<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Isklander Trilogy:\u00a0Plymouth Point Review","post_excerpt":"Alternate reality adventure","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-isklander-trilogy-plymouth-point-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:42:04","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:42:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206517","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206442,"post_author":"33","post_date":"2021-06-18 15:26:14","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-18 14:26:14","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Out of the Blue <\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>PC, PS4 (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Electronic puzzle game, first-person adventure<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Raw Fury<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe cosmic horror universe created by H.P. Lovecraft has already served as inspiration for several movies and games and now, developer Out of the Blue has decided to drink from this fountain, Call of the Sea, its action-puzzle title is based on the works of the famous writer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou play as Norah, a woman suffering from an unknown disease (some black spots on both hands and sometimes has a hard difficulty on standing up or walking). Call of the Sea invites the player to explore a mysterious island off the coast of Tahiti in 1934 and try to decipher the unexplained disappearance of an archaeological expedition. The group, led by Harry, searched the local ruins and legends surrounding the region for a cure for the strange condition that afflicts Norah, after a few months without any kind of news from her husband, she receives a package in the mail with an old photo, a key with the initials CW and a bizarre dagger. The mission seems simple at first: find him. However, there is more to his illness and this island than one might think at first.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs the plot unfolds, we discover more details about the unfortunate ending of those who dared to set foot on the island, how their sanity gradually ebbed away, and we are forced to help Norah make a difficult decision: live or love.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has a great start! Directly linking to the great Cthulhu\u2019s lore, the opening\/beginning of the game is already amazing and very immersive.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has so much care on its creation like some letters have a short cutscene to illustrate what happened in the letter, this kind of detail gets me every time. Another great thing is that those who had read the books will see a bunch of direct references! Like de Vinyl from \u201cThe Music of Erich Zann\u201d (One of my favourite tales by the way) or a newspaper talking about the family who lived on the farm from \u201cColour out of space\u201d. So, if you are included in this level of appreciation of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I strongly suggest you read everything! Another interesting writer to have a look at before you play is Julio Verne, I was lucky at this point, because I have read \u201cTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas\u201d, and the book talks about the wonders of the mysteries that are hidden in the deeps of the sea.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe graphics reminded me a lot of Bioshock 3, being half drawn and half 3D. It has a brilliant landscape, worth it to take a few minutes to appreciate it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEven though the games have this gigantic Lovecraft\u2019s atmosphere, it brings a beautiful and joyful scenario with lots of singing birds\u2026 colours\u2026 and sunlight. Well\u2026 most of it anyway it does get dark as you go. So, from the first moments of Call of the Sea, it is evident that the game is inspired by many classic works of literature. Here we have clear evidence pointing to Julio Verne and H.P. Lovecraft. So that being said, Verne brings the amazing and beautiful part of the unknown in the meanwhile, Lovecraft, brings the dark cosmic part, which was an excellent mix for me and the game did it with perfection, as it's not a Lovecraftian horror game, but it doesn't leave aside its mysteries and influences.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea is divided into chapters where you'll have to unravel specific puzzles to have the means to solve an even bigger one that will give you the possibility to advance to the next part.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAssuming a didactic stance, the game starts the adventure calmly, with relatively simple challenges. However, as you progress into the island, the puzzles get more difficult with loads of \u201ccomplex\u201d puzzles that were made, so you take your time to solve them, they aren\u2019t that easy but also not impossible that you would get stuck for days on it if you get all the clues that the game always gives you. So, remember, don\u2019t play this game for the first time if you\u2019re in a hurry. The best thing about these puzzles is that they are extremely rewarding when solved.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor me that the only bummer I saw during the game, was the fact that you can\u2019t jump cutscenes nor dialogues, that\u2019s a bit annoying when you are playing the game for the second and third time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNorah has a diary which is extremely important to keep track of the updates that she does, so you have a beautiful immersion during this amazing experience. Every time Norah sees something important, a new note will appear in her notebook, and it's with these tips that the player needs to unravel the problems to advance to the next area and understand more about Henry's fate and the evil that befalls our explorer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nA good feature of the game is the fact that you can save anytime and continue exactly where you were at the moment you saved the game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe soundtrack and sounds during the game are all impeccable! They go perfectly with the game\u2019s atmosphere. My suggestion is that you play the game with a loud 5.1 Home heater or a good Headset, so you can feel the surroundings.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is amazing, every single one of them does an excellent job, and we are accompanied by their beautiful narration until the last minutes of a short but memorable game. Part of the charm that captivates us comes precisely from the exceptional dubbing of Cissy Jones, a veteran of electronic games. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the rest of the cast does a good job too, but Norah's is the soul of the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea was such a great surprise to me, from the first moment I saw a trailer I was intrigued with this game, being a huge fan of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I was \u201cpuzzled\u201d with this game and what it's about. When the opportunity of reviewing it, I was delighted to do it and the game gave me more than I was expecting from the beginning to the end of it, this is a 10 out of 10 game since you press \u201cStart a new game\u201d. I really hope that more and more games like this one keep coming.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nPs: Thank you Raw Fury for the opportunity of reviewing this game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong><\/span>10\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Call of the Sea Review","post_excerpt":"Action-puzzle","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"call-of-the-sea-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206442","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206418,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-16 20:17:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-16 19:17:56","post_content":"\r\n

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Artdink<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms: <\/strong>Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre: <\/strong>Action, RPG\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0ININ Games\/STUDIOARTDINK<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is the wonderfully updated version of the same game that was released for the Sega Megadrive in 1994. It's updated for modern generation consoles while keeping the gameplay and general charm of the game intact. It is a throwback to old school RPG action games from the early 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an action-adventure RPG that remains faithful to the original title but has spruced up graphics and brings it into the modern console generation. While the graphics don't match the levels of AAA titles, it does a great job of making them fit for this generation of gamer. At its heart, it is a platformer with RPG elements thrown in, you navigate numerous dungeons, solve puzzles and extract information from multiple characters in each environment. It follows the classic platformer game mechanics of collecting coins, kills enemies, dodges pitfalls, traps and progresses to more complex levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The level design of action elements, platformer sections and puzzles are densely packed into each area which consists of a lot of dungeons. The platform and puzzle mechanics are the standouts for me, they have managed to replicate the original but improve them as well. The controls are responsive and you always feel in total control.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each dungeon and environment has been rendered using a mix of 2D and 3D animation which gives the levels and dungeons a bigger sense of scale. Asha and Pepelogoo, her companion, are vivid with the use of bright colours to bring their personalities to life. The use of vivid colours brings each area and dungeon to life too. Levels have multiple planes and you navigate them to find power-ups or items required to further your quest. The characters are rendered in a wonderful cartoon style that is thematically present throughout the game. The diverse areas and the cartoony graphics give this game a real modern look and feel which sets the stage for compelling gameplay.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a wonderful recreation of the classic action RPG game released back in 1994. The developers have done a fantastic job of upgrading it and improving the controls to make it more responsive. The use of modern generation graphics breathes new life into this excellent platformer. Even if you haven't played the original, there is plenty here for newcomers. If you are familiar or semi-familiar with the original, this version is a wonderful upgrade and a way to relive the nostalgic era of classic platformers. The game is bright, lots of fun and challenging in many ways. It was sheer joy to play a game that wonderfully updated the original game and revisited this old school platform RPG game from the 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The boxed retail version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World comes exclusively with the original Monster World IV published by ININ Games. So you can relive the glory days of the original.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The digital version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World can be purchased from the Nintendo and Sony stores and is published by STUDIOARTDINK.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World Review","post_excerpt":"Updated for modern generation ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"wonder-boy-asha-in-monster-world-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206411,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-14 19:29:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-14 18:29:01","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0Capricia Productions<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:\u00a0<\/strong> Action<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:\u00a0<\/strong>All in! Games\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage pitches itself as a story-driven music game that aptly describes the game. The game follows the protagonist Gitta Barbot and her life of misery, trauma and survival through this horrible world. The game is a first player adventure game with quick-time events all using the metal soundtrack to tell the story and ultimately becomes integrated into all game events.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is a first-person adventure game with the majority of the gameplay elements being in the first person; however parts of the storytelling are from a 3rd person view. The game consists of sandboxed areas where you are given cues on what to do, the majority of these game events require you to solve a puzzle, collect items or fight your way out. The pace of the game which is aided by the soundtrack can be fairly quick and you find yourself in a rush to complete the level your time runs out. To break up the gameplay, you will have quick-time events appear throughout the narrative. I found the puzzle elements that were timed to be quick and the controls are clunky too which made them feel even trickier than they should have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics could be better, it felt like a last generation game, the environments and characters model were all just a bit off.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, despite this, the soundtrack and story which are intertwined are the real stars of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The metal soundtrack composed by Arnold Nesis consists of artists like Ron \"Bumblefoot\" Thal (ex-Guns N\u2019 Roses), Rob van der Loo (Epica), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), Casey Grillo (ex-Kamelot), Rocky Gray (ex-Evanescence), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), Tina Guo and Snowy Shaw (ex-King Diamond, ex-Therion).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The characters are voiced by Kobra Paige (Kobra and the Lotus), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), and Davidavi 'Vidi' Dolev (Gunned Down Horses). This is where the game's strength is and it's the musical offering. The game does turn into a musical pretty quickly. Levels and the amount of time you have to complete puzzles are dictated by musical interludes. I'm not a huge fan of musicals so I found the musical elements a bit over the top for me. The soundtrack is amazing though. However, the soundtrack doesn't save the game, it doesn't manage to gloss over the clunky gameplay and parts of the story which are odd and wholly unbelievable story elements.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage starts with a deep dark story of a young woman and her trauma throughout her life. It was a lot darker than I thought it would be. The metal soundtrack adds a lot of depth to the story and helps to paint the story. The game does take a turn and becomes like a musical fairly quick though. I'm not a huge musical fan. I found the quick-time events and general gameplay a bit clunky. The visuals lacked the refinement and polish that the gameplay also did. Parts of the story are just bizarre but the ideas are good but just not executed as they could have been. The soundtrack is the real superb element of the game that helps drive the game. Ultimately better gameplay elements and visuals would have improved the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Of Bird and Cage Review","post_excerpt":"Story-driven music game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"of-bird-and-cage-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:07","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206411","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206368,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-08 15:01:24","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-08 14:01:24","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Insomniac Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PS5<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Platformer, third-person shooter<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the latest outing for Ratchet & Clank that is exclusive to PS5. For the uninitiated, Ratchet & Clank is the much-praised third-person platform shooter developed by Insomniac Games. Ratchet & Clank are the dynamic duo trying to save the world.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe story follows the main characters Ratchet & Clank as they get thrown in between dimensions to defeat the evil Doctor Nefarious. The game features an entire story that requires little knowledge of the franchise, so those new to the series don't need to know anything about prior games. It's a standalone game in that sense and the narrative is akin to a cartoon action film with excellent cinematics. The story and plot are developed by completing a series of missions across the galaxy, each different planet having its enemies, characters and unique terrain. The rift apart in the title refers to the interdimensional travel in the game where you will get to play as another Lombax known as Rivet. Story-telling weaves in between the two playable characters, the narrative is maintained between switching characters. The switch between characters is seamless during the gameplay.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay is centred around fantastic platform action mixed with a third-person shooter. Both game genres are executed impeccably, the action is fast-paced and you have a plethora of guns that give a thrilling third-person shooter. The platform elements are challenging at times with many environments making use of a whole variety of gaming mechanics. Then there are puzzles, inter galaxy travel and a cohesive story underpinning all the gameplay elements. There is also character levelling up and weapon upgrade features too. It isn't as rich or as in-depth as an RPG but it does add more features to the gameplay, the levelling up is rudimentary in that sense. All these gameplay elements are combined into a cohesive fun game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nProgressing through levels you collect upgrades, bolts that allow you to purchase and upgrade weapons. While this seems like a small feature, I loved the sheer amount of weapons and what they do. The weaponry in the game is brilliant, it adds a whole element of another edge to the gameplay. Every time a new gun or game mechanic is introduced it is done in a well-paced manner, you won't be overburdened with game controls to learn all at once.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nVisually the game does nail the very detailed cartoon look and feel. The main characters are rich in detail and you can see the detail in the fur of Ratchet. Clank is similarly detailed and the use of contrasting colours are used effectively throughout. Every character you encounter is meticulously rendered. The cartoon art style is stunning and vibrant, it gives the world a sense of life.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is superb, it does make the characters more relatable and personable. The storytelling mixes all the critical elements serious, funny and incredulous as needed. The cinematics and visuals do give off the sense of a playable movie.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLike with previous PS5 exclusive games, Ratchet & Clank makes use of the haptic feedback in particular. Like Returnal and Astro, the haptic feedback is used for triggering primary and secondary fire types of weapons. It does work well but this was the only real use of it in the game. Vibration and sounds through the controller are used to enhance the gaming experience and cinematics.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game allows you to choose what difficulty suits you, you can make it as tough or as easy as you want. No grinding required unless you want to.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA day-one patch (performance mode & performance RT) will be released that will allow for dynamic 4K at 60 fps and dynamic 4K at 60 fps with ray-tracing. The game was reviewed with the quality mode playing 4k at 30 fps.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAlong with the performance improvements some minor updates will be available in the day-one patch such as photo mode updates, skip cinematic option, accessibility updates and general improvement and polish.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank melds the genres of 3rd person shooter and a platform into a fun game and rewarding game. The game is paced well with plenty of upgrades, side missions and collectables to keep you busy in-between the main story. The cinematics give the feel of a cartoon movie and the voice over is superb and it does give the story more credence as it makes it seem more believable. There are a ton of guns to get as you progress through the game and makes the game even more enjoyable. It's a well-polished fun game that is hard to put down. It's a fantastic game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a09\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Review","post_excerpt":"Latest outing for Ratchet & Clank","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ratchet-clank-rift-apart-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:38","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206368","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206302,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-05-28 13:43:05","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-28 12:43:05","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PC (Steam)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, Strategy<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nElite Dangerous: Odyssey is an FPS and spaceship combat game that is the latest extension of Elite Dangerous. The game is set in a futuristic galaxy where the protagonist flies between galaxies to undertake missions. The galaxy seems infinite. The scale of planets and galaxies to visit is huge. I haven't played Elite Dangerous in a long time but I was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer and I will delve through the multiple game types and the action feast that is Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTo start, I mainly played the FPS mission-based game, where you travel the galaxies where you attempt to gain influence and power up your character. It has that classic action RPG style gameplay mixed with a huge emphasis on the action elements. I loved the FPS elements, it's very action-focused and you have to choose how you negotiate each mission. The FPS is mixed with interstellar travel. Different planets have different temperatures and gravity which mean each level is unique. There is a mix of stealth elements, shooter, all-out mayhem and lots of little clever gameplay mechanics such as specialist tools. I did find the gameplay a bit repetitive without a story to bind your missions together, the game consists of what would be considered side missions. If you like the mechanics of going from planet to planet and upgrading your player then this may be up your street.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe control system does require a keyboard and mouse just with the sheer amount of menus and options available, the controller just won't be suitable. The regular FPS controls make it easy for anyone to get acclimated with the game. There is an array of menus and side menus that can be a bit clunky, to begin with, it did require a couple of hours to get used to them. The FPS elements are pretty standard and the spaceship does require a bit of time to be proficient. Extensive controls and menus are needed to track missions, spaceships, planets and goals.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMaps, space and levels are all rendered well, this will vary on the GPU that you have but even on my mid-tier GPU, it was awesome to look at it. The frame rate at 1080p was consistent for me and I didn't encounter any graphical issues. The game isn't fully an open world. Each area you visit is enclosed and limits where you can roam. The mix of martian, moon and space environments provide a backdrop for the levels. Each level\/area has its unique buildings such as factories, outposts, laboratories, refineries etc. It does give a sense of a series of planets that are inhabited, a living world where you drop into different places to complete missions. The whole space theme, ships, environments and outposts are done well. The gameplay reminds me of Mass Effect without the central story to pin it all together, it's the game I think that comes closest to what Elite Dangerous: Odyssey plays like except a first-person view. Just like Mass Effect, the game is mission-based as opposed to wandering amongst the planets.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere is also a space combat mode that allows you to pit yourself against other online players. It allows for deathmatch and team deathmatch modes. I found this tons of fun and I thought it was cool but I found matchmaking poor and a lack of full games an issue. Though there could be huge scope for an improvement in terms of matchmaking which detract from the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOverall, the game is interesting, I love the mix of FPS action-based space action mixed with spaceship combat. I like the use of tools and levelling up your character as you see fit. There is a huge world to explore and tons of missions to boot. The single-player game has elements of massively multiplayer online games too where other commanders are visible in lobbies and stations. The spaceship and deathmatch combat is awesome but I found matchmaking poor and very rarely played with more than 3 people.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe game does suffer from a host of bugs and issues which made the first person game extremely frustrating. The point score of 5\/10 is pretty much down to bugs and issues. I encountered multiple mission-ending bugs where I had to do a game reset. I found the most frustrating thing is that I was getting into a rhythm and then some sort of bizarre issue stopping your gameplay. These bugs need to be addressed to get the whole experience. With bugs and issues fixed, I could see the game as being very enjoyable but I was left frustrated most of the time. I was hoping the game wouldn't crash or just end abruptly. I found the lack of story in the FPS made the game lacklustre and the missions became quite repetitive quickly and with bugs hugely frustrating.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a05\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Review","post_excerpt":"FPS and spaceship combat game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"elite-dangerous-odyssey-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:52:01","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:52:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206302","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":23},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

