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 - #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 - #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 - #41 - Runespell: Overture

Runespell: Overture

Genre - RPG, Casual, Indie

Metascore - 69%

Developer - Mystic Box

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Playtime - 4.6 hours

Runespell: Overture is an interesting mix of turn-based RPG, solitaire and poker. Your board is set up kind of like a game of solitaire, and you have to make poker hands in order to damage your opponent – better hands do more damage. You have a series of increasingly difficult battles, with some naff story shoehorned in, and it can get boring after a couple of hours. Also, as you progress, your opponents have so much HP that the battles can become a bit of a coin flip. Nonetheless, it is a reasonably good game with original gameplay not seen before.

My Score - 6/10

100 Word Review - #J1 - Mount and Blade: Warband

Goes down smoother than a Creme Egg

Mount and Blade: Warband

Genre - Action, RPG

Metascore - 78%

Developer - Tale Worlds

Other Games by Developer - Mount and Blade, Mount and Blade: With Fire and Sword

James' Playtime - 65.9 hours

Mount and Blade: Warband! It’s a declaration of war, in many online communities; for good reasons! Did you ever want to take the reins of a medieval army general? Maybe horsing around as a merchant interests you? Will you pillage or save peasants from bandit neighbours? Load up the game, journey from rags to riches to empire in this action RPG, and realise a week has passed in the blink of an eye. The graphics are aging, but the combat and gameplay offer more challenge and roleplaying depth than hotshots like Skyrim. Name your horse! I call mine Whinnyfred.

James' Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #E1 - Bastion

I hope she digs guys with hammers and grisly hair....

Bastion

Genre - Indie, Action, RPG

Metascore - 86%

Developer - Supergiant Games

Other Games by Developer - N/A

Edgar's Playtime - 6 hours

Bastion is the kind of game I dream of making. This amazing action/RPG game is a true work of craftsmanship by a highly talented team and a hell of a premiere for them. A story about the end of the world never had such a well-chosen palette of colors and such a variety of sceneries to visit and things to do. And the narrator's gravel voice, describing every action of the Kid is something unseen and works like a charm. This is gaming at its purest, made with love and extreme good taste. Unmissable.

Edgar's Score - 9/10

100 Word Review - #31 - Serious Sam: The Random Encounter

How can this possibly be fair?

Serious Sam: The Random Encounter

Genre - Action, RPG, Indie

Metascore - 64%

Developer - Vlambeer

Other Games by Developer - N/A

My Playtime - 1.2 hours

First things first - SS:TRE is a bloody difficult game. So difficult in fact, that I had to stop playing before I went crazy and smashed up the place. It started off alright, but as soon as the screen started filling with enemies I was done. The game has been marketed as an old school turn-based RPG, and in some ways it is, but it also has some action elements as you are able to move around during your attacks. The graphical style is nice and fun, especially with the classic Serious Sam enemies being tiny pixel versions of themselves.

My Score - 6/10

100 Word Review - #S1 - Magicka

Remember... don't cross the streams!

Magicka

Genre - RPG, Action

Metascore - 74%

Developer - Arrowhead Game Studios

Other Games by Developer - N/A

Stef's Playtime - 24.8 hours

At first glance 'Magicka' looks like another 'Diablo' clone. But while gameplay is comparable, don't be fooled. Magicka is one of the most original games I have played in recent years. Spells are made by combining up to five elements together or by casting "Magicks" with specific elemental combinations. There is a steep learning curve but it's quite satisfying once you've got your head around the vast number of spell casting combinations. Multiplayer is where this game really shines. With four wizards casting different spells things get hectic. If you're after something different but also challenging I'd strongly recommend 'Magicka'.

Stef's Score - 8/10

100 Word Review - #M2 - Dead Island

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 - #18 - Breath of Death VII

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 - #T9 - Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

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 - #T7 - Borderlands

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 - #T5 - King's Bounty: Armored Princess

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 - #T3 - Torchlight

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 - #10 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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 are spectacular. The gameplay is a well-executed version of the standard fantasy RPG formula (magic, dragons, etc.) and the series has been improved upon with addition of features from the ‘Fallout’ series, like perks. It does however, like all Bethesda fare, contain a few bugs. I love messing around when playing games and this is facilitated quite well - I spent far too much time messing around with NPCs. As good as ‘Skyrim’ is, I just didn’t feel like playing it anymore after completing the main quest, which is sad. 

My Score - 9/10

100 Word Review - #7 - Sequence

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 - #3 - Terraria

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

100 Word Review - #1 - The Binding of Isaac

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