 20 years old. “Shank” does have some redeeming features like its cartoony art style, but the lack of anything to mix up the gameplay means I have to say “don’t bother”.

My Score - 4/10

100 Word Review - #K5 - Puzzle Bots

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

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

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 - #11 - Poker Night at the Inventory

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 costs actual money makes him want to throw up blood. This is quite a solid observation. ‘PNatI’ is, quite simply, poker - poker with characters from other (mostly ‘Telltale’) games that crack wise about your terrible poker skills. There is an option to turn the chatter down to a minimal amount. If there wasn’t, I would’ve gone insane. The poker is fine, as it’s poker - you can’t really go too far wrong there. I would feel a lot more comfortable if this was given free with any Telltale game.

My Score - 4/10