\n

\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n

We played through the first story: <\/span>Plymouth Point - A Missing Person Hunt<\/span><\/em>. In this story, Ivy Isklander has gone missing and it is our job to find her as we have recently just joined Plymouth Point Resident\u2019s watch. <\/span><\/p>\n

My team consisted of 4 players in total. One person on the team was sharing their screen as we looked through the clues. I found the experience to be very fun and interesting. It started off as a video call with an old lady which made it seem like it was real. The clues were easy to follow and were not very confusing. The only thing that was a bit obstructed was the one part where we were to find the second part of a recording but we could not figure out the puzzle until the clue was sent to us via chat.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As another player on the team, what I liked about the game is that it was easy to play and ran smoothly. There were parts where things were easier to find, and solve and some weren't that easier. I personally really enjoyed playing and can\u2019t wait to play the others!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

To be honest, I have never been in an escape room, so I did not know what to expect. I did see the trailer for how to play Isklander. I am happy to say it was a lot of fun and I did enjoy myself and it was much better than what I thought when I was looking at the trailer. To be fair as this was the first part of the trilogy, I did enjoy the setup and the story. I would have loved for it to have a few more live-action performances; as I think they were so engaging and hooked me in. I did have the odd network issue (that could have been on my end) but it was a little annoying. The time seemed to go so quickly but that could have been because I was having such a good time with my team trying to solve the escape room. I would like to play the other two parts of the trilogy to see what else Swamp Motel can do with this: reality adventure. I would recommend anyone who likes the idea of a virtual escape room to check it out with their friends and family, I am sure they will have a lot of fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander website:<\/span> www.isklander.com<\/a>
Swamp Motel website:<\/span> swampmotel.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

A big thank you to Nassir and the rest of the games team for all their help in this review.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Isklander Trilogy:\u00a0Plymouth Point Review","post_excerpt":"Alternate reality adventure","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-isklander-trilogy-plymouth-point-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:42:04","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:42:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206517","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206442,"post_author":"33","post_date":"2021-06-18 15:26:14","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-18 14:26:14","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Out of the Blue <\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>PC, PS4 (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Electronic puzzle game, first-person adventure<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Raw Fury<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe cosmic horror universe created by H.P. Lovecraft has already served as inspiration for several movies and games and now, developer Out of the Blue has decided to drink from this fountain, Call of the Sea, its action-puzzle title is based on the works of the famous writer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou play as Norah, a woman suffering from an unknown disease (some black spots on both hands and sometimes has a hard difficulty on standing up or walking). Call of the Sea invites the player to explore a mysterious island off the coast of Tahiti in 1934 and try to decipher the unexplained disappearance of an archaeological expedition. The group, led by Harry, searched the local ruins and legends surrounding the region for a cure for the strange condition that afflicts Norah, after a few months without any kind of news from her husband, she receives a package in the mail with an old photo, a key with the initials CW and a bizarre dagger. The mission seems simple at first: find him. However, there is more to his illness and this island than one might think at first.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs the plot unfolds, we discover more details about the unfortunate ending of those who dared to set foot on the island, how their sanity gradually ebbed away, and we are forced to help Norah make a difficult decision: live or love.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has a great start! Directly linking to the great Cthulhu\u2019s lore, the opening\/beginning of the game is already amazing and very immersive.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has so much care on its creation like some letters have a short cutscene to illustrate what happened in the letter, this kind of detail gets me every time. Another great thing is that those who had read the books will see a bunch of direct references! Like de Vinyl from \u201cThe Music of Erich Zann\u201d (One of my favourite tales by the way) or a newspaper talking about the family who lived on the farm from \u201cColour out of space\u201d. So, if you are included in this level of appreciation of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I strongly suggest you read everything! Another interesting writer to have a look at before you play is Julio Verne, I was lucky at this point, because I have read \u201cTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas\u201d, and the book talks about the wonders of the mysteries that are hidden in the deeps of the sea.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe graphics reminded me a lot of Bioshock 3, being half drawn and half 3D. It has a brilliant landscape, worth it to take a few minutes to appreciate it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEven though the games have this gigantic Lovecraft\u2019s atmosphere, it brings a beautiful and joyful scenario with lots of singing birds\u2026 colours\u2026 and sunlight. Well\u2026 most of it anyway it does get dark as you go. So, from the first moments of Call of the Sea, it is evident that the game is inspired by many classic works of literature. Here we have clear evidence pointing to Julio Verne and H.P. Lovecraft. So that being said, Verne brings the amazing and beautiful part of the unknown in the meanwhile, Lovecraft, brings the dark cosmic part, which was an excellent mix for me and the game did it with perfection, as it's not a Lovecraftian horror game, but it doesn't leave aside its mysteries and influences.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea is divided into chapters where you'll have to unravel specific puzzles to have the means to solve an even bigger one that will give you the possibility to advance to the next part.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAssuming a didactic stance, the game starts the adventure calmly, with relatively simple challenges. However, as you progress into the island, the puzzles get more difficult with loads of \u201ccomplex\u201d puzzles that were made, so you take your time to solve them, they aren\u2019t that easy but also not impossible that you would get stuck for days on it if you get all the clues that the game always gives you. So, remember, don\u2019t play this game for the first time if you\u2019re in a hurry. The best thing about these puzzles is that they are extremely rewarding when solved.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor me that the only bummer I saw during the game, was the fact that you can\u2019t jump cutscenes nor dialogues, that\u2019s a bit annoying when you are playing the game for the second and third time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNorah has a diary which is extremely important to keep track of the updates that she does, so you have a beautiful immersion during this amazing experience. Every time Norah sees something important, a new note will appear in her notebook, and it's with these tips that the player needs to unravel the problems to advance to the next area and understand more about Henry's fate and the evil that befalls our explorer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nA good feature of the game is the fact that you can save anytime and continue exactly where you were at the moment you saved the game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe soundtrack and sounds during the game are all impeccable! They go perfectly with the game\u2019s atmosphere. My suggestion is that you play the game with a loud 5.1 Home heater or a good Headset, so you can feel the surroundings.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is amazing, every single one of them does an excellent job, and we are accompanied by their beautiful narration until the last minutes of a short but memorable game. Part of the charm that captivates us comes precisely from the exceptional dubbing of Cissy Jones, a veteran of electronic games. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the rest of the cast does a good job too, but Norah's is the soul of the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea was such a great surprise to me, from the first moment I saw a trailer I was intrigued with this game, being a huge fan of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I was \u201cpuzzled\u201d with this game and what it's about. When the opportunity of reviewing it, I was delighted to do it and the game gave me more than I was expecting from the beginning to the end of it, this is a 10 out of 10 game since you press \u201cStart a new game\u201d. I really hope that more and more games like this one keep coming.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nPs: Thank you Raw Fury for the opportunity of reviewing this game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong><\/span>10\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Call of the Sea Review","post_excerpt":"Action-puzzle","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"call-of-the-sea-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206442","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206418,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-16 20:17:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-16 19:17:56","post_content":"\r\n

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Artdink<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms: <\/strong>Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre: <\/strong>Action, RPG\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0ININ Games\/STUDIOARTDINK<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is the wonderfully updated version of the same game that was released for the Sega Megadrive in 1994. It's updated for modern generation consoles while keeping the gameplay and general charm of the game intact. It is a throwback to old school RPG action games from the early 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an action-adventure RPG that remains faithful to the original title but has spruced up graphics and brings it into the modern console generation. While the graphics don't match the levels of AAA titles, it does a great job of making them fit for this generation of gamer. At its heart, it is a platformer with RPG elements thrown in, you navigate numerous dungeons, solve puzzles and extract information from multiple characters in each environment. It follows the classic platformer game mechanics of collecting coins, kills enemies, dodges pitfalls, traps and progresses to more complex levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The level design of action elements, platformer sections and puzzles are densely packed into each area which consists of a lot of dungeons. The platform and puzzle mechanics are the standouts for me, they have managed to replicate the original but improve them as well. The controls are responsive and you always feel in total control.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each dungeon and environment has been rendered using a mix of 2D and 3D animation which gives the levels and dungeons a bigger sense of scale. Asha and Pepelogoo, her companion, are vivid with the use of bright colours to bring their personalities to life. The use of vivid colours brings each area and dungeon to life too. Levels have multiple planes and you navigate them to find power-ups or items required to further your quest. The characters are rendered in a wonderful cartoon style that is thematically present throughout the game. The diverse areas and the cartoony graphics give this game a real modern look and feel which sets the stage for compelling gameplay.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a wonderful recreation of the classic action RPG game released back in 1994. The developers have done a fantastic job of upgrading it and improving the controls to make it more responsive. The use of modern generation graphics breathes new life into this excellent platformer. Even if you haven't played the original, there is plenty here for newcomers. If you are familiar or semi-familiar with the original, this version is a wonderful upgrade and a way to relive the nostalgic era of classic platformers. The game is bright, lots of fun and challenging in many ways. It was sheer joy to play a game that wonderfully updated the original game and revisited this old school platform RPG game from the 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The boxed retail version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World comes exclusively with the original Monster World IV published by ININ Games. So you can relive the glory days of the original.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The digital version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World can be purchased from the Nintendo and Sony stores and is published by STUDIOARTDINK.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World Review","post_excerpt":"Updated for modern generation ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"wonder-boy-asha-in-monster-world-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206411,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-14 19:29:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-14 18:29:01","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0Capricia Productions<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:\u00a0<\/strong> Action<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:\u00a0<\/strong>All in! Games\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage pitches itself as a story-driven music game that aptly describes the game. The game follows the protagonist Gitta Barbot and her life of misery, trauma and survival through this horrible world. The game is a first player adventure game with quick-time events all using the metal soundtrack to tell the story and ultimately becomes integrated into all game events.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is a first-person adventure game with the majority of the gameplay elements being in the first person; however parts of the storytelling are from a 3rd person view. The game consists of sandboxed areas where you are given cues on what to do, the majority of these game events require you to solve a puzzle, collect items or fight your way out. The pace of the game which is aided by the soundtrack can be fairly quick and you find yourself in a rush to complete the level your time runs out. To break up the gameplay, you will have quick-time events appear throughout the narrative. I found the puzzle elements that were timed to be quick and the controls are clunky too which made them feel even trickier than they should have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics could be better, it felt like a last generation game, the environments and characters model were all just a bit off.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, despite this, the soundtrack and story which are intertwined are the real stars of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The metal soundtrack composed by Arnold Nesis consists of artists like Ron \"Bumblefoot\" Thal (ex-Guns N\u2019 Roses), Rob van der Loo (Epica), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), Casey Grillo (ex-Kamelot), Rocky Gray (ex-Evanescence), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), Tina Guo and Snowy Shaw (ex-King Diamond, ex-Therion).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The characters are voiced by Kobra Paige (Kobra and the Lotus), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), and Davidavi 'Vidi' Dolev (Gunned Down Horses). This is where the game's strength is and it's the musical offering. The game does turn into a musical pretty quickly. Levels and the amount of time you have to complete puzzles are dictated by musical interludes. I'm not a huge fan of musicals so I found the musical elements a bit over the top for me. The soundtrack is amazing though. However, the soundtrack doesn't save the game, it doesn't manage to gloss over the clunky gameplay and parts of the story which are odd and wholly unbelievable story elements.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage starts with a deep dark story of a young woman and her trauma throughout her life. It was a lot darker than I thought it would be. The metal soundtrack adds a lot of depth to the story and helps to paint the story. The game does take a turn and becomes like a musical fairly quick though. I'm not a huge musical fan. I found the quick-time events and general gameplay a bit clunky. The visuals lacked the refinement and polish that the gameplay also did. Parts of the story are just bizarre but the ideas are good but just not executed as they could have been. The soundtrack is the real superb element of the game that helps drive the game. Ultimately better gameplay elements and visuals would have improved the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Of Bird and Cage Review","post_excerpt":"Story-driven music game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"of-bird-and-cage-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:07","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206411","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206368,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-08 15:01:24","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-08 14:01:24","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Insomniac Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PS5<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Platformer, third-person shooter<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the latest outing for Ratchet & Clank that is exclusive to PS5. For the uninitiated, Ratchet & Clank is the much-praised third-person platform shooter developed by Insomniac Games. Ratchet & Clank are the dynamic duo trying to save the world.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe story follows the main characters Ratchet & Clank as they get thrown in between dimensions to defeat the evil Doctor Nefarious. The game features an entire story that requires little knowledge of the franchise, so those new to the series don't need to know anything about prior games. It's a standalone game in that sense and the narrative is akin to a cartoon action film with excellent cinematics. The story and plot are developed by completing a series of missions across the galaxy, each different planet having its enemies, characters and unique terrain. The rift apart in the title refers to the interdimensional travel in the game where you will get to play as another Lombax known as Rivet. Story-telling weaves in between the two playable characters, the narrative is maintained between switching characters. The switch between characters is seamless during the gameplay.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay is centred around fantastic platform action mixed with a third-person shooter. Both game genres are executed impeccably, the action is fast-paced and you have a plethora of guns that give a thrilling third-person shooter. The platform elements are challenging at times with many environments making use of a whole variety of gaming mechanics. Then there are puzzles, inter galaxy travel and a cohesive story underpinning all the gameplay elements. There is also character levelling up and weapon upgrade features too. It isn't as rich or as in-depth as an RPG but it does add more features to the gameplay, the levelling up is rudimentary in that sense. All these gameplay elements are combined into a cohesive fun game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nProgressing through levels you collect upgrades, bolts that allow you to purchase and upgrade weapons. While this seems like a small feature, I loved the sheer amount of weapons and what they do. The weaponry in the game is brilliant, it adds a whole element of another edge to the gameplay. Every time a new gun or game mechanic is introduced it is done in a well-paced manner, you won't be overburdened with game controls to learn all at once.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nVisually the game does nail the very detailed cartoon look and feel. The main characters are rich in detail and you can see the detail in the fur of Ratchet. Clank is similarly detailed and the use of contrasting colours are used effectively throughout. Every character you encounter is meticulously rendered. The cartoon art style is stunning and vibrant, it gives the world a sense of life.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is superb, it does make the characters more relatable and personable. The storytelling mixes all the critical elements serious, funny and incredulous as needed. The cinematics and visuals do give off the sense of a playable movie.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLike with previous PS5 exclusive games, Ratchet & Clank makes use of the haptic feedback in particular. Like Returnal and Astro, the haptic feedback is used for triggering primary and secondary fire types of weapons. It does work well but this was the only real use of it in the game. Vibration and sounds through the controller are used to enhance the gaming experience and cinematics.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game allows you to choose what difficulty suits you, you can make it as tough or as easy as you want. No grinding required unless you want to.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA day-one patch (performance mode & performance RT) will be released that will allow for dynamic 4K at 60 fps and dynamic 4K at 60 fps with ray-tracing. The game was reviewed with the quality mode playing 4k at 30 fps.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAlong with the performance improvements some minor updates will be available in the day-one patch such as photo mode updates, skip cinematic option, accessibility updates and general improvement and polish.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank melds the genres of 3rd person shooter and a platform into a fun game and rewarding game. The game is paced well with plenty of upgrades, side missions and collectables to keep you busy in-between the main story. The cinematics give the feel of a cartoon movie and the voice over is superb and it does give the story more credence as it makes it seem more believable. There are a ton of guns to get as you progress through the game and makes the game even more enjoyable. It's a well-polished fun game that is hard to put down. It's a fantastic game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a09\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Review","post_excerpt":"Latest outing for Ratchet & Clank","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ratchet-clank-rift-apart-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:38","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206368","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206302,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-05-28 13:43:05","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-28 12:43:05","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PC (Steam)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, Strategy<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nElite Dangerous: Odyssey is an FPS and spaceship combat game that is the latest extension of Elite Dangerous. The game is set in a futuristic galaxy where the protagonist flies between galaxies to undertake missions. The galaxy seems infinite. The scale of planets and galaxies to visit is huge. I haven't played Elite Dangerous in a long time but I was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer and I will delve through the multiple game types and the action feast that is Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTo start, I mainly played the FPS mission-based game, where you travel the galaxies where you attempt to gain influence and power up your character. It has that classic action RPG style gameplay mixed with a huge emphasis on the action elements. I loved the FPS elements, it's very action-focused and you have to choose how you negotiate each mission. The FPS is mixed with interstellar travel. Different planets have different temperatures and gravity which mean each level is unique. There is a mix of stealth elements, shooter, all-out mayhem and lots of little clever gameplay mechanics such as specialist tools. I did find the gameplay a bit repetitive without a story to bind your missions together, the game consists of what would be considered side missions. If you like the mechanics of going from planet to planet and upgrading your player then this may be up your street.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe control system does require a keyboard and mouse just with the sheer amount of menus and options available, the controller just won't be suitable. The regular FPS controls make it easy for anyone to get acclimated with the game. There is an array of menus and side menus that can be a bit clunky, to begin with, it did require a couple of hours to get used to them. The FPS elements are pretty standard and the spaceship does require a bit of time to be proficient. Extensive controls and menus are needed to track missions, spaceships, planets and goals.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMaps, space and levels are all rendered well, this will vary on the GPU that you have but even on my mid-tier GPU, it was awesome to look at it. The frame rate at 1080p was consistent for me and I didn't encounter any graphical issues. The game isn't fully an open world. Each area you visit is enclosed and limits where you can roam. The mix of martian, moon and space environments provide a backdrop for the levels. Each level\/area has its unique buildings such as factories, outposts, laboratories, refineries etc. It does give a sense of a series of planets that are inhabited, a living world where you drop into different places to complete missions. The whole space theme, ships, environments and outposts are done well. The gameplay reminds me of Mass Effect without the central story to pin it all together, it's the game I think that comes closest to what Elite Dangerous: Odyssey plays like except a first-person view. Just like Mass Effect, the game is mission-based as opposed to wandering amongst the planets.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere is also a space combat mode that allows you to pit yourself against other online players. It allows for deathmatch and team deathmatch modes. I found this tons of fun and I thought it was cool but I found matchmaking poor and a lack of full games an issue. Though there could be huge scope for an improvement in terms of matchmaking which detract from the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOverall, the game is interesting, I love the mix of FPS action-based space action mixed with spaceship combat. I like the use of tools and levelling up your character as you see fit. There is a huge world to explore and tons of missions to boot. The single-player game has elements of massively multiplayer online games too where other commanders are visible in lobbies and stations. The spaceship and deathmatch combat is awesome but I found matchmaking poor and very rarely played with more than 3 people.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe game does suffer from a host of bugs and issues which made the first person game extremely frustrating. The point score of 5\/10 is pretty much down to bugs and issues. I encountered multiple mission-ending bugs where I had to do a game reset. I found the most frustrating thing is that I was getting into a rhythm and then some sort of bizarre issue stopping your gameplay. These bugs need to be addressed to get the whole experience. With bugs and issues fixed, I could see the game as being very enjoyable but I was left frustrated most of the time. I was hoping the game wouldn't crash or just end abruptly. I found the lack of story in the FPS made the game lacklustre and the missions became quite repetitive quickly and with bugs hugely frustrating.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a05\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Review","post_excerpt":"FPS and spaceship combat game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"elite-dangerous-odyssey-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:52:01","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:52:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206302","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":23},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag Review","post_excerpt":"Action platformer","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"clan-oconall-and-the-crown-of-the-stag-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:49:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:49:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206593","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206517,"post_author":"30","post_date":"2021-07-02 17:16:46","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-02 16:16:46","post_content":"

The Isklander trilogy is an alternate reality adventure, a virtual escape room. The trilogy is made by the Swamp Motel, an immersive entertainment company and the experience makers behind the London based Resident Evil 2 escape room \/ haunted house hybrid.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the virtual escape room, you scrumage through social media posts, hack into emails, scavenge through websites, make phone calls. It\u2019s a combination between fiction and reality, an augmented reality approach to the game. The escape room can be played with up to 6 players. You all are present in a video meeting where you and your team are presented with the case you need to solve in under 90 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander makes great use of the theme of Lonon and the shady going-ons (in this story) to help describe a wonderfully crafted story. The story has a level of intrigue that makes you want to hunt down each clue and solve it. In some instances, you will have to comb over the evidence more than once to find the clues. The team-based activities make this a joy. The acting and voice-overs all add to the mysterious going ons, it\u2019s all superbly produced and presented.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n

We played through the first story: <\/span>Plymouth Point - A Missing Person Hunt<\/span><\/em>. In this story, Ivy Isklander has gone missing and it is our job to find her as we have recently just joined Plymouth Point Resident\u2019s watch. <\/span><\/p>\n

My team consisted of 4 players in total. One person on the team was sharing their screen as we looked through the clues. I found the experience to be very fun and interesting. It started off as a video call with an old lady which made it seem like it was real. The clues were easy to follow and were not very confusing. The only thing that was a bit obstructed was the one part where we were to find the second part of a recording but we could not figure out the puzzle until the clue was sent to us via chat.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As another player on the team, what I liked about the game is that it was easy to play and ran smoothly. There were parts where things were easier to find, and solve and some weren't that easier. I personally really enjoyed playing and can\u2019t wait to play the others!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

To be honest, I have never been in an escape room, so I did not know what to expect. I did see the trailer for how to play Isklander. I am happy to say it was a lot of fun and I did enjoy myself and it was much better than what I thought when I was looking at the trailer. To be fair as this was the first part of the trilogy, I did enjoy the setup and the story. I would have loved for it to have a few more live-action performances; as I think they were so engaging and hooked me in. I did have the odd network issue (that could have been on my end) but it was a little annoying. The time seemed to go so quickly but that could have been because I was having such a good time with my team trying to solve the escape room. I would like to play the other two parts of the trilogy to see what else Swamp Motel can do with this: reality adventure. I would recommend anyone who likes the idea of a virtual escape room to check it out with their friends and family, I am sure they will have a lot of fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander website:<\/span> www.isklander.com<\/a>
Swamp Motel website:<\/span> swampmotel.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

A big thank you to Nassir and the rest of the games team for all their help in this review.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Isklander Trilogy:\u00a0Plymouth Point Review","post_excerpt":"Alternate reality adventure","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-isklander-trilogy-plymouth-point-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:42:04","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:42:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206517","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206442,"post_author":"33","post_date":"2021-06-18 15:26:14","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-18 14:26:14","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Out of the Blue <\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>PC, PS4 (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Electronic puzzle game, first-person adventure<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Raw Fury<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe cosmic horror universe created by H.P. Lovecraft has already served as inspiration for several movies and games and now, developer Out of the Blue has decided to drink from this fountain, Call of the Sea, its action-puzzle title is based on the works of the famous writer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou play as Norah, a woman suffering from an unknown disease (some black spots on both hands and sometimes has a hard difficulty on standing up or walking). Call of the Sea invites the player to explore a mysterious island off the coast of Tahiti in 1934 and try to decipher the unexplained disappearance of an archaeological expedition. The group, led by Harry, searched the local ruins and legends surrounding the region for a cure for the strange condition that afflicts Norah, after a few months without any kind of news from her husband, she receives a package in the mail with an old photo, a key with the initials CW and a bizarre dagger. The mission seems simple at first: find him. However, there is more to his illness and this island than one might think at first.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs the plot unfolds, we discover more details about the unfortunate ending of those who dared to set foot on the island, how their sanity gradually ebbed away, and we are forced to help Norah make a difficult decision: live or love.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has a great start! Directly linking to the great Cthulhu\u2019s lore, the opening\/beginning of the game is already amazing and very immersive.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has so much care on its creation like some letters have a short cutscene to illustrate what happened in the letter, this kind of detail gets me every time. Another great thing is that those who had read the books will see a bunch of direct references! Like de Vinyl from \u201cThe Music of Erich Zann\u201d (One of my favourite tales by the way) or a newspaper talking about the family who lived on the farm from \u201cColour out of space\u201d. So, if you are included in this level of appreciation of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I strongly suggest you read everything! Another interesting writer to have a look at before you play is Julio Verne, I was lucky at this point, because I have read \u201cTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas\u201d, and the book talks about the wonders of the mysteries that are hidden in the deeps of the sea.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe graphics reminded me a lot of Bioshock 3, being half drawn and half 3D. It has a brilliant landscape, worth it to take a few minutes to appreciate it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEven though the games have this gigantic Lovecraft\u2019s atmosphere, it brings a beautiful and joyful scenario with lots of singing birds\u2026 colours\u2026 and sunlight. Well\u2026 most of it anyway it does get dark as you go. So, from the first moments of Call of the Sea, it is evident that the game is inspired by many classic works of literature. Here we have clear evidence pointing to Julio Verne and H.P. Lovecraft. So that being said, Verne brings the amazing and beautiful part of the unknown in the meanwhile, Lovecraft, brings the dark cosmic part, which was an excellent mix for me and the game did it with perfection, as it's not a Lovecraftian horror game, but it doesn't leave aside its mysteries and influences.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea is divided into chapters where you'll have to unravel specific puzzles to have the means to solve an even bigger one that will give you the possibility to advance to the next part.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAssuming a didactic stance, the game starts the adventure calmly, with relatively simple challenges. However, as you progress into the island, the puzzles get more difficult with loads of \u201ccomplex\u201d puzzles that were made, so you take your time to solve them, they aren\u2019t that easy but also not impossible that you would get stuck for days on it if you get all the clues that the game always gives you. So, remember, don\u2019t play this game for the first time if you\u2019re in a hurry. The best thing about these puzzles is that they are extremely rewarding when solved.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor me that the only bummer I saw during the game, was the fact that you can\u2019t jump cutscenes nor dialogues, that\u2019s a bit annoying when you are playing the game for the second and third time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNorah has a diary which is extremely important to keep track of the updates that she does, so you have a beautiful immersion during this amazing experience. Every time Norah sees something important, a new note will appear in her notebook, and it's with these tips that the player needs to unravel the problems to advance to the next area and understand more about Henry's fate and the evil that befalls our explorer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nA good feature of the game is the fact that you can save anytime and continue exactly where you were at the moment you saved the game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe soundtrack and sounds during the game are all impeccable! They go perfectly with the game\u2019s atmosphere. My suggestion is that you play the game with a loud 5.1 Home heater or a good Headset, so you can feel the surroundings.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is amazing, every single one of them does an excellent job, and we are accompanied by their beautiful narration until the last minutes of a short but memorable game. Part of the charm that captivates us comes precisely from the exceptional dubbing of Cissy Jones, a veteran of electronic games. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the rest of the cast does a good job too, but Norah's is the soul of the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea was such a great surprise to me, from the first moment I saw a trailer I was intrigued with this game, being a huge fan of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I was \u201cpuzzled\u201d with this game and what it's about. When the opportunity of reviewing it, I was delighted to do it and the game gave me more than I was expecting from the beginning to the end of it, this is a 10 out of 10 game since you press \u201cStart a new game\u201d. I really hope that more and more games like this one keep coming.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nPs: Thank you Raw Fury for the opportunity of reviewing this game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong><\/span>10\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Call of the Sea Review","post_excerpt":"Action-puzzle","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"call-of-the-sea-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206442","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206418,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-16 20:17:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-16 19:17:56","post_content":"\r\n

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Artdink<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms: <\/strong>Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre: <\/strong>Action, RPG\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0ININ Games\/STUDIOARTDINK<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is the wonderfully updated version of the same game that was released for the Sega Megadrive in 1994. It's updated for modern generation consoles while keeping the gameplay and general charm of the game intact. It is a throwback to old school RPG action games from the early 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an action-adventure RPG that remains faithful to the original title but has spruced up graphics and brings it into the modern console generation. While the graphics don't match the levels of AAA titles, it does a great job of making them fit for this generation of gamer. At its heart, it is a platformer with RPG elements thrown in, you navigate numerous dungeons, solve puzzles and extract information from multiple characters in each environment. It follows the classic platformer game mechanics of collecting coins, kills enemies, dodges pitfalls, traps and progresses to more complex levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The level design of action elements, platformer sections and puzzles are densely packed into each area which consists of a lot of dungeons. The platform and puzzle mechanics are the standouts for me, they have managed to replicate the original but improve them as well. The controls are responsive and you always feel in total control.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each dungeon and environment has been rendered using a mix of 2D and 3D animation which gives the levels and dungeons a bigger sense of scale. Asha and Pepelogoo, her companion, are vivid with the use of bright colours to bring their personalities to life. The use of vivid colours brings each area and dungeon to life too. Levels have multiple planes and you navigate them to find power-ups or items required to further your quest. The characters are rendered in a wonderful cartoon style that is thematically present throughout the game. The diverse areas and the cartoony graphics give this game a real modern look and feel which sets the stage for compelling gameplay.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a wonderful recreation of the classic action RPG game released back in 1994. The developers have done a fantastic job of upgrading it and improving the controls to make it more responsive. The use of modern generation graphics breathes new life into this excellent platformer. Even if you haven't played the original, there is plenty here for newcomers. If you are familiar or semi-familiar with the original, this version is a wonderful upgrade and a way to relive the nostalgic era of classic platformers. The game is bright, lots of fun and challenging in many ways. It was sheer joy to play a game that wonderfully updated the original game and revisited this old school platform RPG game from the 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The boxed retail version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World comes exclusively with the original Monster World IV published by ININ Games. So you can relive the glory days of the original.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The digital version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World can be purchased from the Nintendo and Sony stores and is published by STUDIOARTDINK.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World Review","post_excerpt":"Updated for modern generation ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"wonder-boy-asha-in-monster-world-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206411,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-14 19:29:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-14 18:29:01","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0Capricia Productions<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:\u00a0<\/strong> Action<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:\u00a0<\/strong>All in! Games\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage pitches itself as a story-driven music game that aptly describes the game. The game follows the protagonist Gitta Barbot and her life of misery, trauma and survival through this horrible world. The game is a first player adventure game with quick-time events all using the metal soundtrack to tell the story and ultimately becomes integrated into all game events.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is a first-person adventure game with the majority of the gameplay elements being in the first person; however parts of the storytelling are from a 3rd person view. The game consists of sandboxed areas where you are given cues on what to do, the majority of these game events require you to solve a puzzle, collect items or fight your way out. The pace of the game which is aided by the soundtrack can be fairly quick and you find yourself in a rush to complete the level your time runs out. To break up the gameplay, you will have quick-time events appear throughout the narrative. I found the puzzle elements that were timed to be quick and the controls are clunky too which made them feel even trickier than they should have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics could be better, it felt like a last generation game, the environments and characters model were all just a bit off.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, despite this, the soundtrack and story which are intertwined are the real stars of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The metal soundtrack composed by Arnold Nesis consists of artists like Ron \"Bumblefoot\" Thal (ex-Guns N\u2019 Roses), Rob van der Loo (Epica), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), Casey Grillo (ex-Kamelot), Rocky Gray (ex-Evanescence), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), Tina Guo and Snowy Shaw (ex-King Diamond, ex-Therion).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The characters are voiced by Kobra Paige (Kobra and the Lotus), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), and Davidavi 'Vidi' Dolev (Gunned Down Horses). This is where the game's strength is and it's the musical offering. The game does turn into a musical pretty quickly. Levels and the amount of time you have to complete puzzles are dictated by musical interludes. I'm not a huge fan of musicals so I found the musical elements a bit over the top for me. The soundtrack is amazing though. However, the soundtrack doesn't save the game, it doesn't manage to gloss over the clunky gameplay and parts of the story which are odd and wholly unbelievable story elements.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage starts with a deep dark story of a young woman and her trauma throughout her life. It was a lot darker than I thought it would be. The metal soundtrack adds a lot of depth to the story and helps to paint the story. The game does take a turn and becomes like a musical fairly quick though. I'm not a huge musical fan. I found the quick-time events and general gameplay a bit clunky. The visuals lacked the refinement and polish that the gameplay also did. Parts of the story are just bizarre but the ideas are good but just not executed as they could have been. The soundtrack is the real superb element of the game that helps drive the game. Ultimately better gameplay elements and visuals would have improved the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Of Bird and Cage Review","post_excerpt":"Story-driven music game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"of-bird-and-cage-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:07","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206411","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206368,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-08 15:01:24","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-08 14:01:24","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Insomniac Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PS5<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Platformer, third-person shooter<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the latest outing for Ratchet & Clank that is exclusive to PS5. For the uninitiated, Ratchet & Clank is the much-praised third-person platform shooter developed by Insomniac Games. Ratchet & Clank are the dynamic duo trying to save the world.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe story follows the main characters Ratchet & Clank as they get thrown in between dimensions to defeat the evil Doctor Nefarious. The game features an entire story that requires little knowledge of the franchise, so those new to the series don't need to know anything about prior games. It's a standalone game in that sense and the narrative is akin to a cartoon action film with excellent cinematics. The story and plot are developed by completing a series of missions across the galaxy, each different planet having its enemies, characters and unique terrain. The rift apart in the title refers to the interdimensional travel in the game where you will get to play as another Lombax known as Rivet. Story-telling weaves in between the two playable characters, the narrative is maintained between switching characters. The switch between characters is seamless during the gameplay.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay is centred around fantastic platform action mixed with a third-person shooter. Both game genres are executed impeccably, the action is fast-paced and you have a plethora of guns that give a thrilling third-person shooter. The platform elements are challenging at times with many environments making use of a whole variety of gaming mechanics. Then there are puzzles, inter galaxy travel and a cohesive story underpinning all the gameplay elements. There is also character levelling up and weapon upgrade features too. It isn't as rich or as in-depth as an RPG but it does add more features to the gameplay, the levelling up is rudimentary in that sense. All these gameplay elements are combined into a cohesive fun game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nProgressing through levels you collect upgrades, bolts that allow you to purchase and upgrade weapons. While this seems like a small feature, I loved the sheer amount of weapons and what they do. The weaponry in the game is brilliant, it adds a whole element of another edge to the gameplay. Every time a new gun or game mechanic is introduced it is done in a well-paced manner, you won't be overburdened with game controls to learn all at once.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nVisually the game does nail the very detailed cartoon look and feel. The main characters are rich in detail and you can see the detail in the fur of Ratchet. Clank is similarly detailed and the use of contrasting colours are used effectively throughout. Every character you encounter is meticulously rendered. The cartoon art style is stunning and vibrant, it gives the world a sense of life.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is superb, it does make the characters more relatable and personable. The storytelling mixes all the critical elements serious, funny and incredulous as needed. The cinematics and visuals do give off the sense of a playable movie.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLike with previous PS5 exclusive games, Ratchet & Clank makes use of the haptic feedback in particular. Like Returnal and Astro, the haptic feedback is used for triggering primary and secondary fire types of weapons. It does work well but this was the only real use of it in the game. Vibration and sounds through the controller are used to enhance the gaming experience and cinematics.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game allows you to choose what difficulty suits you, you can make it as tough or as easy as you want. No grinding required unless you want to.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA day-one patch (performance mode & performance RT) will be released that will allow for dynamic 4K at 60 fps and dynamic 4K at 60 fps with ray-tracing. The game was reviewed with the quality mode playing 4k at 30 fps.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAlong with the performance improvements some minor updates will be available in the day-one patch such as photo mode updates, skip cinematic option, accessibility updates and general improvement and polish.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank melds the genres of 3rd person shooter and a platform into a fun game and rewarding game. The game is paced well with plenty of upgrades, side missions and collectables to keep you busy in-between the main story. The cinematics give the feel of a cartoon movie and the voice over is superb and it does give the story more credence as it makes it seem more believable. There are a ton of guns to get as you progress through the game and makes the game even more enjoyable. It's a well-polished fun game that is hard to put down. It's a fantastic game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a09\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Review","post_excerpt":"Latest outing for Ratchet & Clank","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ratchet-clank-rift-apart-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:38","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206368","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206302,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-05-28 13:43:05","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-28 12:43:05","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PC (Steam)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, Strategy<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nElite Dangerous: Odyssey is an FPS and spaceship combat game that is the latest extension of Elite Dangerous. The game is set in a futuristic galaxy where the protagonist flies between galaxies to undertake missions. The galaxy seems infinite. The scale of planets and galaxies to visit is huge. I haven't played Elite Dangerous in a long time but I was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer and I will delve through the multiple game types and the action feast that is Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTo start, I mainly played the FPS mission-based game, where you travel the galaxies where you attempt to gain influence and power up your character. It has that classic action RPG style gameplay mixed with a huge emphasis on the action elements. I loved the FPS elements, it's very action-focused and you have to choose how you negotiate each mission. The FPS is mixed with interstellar travel. Different planets have different temperatures and gravity which mean each level is unique. There is a mix of stealth elements, shooter, all-out mayhem and lots of little clever gameplay mechanics such as specialist tools. I did find the gameplay a bit repetitive without a story to bind your missions together, the game consists of what would be considered side missions. If you like the mechanics of going from planet to planet and upgrading your player then this may be up your street.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe control system does require a keyboard and mouse just with the sheer amount of menus and options available, the controller just won't be suitable. The regular FPS controls make it easy for anyone to get acclimated with the game. There is an array of menus and side menus that can be a bit clunky, to begin with, it did require a couple of hours to get used to them. The FPS elements are pretty standard and the spaceship does require a bit of time to be proficient. Extensive controls and menus are needed to track missions, spaceships, planets and goals.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMaps, space and levels are all rendered well, this will vary on the GPU that you have but even on my mid-tier GPU, it was awesome to look at it. The frame rate at 1080p was consistent for me and I didn't encounter any graphical issues. The game isn't fully an open world. Each area you visit is enclosed and limits where you can roam. The mix of martian, moon and space environments provide a backdrop for the levels. Each level\/area has its unique buildings such as factories, outposts, laboratories, refineries etc. It does give a sense of a series of planets that are inhabited, a living world where you drop into different places to complete missions. The whole space theme, ships, environments and outposts are done well. The gameplay reminds me of Mass Effect without the central story to pin it all together, it's the game I think that comes closest to what Elite Dangerous: Odyssey plays like except a first-person view. Just like Mass Effect, the game is mission-based as opposed to wandering amongst the planets.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere is also a space combat mode that allows you to pit yourself against other online players. It allows for deathmatch and team deathmatch modes. I found this tons of fun and I thought it was cool but I found matchmaking poor and a lack of full games an issue. Though there could be huge scope for an improvement in terms of matchmaking which detract from the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOverall, the game is interesting, I love the mix of FPS action-based space action mixed with spaceship combat. I like the use of tools and levelling up your character as you see fit. There is a huge world to explore and tons of missions to boot. The single-player game has elements of massively multiplayer online games too where other commanders are visible in lobbies and stations. The spaceship and deathmatch combat is awesome but I found matchmaking poor and very rarely played with more than 3 people.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe game does suffer from a host of bugs and issues which made the first person game extremely frustrating. The point score of 5\/10 is pretty much down to bugs and issues. I encountered multiple mission-ending bugs where I had to do a game reset. I found the most frustrating thing is that I was getting into a rhythm and then some sort of bizarre issue stopping your gameplay. These bugs need to be addressed to get the whole experience. With bugs and issues fixed, I could see the game as being very enjoyable but I was left frustrated most of the time. I was hoping the game wouldn't crash or just end abruptly. I found the lack of story in the FPS made the game lacklustre and the missions became quite repetitive quickly and with bugs hugely frustrating.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a05\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Review","post_excerpt":"FPS and spaceship combat game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"elite-dangerous-odyssey-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:52:01","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:52:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206302","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":23},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Death's Door Review","post_excerpt":"Trial and tribulations of a soul reaper","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"deaths-door-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:48:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:48:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206668","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206593,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-07-16 16:06:42","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-16 15:06:42","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0HitGrab<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/strong>\u00a0Action, Adventure<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong> HitGrab<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag is an indie action platformer from HitGrab Inc. The game is in the finalists of the Nordic Discovery contest. As the title of the name game suggests, it's based on Celtic mythology and uses it for the setting of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is presented using a classical art-style animation, it does remind of some Disney animation. It is reminiscent of many side-scrolling platforms in terms of visuals. It's a genre that has found a footing in indie games after being a mainstay on 8 and 16-bit consoles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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Clan O'Conall makes great use of Celtic mythology which helps set the scene for the entire game. If you have played any old-school platformers or indie platformers, the mechanics and gameplay are familiar. Levels consist of worlds where you have to navigate platform sections, puzzles whilst switching through the three playable characters. Each character has skills and attributes to navigate different aspects of levels. The player has to use their skills to solve and progress through levels towards the bosses. There is a satisfying feeling to progressing through each level and a sense of accomplishment. The game is enjoyable as it mixes action and puzzles seamlessly throughout. It has the joyous feel of playing a well-crafted platform action game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Controls are super simple and responsive, you feel in total control and the learning curve is low. The game is forgiving in terms of navigating the platforming sections.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics whilst simple are polished and bring the game to life, it's simply clean and suits the game to a tee. Each environment has its look and feels with different creatures to battle as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each of the three characters has a levelling up system where you can build the character into whichever playstyle suits you. The character levelling is straightforward and isn't in-depth as an RPG.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag delivers a fantastic vibrant action platformer that looks great. The gameplay is solid and is easy to pick up and get stuck into. Celtic mythology helps to give a backdrop to each level and ties the story. During the game, players will have to swap between three characters to navigate enjoyable levels. Each level has a great mix of platforming, action and puzzle gameplay. It's a fantastic fun platformer that I loved playing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:<\/strong>\u00a08\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag Review","post_excerpt":"Action platformer","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"clan-oconall-and-the-crown-of-the-stag-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:49:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:49:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206593","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206517,"post_author":"30","post_date":"2021-07-02 17:16:46","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-02 16:16:46","post_content":"

The Isklander trilogy is an alternate reality adventure, a virtual escape room. The trilogy is made by the Swamp Motel, an immersive entertainment company and the experience makers behind the London based Resident Evil 2 escape room \/ haunted house hybrid.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the virtual escape room, you scrumage through social media posts, hack into emails, scavenge through websites, make phone calls. It\u2019s a combination between fiction and reality, an augmented reality approach to the game. The escape room can be played with up to 6 players. You all are present in a video meeting where you and your team are presented with the case you need to solve in under 90 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander makes great use of the theme of Lonon and the shady going-ons (in this story) to help describe a wonderfully crafted story. The story has a level of intrigue that makes you want to hunt down each clue and solve it. In some instances, you will have to comb over the evidence more than once to find the clues. The team-based activities make this a joy. The acting and voice-overs all add to the mysterious going ons, it\u2019s all superbly produced and presented.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n

We played through the first story: <\/span>Plymouth Point - A Missing Person Hunt<\/span><\/em>. In this story, Ivy Isklander has gone missing and it is our job to find her as we have recently just joined Plymouth Point Resident\u2019s watch. <\/span><\/p>\n

My team consisted of 4 players in total. One person on the team was sharing their screen as we looked through the clues. I found the experience to be very fun and interesting. It started off as a video call with an old lady which made it seem like it was real. The clues were easy to follow and were not very confusing. The only thing that was a bit obstructed was the one part where we were to find the second part of a recording but we could not figure out the puzzle until the clue was sent to us via chat.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As another player on the team, what I liked about the game is that it was easy to play and ran smoothly. There were parts where things were easier to find, and solve and some weren't that easier. I personally really enjoyed playing and can\u2019t wait to play the others!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

To be honest, I have never been in an escape room, so I did not know what to expect. I did see the trailer for how to play Isklander. I am happy to say it was a lot of fun and I did enjoy myself and it was much better than what I thought when I was looking at the trailer. To be fair as this was the first part of the trilogy, I did enjoy the setup and the story. I would have loved for it to have a few more live-action performances; as I think they were so engaging and hooked me in. I did have the odd network issue (that could have been on my end) but it was a little annoying. The time seemed to go so quickly but that could have been because I was having such a good time with my team trying to solve the escape room. I would like to play the other two parts of the trilogy to see what else Swamp Motel can do with this: reality adventure. I would recommend anyone who likes the idea of a virtual escape room to check it out with their friends and family, I am sure they will have a lot of fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander website:<\/span> www.isklander.com<\/a>
Swamp Motel website:<\/span> swampmotel.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

A big thank you to Nassir and the rest of the games team for all their help in this review.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Isklander Trilogy:\u00a0Plymouth Point Review","post_excerpt":"Alternate reality adventure","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-isklander-trilogy-plymouth-point-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:42:04","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:42:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206517","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206442,"post_author":"33","post_date":"2021-06-18 15:26:14","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-18 14:26:14","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Out of the Blue <\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>PC, PS4 (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Electronic puzzle game, first-person adventure<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Raw Fury<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe cosmic horror universe created by H.P. Lovecraft has already served as inspiration for several movies and games and now, developer Out of the Blue has decided to drink from this fountain, Call of the Sea, its action-puzzle title is based on the works of the famous writer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou play as Norah, a woman suffering from an unknown disease (some black spots on both hands and sometimes has a hard difficulty on standing up or walking). Call of the Sea invites the player to explore a mysterious island off the coast of Tahiti in 1934 and try to decipher the unexplained disappearance of an archaeological expedition. The group, led by Harry, searched the local ruins and legends surrounding the region for a cure for the strange condition that afflicts Norah, after a few months without any kind of news from her husband, she receives a package in the mail with an old photo, a key with the initials CW and a bizarre dagger. The mission seems simple at first: find him. However, there is more to his illness and this island than one might think at first.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs the plot unfolds, we discover more details about the unfortunate ending of those who dared to set foot on the island, how their sanity gradually ebbed away, and we are forced to help Norah make a difficult decision: live or love.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has a great start! Directly linking to the great Cthulhu\u2019s lore, the opening\/beginning of the game is already amazing and very immersive.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has so much care on its creation like some letters have a short cutscene to illustrate what happened in the letter, this kind of detail gets me every time. Another great thing is that those who had read the books will see a bunch of direct references! Like de Vinyl from \u201cThe Music of Erich Zann\u201d (One of my favourite tales by the way) or a newspaper talking about the family who lived on the farm from \u201cColour out of space\u201d. So, if you are included in this level of appreciation of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I strongly suggest you read everything! Another interesting writer to have a look at before you play is Julio Verne, I was lucky at this point, because I have read \u201cTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas\u201d, and the book talks about the wonders of the mysteries that are hidden in the deeps of the sea.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe graphics reminded me a lot of Bioshock 3, being half drawn and half 3D. It has a brilliant landscape, worth it to take a few minutes to appreciate it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEven though the games have this gigantic Lovecraft\u2019s atmosphere, it brings a beautiful and joyful scenario with lots of singing birds\u2026 colours\u2026 and sunlight. Well\u2026 most of it anyway it does get dark as you go. So, from the first moments of Call of the Sea, it is evident that the game is inspired by many classic works of literature. Here we have clear evidence pointing to Julio Verne and H.P. Lovecraft. So that being said, Verne brings the amazing and beautiful part of the unknown in the meanwhile, Lovecraft, brings the dark cosmic part, which was an excellent mix for me and the game did it with perfection, as it's not a Lovecraftian horror game, but it doesn't leave aside its mysteries and influences.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea is divided into chapters where you'll have to unravel specific puzzles to have the means to solve an even bigger one that will give you the possibility to advance to the next part.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAssuming a didactic stance, the game starts the adventure calmly, with relatively simple challenges. However, as you progress into the island, the puzzles get more difficult with loads of \u201ccomplex\u201d puzzles that were made, so you take your time to solve them, they aren\u2019t that easy but also not impossible that you would get stuck for days on it if you get all the clues that the game always gives you. So, remember, don\u2019t play this game for the first time if you\u2019re in a hurry. The best thing about these puzzles is that they are extremely rewarding when solved.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor me that the only bummer I saw during the game, was the fact that you can\u2019t jump cutscenes nor dialogues, that\u2019s a bit annoying when you are playing the game for the second and third time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNorah has a diary which is extremely important to keep track of the updates that she does, so you have a beautiful immersion during this amazing experience. Every time Norah sees something important, a new note will appear in her notebook, and it's with these tips that the player needs to unravel the problems to advance to the next area and understand more about Henry's fate and the evil that befalls our explorer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nA good feature of the game is the fact that you can save anytime and continue exactly where you were at the moment you saved the game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe soundtrack and sounds during the game are all impeccable! They go perfectly with the game\u2019s atmosphere. My suggestion is that you play the game with a loud 5.1 Home heater or a good Headset, so you can feel the surroundings.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is amazing, every single one of them does an excellent job, and we are accompanied by their beautiful narration until the last minutes of a short but memorable game. Part of the charm that captivates us comes precisely from the exceptional dubbing of Cissy Jones, a veteran of electronic games. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the rest of the cast does a good job too, but Norah's is the soul of the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea was such a great surprise to me, from the first moment I saw a trailer I was intrigued with this game, being a huge fan of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I was \u201cpuzzled\u201d with this game and what it's about. When the opportunity of reviewing it, I was delighted to do it and the game gave me more than I was expecting from the beginning to the end of it, this is a 10 out of 10 game since you press \u201cStart a new game\u201d. I really hope that more and more games like this one keep coming.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nPs: Thank you Raw Fury for the opportunity of reviewing this game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong><\/span>10\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Call of the Sea Review","post_excerpt":"Action-puzzle","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"call-of-the-sea-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206442","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206418,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-16 20:17:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-16 19:17:56","post_content":"\r\n

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Artdink<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms: <\/strong>Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre: <\/strong>Action, RPG\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0ININ Games\/STUDIOARTDINK<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is the wonderfully updated version of the same game that was released for the Sega Megadrive in 1994. It's updated for modern generation consoles while keeping the gameplay and general charm of the game intact. It is a throwback to old school RPG action games from the early 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an action-adventure RPG that remains faithful to the original title but has spruced up graphics and brings it into the modern console generation. While the graphics don't match the levels of AAA titles, it does a great job of making them fit for this generation of gamer. At its heart, it is a platformer with RPG elements thrown in, you navigate numerous dungeons, solve puzzles and extract information from multiple characters in each environment. It follows the classic platformer game mechanics of collecting coins, kills enemies, dodges pitfalls, traps and progresses to more complex levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The level design of action elements, platformer sections and puzzles are densely packed into each area which consists of a lot of dungeons. The platform and puzzle mechanics are the standouts for me, they have managed to replicate the original but improve them as well. The controls are responsive and you always feel in total control.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each dungeon and environment has been rendered using a mix of 2D and 3D animation which gives the levels and dungeons a bigger sense of scale. Asha and Pepelogoo, her companion, are vivid with the use of bright colours to bring their personalities to life. The use of vivid colours brings each area and dungeon to life too. Levels have multiple planes and you navigate them to find power-ups or items required to further your quest. The characters are rendered in a wonderful cartoon style that is thematically present throughout the game. The diverse areas and the cartoony graphics give this game a real modern look and feel which sets the stage for compelling gameplay.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a wonderful recreation of the classic action RPG game released back in 1994. The developers have done a fantastic job of upgrading it and improving the controls to make it more responsive. The use of modern generation graphics breathes new life into this excellent platformer. Even if you haven't played the original, there is plenty here for newcomers. If you are familiar or semi-familiar with the original, this version is a wonderful upgrade and a way to relive the nostalgic era of classic platformers. The game is bright, lots of fun and challenging in many ways. It was sheer joy to play a game that wonderfully updated the original game and revisited this old school platform RPG game from the 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The boxed retail version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World comes exclusively with the original Monster World IV published by ININ Games. So you can relive the glory days of the original.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The digital version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World can be purchased from the Nintendo and Sony stores and is published by STUDIOARTDINK.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World Review","post_excerpt":"Updated for modern generation ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"wonder-boy-asha-in-monster-world-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206411,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-14 19:29:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-14 18:29:01","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0Capricia Productions<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:\u00a0<\/strong> Action<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:\u00a0<\/strong>All in! Games\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage pitches itself as a story-driven music game that aptly describes the game. The game follows the protagonist Gitta Barbot and her life of misery, trauma and survival through this horrible world. The game is a first player adventure game with quick-time events all using the metal soundtrack to tell the story and ultimately becomes integrated into all game events.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is a first-person adventure game with the majority of the gameplay elements being in the first person; however parts of the storytelling are from a 3rd person view. The game consists of sandboxed areas where you are given cues on what to do, the majority of these game events require you to solve a puzzle, collect items or fight your way out. The pace of the game which is aided by the soundtrack can be fairly quick and you find yourself in a rush to complete the level your time runs out. To break up the gameplay, you will have quick-time events appear throughout the narrative. I found the puzzle elements that were timed to be quick and the controls are clunky too which made them feel even trickier than they should have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics could be better, it felt like a last generation game, the environments and characters model were all just a bit off.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, despite this, the soundtrack and story which are intertwined are the real stars of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The metal soundtrack composed by Arnold Nesis consists of artists like Ron \"Bumblefoot\" Thal (ex-Guns N\u2019 Roses), Rob van der Loo (Epica), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), Casey Grillo (ex-Kamelot), Rocky Gray (ex-Evanescence), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), Tina Guo and Snowy Shaw (ex-King Diamond, ex-Therion).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The characters are voiced by Kobra Paige (Kobra and the Lotus), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), and Davidavi 'Vidi' Dolev (Gunned Down Horses). This is where the game's strength is and it's the musical offering. The game does turn into a musical pretty quickly. Levels and the amount of time you have to complete puzzles are dictated by musical interludes. I'm not a huge fan of musicals so I found the musical elements a bit over the top for me. The soundtrack is amazing though. However, the soundtrack doesn't save the game, it doesn't manage to gloss over the clunky gameplay and parts of the story which are odd and wholly unbelievable story elements.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage starts with a deep dark story of a young woman and her trauma throughout her life. It was a lot darker than I thought it would be. The metal soundtrack adds a lot of depth to the story and helps to paint the story. The game does take a turn and becomes like a musical fairly quick though. I'm not a huge musical fan. I found the quick-time events and general gameplay a bit clunky. The visuals lacked the refinement and polish that the gameplay also did. Parts of the story are just bizarre but the ideas are good but just not executed as they could have been. The soundtrack is the real superb element of the game that helps drive the game. Ultimately better gameplay elements and visuals would have improved the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Of Bird and Cage Review","post_excerpt":"Story-driven music game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"of-bird-and-cage-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:07","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206411","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206368,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-08 15:01:24","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-08 14:01:24","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Insomniac Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PS5<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Platformer, third-person shooter<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the latest outing for Ratchet & Clank that is exclusive to PS5. For the uninitiated, Ratchet & Clank is the much-praised third-person platform shooter developed by Insomniac Games. Ratchet & Clank are the dynamic duo trying to save the world.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe story follows the main characters Ratchet & Clank as they get thrown in between dimensions to defeat the evil Doctor Nefarious. The game features an entire story that requires little knowledge of the franchise, so those new to the series don't need to know anything about prior games. It's a standalone game in that sense and the narrative is akin to a cartoon action film with excellent cinematics. The story and plot are developed by completing a series of missions across the galaxy, each different planet having its enemies, characters and unique terrain. The rift apart in the title refers to the interdimensional travel in the game where you will get to play as another Lombax known as Rivet. Story-telling weaves in between the two playable characters, the narrative is maintained between switching characters. The switch between characters is seamless during the gameplay.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay is centred around fantastic platform action mixed with a third-person shooter. Both game genres are executed impeccably, the action is fast-paced and you have a plethora of guns that give a thrilling third-person shooter. The platform elements are challenging at times with many environments making use of a whole variety of gaming mechanics. Then there are puzzles, inter galaxy travel and a cohesive story underpinning all the gameplay elements. There is also character levelling up and weapon upgrade features too. It isn't as rich or as in-depth as an RPG but it does add more features to the gameplay, the levelling up is rudimentary in that sense. All these gameplay elements are combined into a cohesive fun game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nProgressing through levels you collect upgrades, bolts that allow you to purchase and upgrade weapons. While this seems like a small feature, I loved the sheer amount of weapons and what they do. The weaponry in the game is brilliant, it adds a whole element of another edge to the gameplay. Every time a new gun or game mechanic is introduced it is done in a well-paced manner, you won't be overburdened with game controls to learn all at once.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nVisually the game does nail the very detailed cartoon look and feel. The main characters are rich in detail and you can see the detail in the fur of Ratchet. Clank is similarly detailed and the use of contrasting colours are used effectively throughout. Every character you encounter is meticulously rendered. The cartoon art style is stunning and vibrant, it gives the world a sense of life.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is superb, it does make the characters more relatable and personable. The storytelling mixes all the critical elements serious, funny and incredulous as needed. The cinematics and visuals do give off the sense of a playable movie.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLike with previous PS5 exclusive games, Ratchet & Clank makes use of the haptic feedback in particular. Like Returnal and Astro, the haptic feedback is used for triggering primary and secondary fire types of weapons. It does work well but this was the only real use of it in the game. Vibration and sounds through the controller are used to enhance the gaming experience and cinematics.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game allows you to choose what difficulty suits you, you can make it as tough or as easy as you want. No grinding required unless you want to.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA day-one patch (performance mode & performance RT) will be released that will allow for dynamic 4K at 60 fps and dynamic 4K at 60 fps with ray-tracing. The game was reviewed with the quality mode playing 4k at 30 fps.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAlong with the performance improvements some minor updates will be available in the day-one patch such as photo mode updates, skip cinematic option, accessibility updates and general improvement and polish.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank melds the genres of 3rd person shooter and a platform into a fun game and rewarding game. The game is paced well with plenty of upgrades, side missions and collectables to keep you busy in-between the main story. The cinematics give the feel of a cartoon movie and the voice over is superb and it does give the story more credence as it makes it seem more believable. There are a ton of guns to get as you progress through the game and makes the game even more enjoyable. It's a well-polished fun game that is hard to put down. It's a fantastic game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a09\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Review","post_excerpt":"Latest outing for Ratchet & Clank","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ratchet-clank-rift-apart-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:38","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206368","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206302,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-05-28 13:43:05","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-28 12:43:05","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PC (Steam)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, Strategy<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nElite Dangerous: Odyssey is an FPS and spaceship combat game that is the latest extension of Elite Dangerous. The game is set in a futuristic galaxy where the protagonist flies between galaxies to undertake missions. The galaxy seems infinite. The scale of planets and galaxies to visit is huge. I haven't played Elite Dangerous in a long time but I was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer and I will delve through the multiple game types and the action feast that is Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTo start, I mainly played the FPS mission-based game, where you travel the galaxies where you attempt to gain influence and power up your character. It has that classic action RPG style gameplay mixed with a huge emphasis on the action elements. I loved the FPS elements, it's very action-focused and you have to choose how you negotiate each mission. The FPS is mixed with interstellar travel. Different planets have different temperatures and gravity which mean each level is unique. There is a mix of stealth elements, shooter, all-out mayhem and lots of little clever gameplay mechanics such as specialist tools. I did find the gameplay a bit repetitive without a story to bind your missions together, the game consists of what would be considered side missions. If you like the mechanics of going from planet to planet and upgrading your player then this may be up your street.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe control system does require a keyboard and mouse just with the sheer amount of menus and options available, the controller just won't be suitable. The regular FPS controls make it easy for anyone to get acclimated with the game. There is an array of menus and side menus that can be a bit clunky, to begin with, it did require a couple of hours to get used to them. The FPS elements are pretty standard and the spaceship does require a bit of time to be proficient. Extensive controls and menus are needed to track missions, spaceships, planets and goals.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMaps, space and levels are all rendered well, this will vary on the GPU that you have but even on my mid-tier GPU, it was awesome to look at it. The frame rate at 1080p was consistent for me and I didn't encounter any graphical issues. The game isn't fully an open world. Each area you visit is enclosed and limits where you can roam. The mix of martian, moon and space environments provide a backdrop for the levels. Each level\/area has its unique buildings such as factories, outposts, laboratories, refineries etc. It does give a sense of a series of planets that are inhabited, a living world where you drop into different places to complete missions. The whole space theme, ships, environments and outposts are done well. The gameplay reminds me of Mass Effect without the central story to pin it all together, it's the game I think that comes closest to what Elite Dangerous: Odyssey plays like except a first-person view. Just like Mass Effect, the game is mission-based as opposed to wandering amongst the planets.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere is also a space combat mode that allows you to pit yourself against other online players. It allows for deathmatch and team deathmatch modes. I found this tons of fun and I thought it was cool but I found matchmaking poor and a lack of full games an issue. Though there could be huge scope for an improvement in terms of matchmaking which detract from the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOverall, the game is interesting, I love the mix of FPS action-based space action mixed with spaceship combat. I like the use of tools and levelling up your character as you see fit. There is a huge world to explore and tons of missions to boot. The single-player game has elements of massively multiplayer online games too where other commanders are visible in lobbies and stations. The spaceship and deathmatch combat is awesome but I found matchmaking poor and very rarely played with more than 3 people.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe game does suffer from a host of bugs and issues which made the first person game extremely frustrating. The point score of 5\/10 is pretty much down to bugs and issues. I encountered multiple mission-ending bugs where I had to do a game reset. I found the most frustrating thing is that I was getting into a rhythm and then some sort of bizarre issue stopping your gameplay. These bugs need to be addressed to get the whole experience. With bugs and issues fixed, I could see the game as being very enjoyable but I was left frustrated most of the time. I was hoping the game wouldn't crash or just end abruptly. I found the lack of story in the FPS made the game lacklustre and the missions became quite repetitive quickly and with bugs hugely frustrating.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a05\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Review","post_excerpt":"FPS and spaceship combat game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"elite-dangerous-odyssey-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:52:01","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:52:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206302","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":23},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

Page 23 of 38 Previous 1 … 22 23 24 … 38 Next

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 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Assassin's Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris Review","post_excerpt":"The next installation set of DLC","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"assassins-creed-valhalla-the-siege-of-paris-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:46:56","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:46:56","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206744","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206668,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-08-04 15:31:12","post_date_gmt":"2021-08-04 14:31:12","post_content":"

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Acid Nerve<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms:<\/strong> PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X (Reviewed) and Series S<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/strong> Action, Adventure, RPG<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Devolver Digital<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Death's Door follows the trial and tribulations of a soul reaper, crow, as you progress through a series of puzzle-filled and action-packed levels. You play as a crow who has a job to get souls from creatures you encounter. Your job soon becomes a massive adventure.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the crow reaper, you have assigned missions where you must collect the souls. The game starts in a sombre mood in a world lacking colour apart from the bright red sword you carry. However, before you know it the levels are filled with colours and you roam a plush world. The game does a fantastic job to tread between sombreness and being upbeat too.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The game starts with minimal instructions. I enjoyed this as it allows the player to explore and get used to the game. However, before you can do that, you have your first boss battle which turns into a hack and slash. You use the trusty bright red sword to kill the swathes of enemies that you encounter. The game shifts from dungeons that are a mix of hack and slash to dungeons full of puzzles. The game manages to make both gameplay elements enjoyable and challenging. Each level, puzzle and enemy get progressively more difficult, the instructions and assistance are kept to a minimum so it's up to the player to figure out the nuances of the game. While this seems subtle, it makes the game much richer, and the gameplay experience is gripping. I found it difficult to stop playing the game once I started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The bosses are amazing; there is a real sense of accomplishment when you beat them. The bosses are a strange combination of weird, funny, and just plain odd. They are wonderfully rendered and full of detail.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

I have to say I love the interconnected nature of each level. This gives a real feel that you are in a singular world and this helps to tie story elements too. Puzzles and unreachable sections become open as you progress through the game. The game does challenge the player to figure out what is available to do throughout the game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The story is left purposely vague, and you will gather small morsels of information as you progress through levels and bosses. This helps to build up suspense, intrigue and tension. Each level helps to uncover more detail and builds the story into something of interest. The story has a mix of twists and turns with a beautiful soundtrack that helps to hammer the underlying theme.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The NPCs and your interactions act as the humour in the game and provide light-heartedness to the sombreness in the game, they also help drive the narration of the game too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As this game is an indie game, there aren't any voice-overs. This is the only thing I think is missing for me, but the gameplay and story make up for it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Death's Door combines a wonderful action-based game with a whole host of puzzles to solve. It has a brilliant mix of hack and slash, a beautifully crafted world that is intriguing and a joy to explore. Every aspect of the game has been designed impeccably, every small element including level design should be applauded. It's a wonderful game that excels in all elements: gameplay, story, music score and fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the game from start to end, I just found the game design and gameplay refreshing and such a joy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>9\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Death's Door Review","post_excerpt":"Trial and tribulations of a soul reaper","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"deaths-door-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:48:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:48:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206668","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206593,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-07-16 16:06:42","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-16 15:06:42","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0HitGrab<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/strong>\u00a0Action, Adventure<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong> HitGrab<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag is an indie action platformer from HitGrab Inc. The game is in the finalists of the Nordic Discovery contest. As the title of the name game suggests, it's based on Celtic mythology and uses it for the setting of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is presented using a classical art-style animation, it does remind of some Disney animation. It is reminiscent of many side-scrolling platforms in terms of visuals. It's a genre that has found a footing in indie games after being a mainstay on 8 and 16-bit consoles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Clan O'Conall makes great use of Celtic mythology which helps set the scene for the entire game. If you have played any old-school platformers or indie platformers, the mechanics and gameplay are familiar. Levels consist of worlds where you have to navigate platform sections, puzzles whilst switching through the three playable characters. Each character has skills and attributes to navigate different aspects of levels. The player has to use their skills to solve and progress through levels towards the bosses. There is a satisfying feeling to progressing through each level and a sense of accomplishment. The game is enjoyable as it mixes action and puzzles seamlessly throughout. It has the joyous feel of playing a well-crafted platform action game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Controls are super simple and responsive, you feel in total control and the learning curve is low. The game is forgiving in terms of navigating the platforming sections.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics whilst simple are polished and bring the game to life, it's simply clean and suits the game to a tee. Each environment has its look and feels with different creatures to battle as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each of the three characters has a levelling up system where you can build the character into whichever playstyle suits you. The character levelling is straightforward and isn't in-depth as an RPG.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag delivers a fantastic vibrant action platformer that looks great. The gameplay is solid and is easy to pick up and get stuck into. Celtic mythology helps to give a backdrop to each level and ties the story. During the game, players will have to swap between three characters to navigate enjoyable levels. Each level has a great mix of platforming, action and puzzle gameplay. It's a fantastic fun platformer that I loved playing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:<\/strong>\u00a08\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag Review","post_excerpt":"Action platformer","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"clan-oconall-and-the-crown-of-the-stag-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:49:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:49:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206593","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206517,"post_author":"30","post_date":"2021-07-02 17:16:46","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-02 16:16:46","post_content":"

The Isklander trilogy is an alternate reality adventure, a virtual escape room. The trilogy is made by the Swamp Motel, an immersive entertainment company and the experience makers behind the London based Resident Evil 2 escape room \/ haunted house hybrid.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the virtual escape room, you scrumage through social media posts, hack into emails, scavenge through websites, make phone calls. It\u2019s a combination between fiction and reality, an augmented reality approach to the game. The escape room can be played with up to 6 players. You all are present in a video meeting where you and your team are presented with the case you need to solve in under 90 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander makes great use of the theme of Lonon and the shady going-ons (in this story) to help describe a wonderfully crafted story. The story has a level of intrigue that makes you want to hunt down each clue and solve it. In some instances, you will have to comb over the evidence more than once to find the clues. The team-based activities make this a joy. The acting and voice-overs all add to the mysterious going ons, it\u2019s all superbly produced and presented.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n

We played through the first story: <\/span>Plymouth Point - A Missing Person Hunt<\/span><\/em>. In this story, Ivy Isklander has gone missing and it is our job to find her as we have recently just joined Plymouth Point Resident\u2019s watch. <\/span><\/p>\n

My team consisted of 4 players in total. One person on the team was sharing their screen as we looked through the clues. I found the experience to be very fun and interesting. It started off as a video call with an old lady which made it seem like it was real. The clues were easy to follow and were not very confusing. The only thing that was a bit obstructed was the one part where we were to find the second part of a recording but we could not figure out the puzzle until the clue was sent to us via chat.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As another player on the team, what I liked about the game is that it was easy to play and ran smoothly. There were parts where things were easier to find, and solve and some weren't that easier. I personally really enjoyed playing and can\u2019t wait to play the others!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

To be honest, I have never been in an escape room, so I did not know what to expect. I did see the trailer for how to play Isklander. I am happy to say it was a lot of fun and I did enjoy myself and it was much better than what I thought when I was looking at the trailer. To be fair as this was the first part of the trilogy, I did enjoy the setup and the story. I would have loved for it to have a few more live-action performances; as I think they were so engaging and hooked me in. I did have the odd network issue (that could have been on my end) but it was a little annoying. The time seemed to go so quickly but that could have been because I was having such a good time with my team trying to solve the escape room. I would like to play the other two parts of the trilogy to see what else Swamp Motel can do with this: reality adventure. I would recommend anyone who likes the idea of a virtual escape room to check it out with their friends and family, I am sure they will have a lot of fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander website:<\/span> www.isklander.com<\/a>
Swamp Motel website:<\/span> swampmotel.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

A big thank you to Nassir and the rest of the games team for all their help in this review.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Isklander Trilogy:\u00a0Plymouth Point Review","post_excerpt":"Alternate reality adventure","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-isklander-trilogy-plymouth-point-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:42:04","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:42:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206517","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206442,"post_author":"33","post_date":"2021-06-18 15:26:14","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-18 14:26:14","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Out of the Blue <\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>PC, PS4 (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Electronic puzzle game, first-person adventure<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Raw Fury<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe cosmic horror universe created by H.P. Lovecraft has already served as inspiration for several movies and games and now, developer Out of the Blue has decided to drink from this fountain, Call of the Sea, its action-puzzle title is based on the works of the famous writer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou play as Norah, a woman suffering from an unknown disease (some black spots on both hands and sometimes has a hard difficulty on standing up or walking). Call of the Sea invites the player to explore a mysterious island off the coast of Tahiti in 1934 and try to decipher the unexplained disappearance of an archaeological expedition. The group, led by Harry, searched the local ruins and legends surrounding the region for a cure for the strange condition that afflicts Norah, after a few months without any kind of news from her husband, she receives a package in the mail with an old photo, a key with the initials CW and a bizarre dagger. The mission seems simple at first: find him. However, there is more to his illness and this island than one might think at first.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs the plot unfolds, we discover more details about the unfortunate ending of those who dared to set foot on the island, how their sanity gradually ebbed away, and we are forced to help Norah make a difficult decision: live or love.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has a great start! Directly linking to the great Cthulhu\u2019s lore, the opening\/beginning of the game is already amazing and very immersive.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has so much care on its creation like some letters have a short cutscene to illustrate what happened in the letter, this kind of detail gets me every time. Another great thing is that those who had read the books will see a bunch of direct references! Like de Vinyl from \u201cThe Music of Erich Zann\u201d (One of my favourite tales by the way) or a newspaper talking about the family who lived on the farm from \u201cColour out of space\u201d. So, if you are included in this level of appreciation of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I strongly suggest you read everything! Another interesting writer to have a look at before you play is Julio Verne, I was lucky at this point, because I have read \u201cTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas\u201d, and the book talks about the wonders of the mysteries that are hidden in the deeps of the sea.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe graphics reminded me a lot of Bioshock 3, being half drawn and half 3D. It has a brilliant landscape, worth it to take a few minutes to appreciate it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEven though the games have this gigantic Lovecraft\u2019s atmosphere, it brings a beautiful and joyful scenario with lots of singing birds\u2026 colours\u2026 and sunlight. Well\u2026 most of it anyway it does get dark as you go. So, from the first moments of Call of the Sea, it is evident that the game is inspired by many classic works of literature. Here we have clear evidence pointing to Julio Verne and H.P. Lovecraft. So that being said, Verne brings the amazing and beautiful part of the unknown in the meanwhile, Lovecraft, brings the dark cosmic part, which was an excellent mix for me and the game did it with perfection, as it's not a Lovecraftian horror game, but it doesn't leave aside its mysteries and influences.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea is divided into chapters where you'll have to unravel specific puzzles to have the means to solve an even bigger one that will give you the possibility to advance to the next part.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAssuming a didactic stance, the game starts the adventure calmly, with relatively simple challenges. However, as you progress into the island, the puzzles get more difficult with loads of \u201ccomplex\u201d puzzles that were made, so you take your time to solve them, they aren\u2019t that easy but also not impossible that you would get stuck for days on it if you get all the clues that the game always gives you. So, remember, don\u2019t play this game for the first time if you\u2019re in a hurry. The best thing about these puzzles is that they are extremely rewarding when solved.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor me that the only bummer I saw during the game, was the fact that you can\u2019t jump cutscenes nor dialogues, that\u2019s a bit annoying when you are playing the game for the second and third time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNorah has a diary which is extremely important to keep track of the updates that she does, so you have a beautiful immersion during this amazing experience. Every time Norah sees something important, a new note will appear in her notebook, and it's with these tips that the player needs to unravel the problems to advance to the next area and understand more about Henry's fate and the evil that befalls our explorer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nA good feature of the game is the fact that you can save anytime and continue exactly where you were at the moment you saved the game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe soundtrack and sounds during the game are all impeccable! They go perfectly with the game\u2019s atmosphere. My suggestion is that you play the game with a loud 5.1 Home heater or a good Headset, so you can feel the surroundings.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is amazing, every single one of them does an excellent job, and we are accompanied by their beautiful narration until the last minutes of a short but memorable game. Part of the charm that captivates us comes precisely from the exceptional dubbing of Cissy Jones, a veteran of electronic games. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the rest of the cast does a good job too, but Norah's is the soul of the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea was such a great surprise to me, from the first moment I saw a trailer I was intrigued with this game, being a huge fan of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I was \u201cpuzzled\u201d with this game and what it's about. When the opportunity of reviewing it, I was delighted to do it and the game gave me more than I was expecting from the beginning to the end of it, this is a 10 out of 10 game since you press \u201cStart a new game\u201d. I really hope that more and more games like this one keep coming.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nPs: Thank you Raw Fury for the opportunity of reviewing this game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong><\/span>10\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Call of the Sea Review","post_excerpt":"Action-puzzle","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"call-of-the-sea-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206442","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206418,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-16 20:17:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-16 19:17:56","post_content":"\r\n

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Artdink<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms: <\/strong>Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre: <\/strong>Action, RPG\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0ININ Games\/STUDIOARTDINK<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is the wonderfully updated version of the same game that was released for the Sega Megadrive in 1994. It's updated for modern generation consoles while keeping the gameplay and general charm of the game intact. It is a throwback to old school RPG action games from the early 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an action-adventure RPG that remains faithful to the original title but has spruced up graphics and brings it into the modern console generation. While the graphics don't match the levels of AAA titles, it does a great job of making them fit for this generation of gamer. At its heart, it is a platformer with RPG elements thrown in, you navigate numerous dungeons, solve puzzles and extract information from multiple characters in each environment. It follows the classic platformer game mechanics of collecting coins, kills enemies, dodges pitfalls, traps and progresses to more complex levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The level design of action elements, platformer sections and puzzles are densely packed into each area which consists of a lot of dungeons. The platform and puzzle mechanics are the standouts for me, they have managed to replicate the original but improve them as well. The controls are responsive and you always feel in total control.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each dungeon and environment has been rendered using a mix of 2D and 3D animation which gives the levels and dungeons a bigger sense of scale. Asha and Pepelogoo, her companion, are vivid with the use of bright colours to bring their personalities to life. The use of vivid colours brings each area and dungeon to life too. Levels have multiple planes and you navigate them to find power-ups or items required to further your quest. The characters are rendered in a wonderful cartoon style that is thematically present throughout the game. The diverse areas and the cartoony graphics give this game a real modern look and feel which sets the stage for compelling gameplay.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a wonderful recreation of the classic action RPG game released back in 1994. The developers have done a fantastic job of upgrading it and improving the controls to make it more responsive. The use of modern generation graphics breathes new life into this excellent platformer. Even if you haven't played the original, there is plenty here for newcomers. If you are familiar or semi-familiar with the original, this version is a wonderful upgrade and a way to relive the nostalgic era of classic platformers. The game is bright, lots of fun and challenging in many ways. It was sheer joy to play a game that wonderfully updated the original game and revisited this old school platform RPG game from the 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The boxed retail version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World comes exclusively with the original Monster World IV published by ININ Games. So you can relive the glory days of the original.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The digital version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World can be purchased from the Nintendo and Sony stores and is published by STUDIOARTDINK.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World Review","post_excerpt":"Updated for modern generation ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"wonder-boy-asha-in-monster-world-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206411,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-14 19:29:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-14 18:29:01","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0Capricia Productions<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:\u00a0<\/strong> Action<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:\u00a0<\/strong>All in! Games\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage pitches itself as a story-driven music game that aptly describes the game. The game follows the protagonist Gitta Barbot and her life of misery, trauma and survival through this horrible world. The game is a first player adventure game with quick-time events all using the metal soundtrack to tell the story and ultimately becomes integrated into all game events.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is a first-person adventure game with the majority of the gameplay elements being in the first person; however parts of the storytelling are from a 3rd person view. The game consists of sandboxed areas where you are given cues on what to do, the majority of these game events require you to solve a puzzle, collect items or fight your way out. The pace of the game which is aided by the soundtrack can be fairly quick and you find yourself in a rush to complete the level your time runs out. To break up the gameplay, you will have quick-time events appear throughout the narrative. I found the puzzle elements that were timed to be quick and the controls are clunky too which made them feel even trickier than they should have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics could be better, it felt like a last generation game, the environments and characters model were all just a bit off.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, despite this, the soundtrack and story which are intertwined are the real stars of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The metal soundtrack composed by Arnold Nesis consists of artists like Ron \"Bumblefoot\" Thal (ex-Guns N\u2019 Roses), Rob van der Loo (Epica), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), Casey Grillo (ex-Kamelot), Rocky Gray (ex-Evanescence), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), Tina Guo and Snowy Shaw (ex-King Diamond, ex-Therion).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The characters are voiced by Kobra Paige (Kobra and the Lotus), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), and Davidavi 'Vidi' Dolev (Gunned Down Horses). This is where the game's strength is and it's the musical offering. The game does turn into a musical pretty quickly. Levels and the amount of time you have to complete puzzles are dictated by musical interludes. I'm not a huge fan of musicals so I found the musical elements a bit over the top for me. The soundtrack is amazing though. However, the soundtrack doesn't save the game, it doesn't manage to gloss over the clunky gameplay and parts of the story which are odd and wholly unbelievable story elements.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage starts with a deep dark story of a young woman and her trauma throughout her life. It was a lot darker than I thought it would be. The metal soundtrack adds a lot of depth to the story and helps to paint the story. The game does take a turn and becomes like a musical fairly quick though. I'm not a huge musical fan. I found the quick-time events and general gameplay a bit clunky. The visuals lacked the refinement and polish that the gameplay also did. Parts of the story are just bizarre but the ideas are good but just not executed as they could have been. The soundtrack is the real superb element of the game that helps drive the game. Ultimately better gameplay elements and visuals would have improved the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Of Bird and Cage Review","post_excerpt":"Story-driven music game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"of-bird-and-cage-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:07","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206411","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206368,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-08 15:01:24","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-08 14:01:24","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Insomniac Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PS5<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Platformer, third-person shooter<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the latest outing for Ratchet & Clank that is exclusive to PS5. For the uninitiated, Ratchet & Clank is the much-praised third-person platform shooter developed by Insomniac Games. Ratchet & Clank are the dynamic duo trying to save the world.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe story follows the main characters Ratchet & Clank as they get thrown in between dimensions to defeat the evil Doctor Nefarious. The game features an entire story that requires little knowledge of the franchise, so those new to the series don't need to know anything about prior games. It's a standalone game in that sense and the narrative is akin to a cartoon action film with excellent cinematics. The story and plot are developed by completing a series of missions across the galaxy, each different planet having its enemies, characters and unique terrain. The rift apart in the title refers to the interdimensional travel in the game where you will get to play as another Lombax known as Rivet. Story-telling weaves in between the two playable characters, the narrative is maintained between switching characters. The switch between characters is seamless during the gameplay.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay is centred around fantastic platform action mixed with a third-person shooter. Both game genres are executed impeccably, the action is fast-paced and you have a plethora of guns that give a thrilling third-person shooter. The platform elements are challenging at times with many environments making use of a whole variety of gaming mechanics. Then there are puzzles, inter galaxy travel and a cohesive story underpinning all the gameplay elements. There is also character levelling up and weapon upgrade features too. It isn't as rich or as in-depth as an RPG but it does add more features to the gameplay, the levelling up is rudimentary in that sense. All these gameplay elements are combined into a cohesive fun game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nProgressing through levels you collect upgrades, bolts that allow you to purchase and upgrade weapons. While this seems like a small feature, I loved the sheer amount of weapons and what they do. The weaponry in the game is brilliant, it adds a whole element of another edge to the gameplay. Every time a new gun or game mechanic is introduced it is done in a well-paced manner, you won't be overburdened with game controls to learn all at once.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nVisually the game does nail the very detailed cartoon look and feel. The main characters are rich in detail and you can see the detail in the fur of Ratchet. Clank is similarly detailed and the use of contrasting colours are used effectively throughout. Every character you encounter is meticulously rendered. The cartoon art style is stunning and vibrant, it gives the world a sense of life.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is superb, it does make the characters more relatable and personable. The storytelling mixes all the critical elements serious, funny and incredulous as needed. The cinematics and visuals do give off the sense of a playable movie.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLike with previous PS5 exclusive games, Ratchet & Clank makes use of the haptic feedback in particular. Like Returnal and Astro, the haptic feedback is used for triggering primary and secondary fire types of weapons. It does work well but this was the only real use of it in the game. Vibration and sounds through the controller are used to enhance the gaming experience and cinematics.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game allows you to choose what difficulty suits you, you can make it as tough or as easy as you want. No grinding required unless you want to.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA day-one patch (performance mode & performance RT) will be released that will allow for dynamic 4K at 60 fps and dynamic 4K at 60 fps with ray-tracing. The game was reviewed with the quality mode playing 4k at 30 fps.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAlong with the performance improvements some minor updates will be available in the day-one patch such as photo mode updates, skip cinematic option, accessibility updates and general improvement and polish.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank melds the genres of 3rd person shooter and a platform into a fun game and rewarding game. The game is paced well with plenty of upgrades, side missions and collectables to keep you busy in-between the main story. The cinematics give the feel of a cartoon movie and the voice over is superb and it does give the story more credence as it makes it seem more believable. There are a ton of guns to get as you progress through the game and makes the game even more enjoyable. It's a well-polished fun game that is hard to put down. It's a fantastic game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a09\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Review","post_excerpt":"Latest outing for Ratchet & Clank","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ratchet-clank-rift-apart-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:38","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206368","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206302,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-05-28 13:43:05","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-28 12:43:05","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PC (Steam)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, Strategy<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nElite Dangerous: Odyssey is an FPS and spaceship combat game that is the latest extension of Elite Dangerous. The game is set in a futuristic galaxy where the protagonist flies between galaxies to undertake missions. The galaxy seems infinite. The scale of planets and galaxies to visit is huge. I haven't played Elite Dangerous in a long time but I was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer and I will delve through the multiple game types and the action feast that is Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTo start, I mainly played the FPS mission-based game, where you travel the galaxies where you attempt to gain influence and power up your character. It has that classic action RPG style gameplay mixed with a huge emphasis on the action elements. I loved the FPS elements, it's very action-focused and you have to choose how you negotiate each mission. The FPS is mixed with interstellar travel. Different planets have different temperatures and gravity which mean each level is unique. There is a mix of stealth elements, shooter, all-out mayhem and lots of little clever gameplay mechanics such as specialist tools. I did find the gameplay a bit repetitive without a story to bind your missions together, the game consists of what would be considered side missions. If you like the mechanics of going from planet to planet and upgrading your player then this may be up your street.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe control system does require a keyboard and mouse just with the sheer amount of menus and options available, the controller just won't be suitable. The regular FPS controls make it easy for anyone to get acclimated with the game. There is an array of menus and side menus that can be a bit clunky, to begin with, it did require a couple of hours to get used to them. The FPS elements are pretty standard and the spaceship does require a bit of time to be proficient. Extensive controls and menus are needed to track missions, spaceships, planets and goals.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMaps, space and levels are all rendered well, this will vary on the GPU that you have but even on my mid-tier GPU, it was awesome to look at it. The frame rate at 1080p was consistent for me and I didn't encounter any graphical issues. The game isn't fully an open world. Each area you visit is enclosed and limits where you can roam. The mix of martian, moon and space environments provide a backdrop for the levels. Each level\/area has its unique buildings such as factories, outposts, laboratories, refineries etc. It does give a sense of a series of planets that are inhabited, a living world where you drop into different places to complete missions. The whole space theme, ships, environments and outposts are done well. The gameplay reminds me of Mass Effect without the central story to pin it all together, it's the game I think that comes closest to what Elite Dangerous: Odyssey plays like except a first-person view. Just like Mass Effect, the game is mission-based as opposed to wandering amongst the planets.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere is also a space combat mode that allows you to pit yourself against other online players. It allows for deathmatch and team deathmatch modes. I found this tons of fun and I thought it was cool but I found matchmaking poor and a lack of full games an issue. Though there could be huge scope for an improvement in terms of matchmaking which detract from the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOverall, the game is interesting, I love the mix of FPS action-based space action mixed with spaceship combat. I like the use of tools and levelling up your character as you see fit. There is a huge world to explore and tons of missions to boot. The single-player game has elements of massively multiplayer online games too where other commanders are visible in lobbies and stations. The spaceship and deathmatch combat is awesome but I found matchmaking poor and very rarely played with more than 3 people.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe game does suffer from a host of bugs and issues which made the first person game extremely frustrating. The point score of 5\/10 is pretty much down to bugs and issues. I encountered multiple mission-ending bugs where I had to do a game reset. I found the most frustrating thing is that I was getting into a rhythm and then some sort of bizarre issue stopping your gameplay. These bugs need to be addressed to get the whole experience. With bugs and issues fixed, I could see the game as being very enjoyable but I was left frustrated most of the time. I was hoping the game wouldn't crash or just end abruptly. I found the lack of story in the FPS made the game lacklustre and the missions became quite repetitive quickly and with bugs hugely frustrating.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a05\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Review","post_excerpt":"FPS and spaceship combat game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"elite-dangerous-odyssey-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:52:01","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:52:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206302","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":23},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

Page 23 of 38 Previous 1 … 22 23 24 … 38 Next

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Isklander Trilogy: The Mermaid\u2019s Tongue & The Kindling Hour Review","post_excerpt":"Online alternate reality game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-isklander-trilogy-the-mermaids-tongue-the-kindling-hour-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:04:52","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:04:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206817","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206793,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-08-20 13:55:06","post_date_gmt":"2021-08-20 12:55:06","post_content":"Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0Sucker Punch Productions<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms:<\/strong>\u00a0PS4,\u00a0PS5 (Reviewed)\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action, Adventure<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe setting of the 13th century of the feudal era in Japan is brought to stunning realism with the Ghost of Tsushima. Jin Sakai, the samurai warrior who battles the horde of Mongol invaders led by Khotun Khan. Tsushima island is your homeland that is amid a bloody war. Jin and his clan must fight back to stop the invaders but at what cost?<\/span>\r\n\r\nGhost of Tsushima was originally released on PS4 in July 2020. The director's cut is the latest update in the original game. The game has the addition of a new island and some tweaks to the game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe new island provides a whole separate story arc from the original game which is opened after Act 2, this doesn't take too long to delve into the new island.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe PS5 has a boost in terms of graphics and performance improvements, it does look even better on the PS5. It has two modes both at dynamic 4K, resolution mode which maintains 60 FPS most of the time and performance mode which is locked at 60 FPS. The game does make some really good use of the dual sense which does increase the sense of realism of the game. Ghost even looks more stunning on the PS5.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThis game captures the stunning sense of Japan from the sights, the sounds, the people, the rituals, and the beautiful scenery. From battles on the beach, traversing the wooded forests to the snow-capped mountains. Jin progresses through the game like the changing of seasons, the horrors of war, justice, duty all wrestle within you as you fight the Mongol invasion. The environment is ever-changing from sunny days where the impressive Japanese architecture is meticulously recreated. The vibrant colours of flowers and the transition to autumn fill the screen with tons of gold, yellow, red, and brown. Animals inhabit the world and are just as present as the inhabitants of Tsushima who are caught between the samurai and the Mongols. The open world of this amazing island is your playground, and you can roam as you please. On the PS5 it is all a bit more stunning and realistic, the feedback from the dual sense also heightens the experience.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGhost of Tsushima draws heavily from open-world adventure games. The core mechanics involve you navigating this intriguing island. As Jin discovers more of the island you discover more about his past, his insights on life, and what makes the life of the samurai. Your playstyle will dictate how you approach missions and battles. The game has a fantastic combat and fighting system, it's intuitive and simple but has a wide variety. Sword fights are a common occurrence with cinematics that enhance your immersion. The one-on-one combat is vivid and enthralling, you can feel every strike, the clash of swords, and the demise of an opponent in front of you. Very little mercy is shown through the game, vengeance underlies every action.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe cinematography adds to your immersion in the game, the voice acting (subs or dubs) is superb and adds another sense of realism. Visuals, colours, and architecture allow for a stunning backdrop to an amazing story that has many twists and turns. The music, sound effects, and the environment transport you to a bygone era of folklore. This game transports you to another place and time with such realism and stunning gameplay with a well-thought story that underpins everything. Ghost of Tsushima combines fantastic storytelling with amazing visuals and action. It's a fantastic adventure game, a must buy. The improvements are minor and the integration of dual sense, they do improve the feel of the game. The additional new campaign mode does add some great new gaming content too.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:\u00a0<\/strong>9\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut Review","post_excerpt":"13th century of the feudal era","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ghost-of-tsushima-directors-cut-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:45:50","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:45:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206793","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206744,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-08-13 20:48:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-08-13 19:48:52","post_content":"

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Ubisoft Montreal<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms:<\/strong>\u00a0PC, PS4, PS5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/strong>\u00a0Action, Adventure, RPG<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Ubisoft<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

The next installation set of DLC has come out for Valhalla. The siege of Paris has you moving from Ravensthorpe to Paris in the next chapter of this game. There is another threat on the horizon for Eivor with King Charles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

To play the DLC you will have to complete one of the two first story arcs in England and an option to sail to Francia will be available at your camp. The recommended power level for the siege of Paris is 200 but, the game will adjust if you have a higher level. If you have played the Ireland DLC, it's similar as it's a standalone new area separate from England.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Francia, which is ruled by Charles the Fat, provides the new terrain and landscape you can explore; the Seine and medieval Paris is there to be seen. The staples of Assassin Creed are there such as the viewpoints, the parkour, and frenetic combat. Francia is big and filled with castles, churches, and hidden subterranean environments to navigate. The roaming countryside and some villages are where you and your trusty steed will navigate between Paris and other cities. French accents and tones are encountered as you talk to passers-by and as you encounter the many characters of this world. The world is a sublime mixture of the dark underworld with brightness interspersed, the game is primarily dark as the focus is battle for Francia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I love the infiltration missions whereby you can decide how you approach the missions and how you will assassinate your targets. They have made this mission type enjoyable, and you can either act in a stealthy manner or go all guns blazing. The infiltration missions let you solve several quests to find out more about your target and its weaknesses. At this point, you have all the information you need to make your decision to proceed, this happens throughout the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The architecture is faithfully recreating buildings of that era. You will be able to equip new unique items such as clothing and weapons too. You will encounter new enemies, animals throughout the DLC. Ubisoft gets the mix of a new place to play with solid gameplay, stunning visuals, and intriguing story arcs to boot. It was a joy to play and see places I was familiar with. There are new abilities and new gameplay mechanics and buildings too. It's a solid offering and it adds to the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The standalone price for the Valhalla season pass costs \u20ac39.99. The season pass is included in the Gold and Ultimate editions of Valhalla.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The season pass will include access to Wrath of the Druids and The Siege of Paris which will be released later in the year.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The siege of Paris DLC is about 10 hours of main quests and about 5 hours of side missions. If you are a big fan of Valhalla or enjoyed it as much as I did, the price is reasonable for the two-part DLC. I enjoyed the reprisal of the infiltration missions and more mission-based assassinations which reminds me of the original. The story is intriguing, and you do feel a part of the story where your actions have an impact on the world. The production and voice acting, the darkness all have been executed well. This DLC just reminded me again how much I enjoyed playing Valhalla.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>8\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Assassin's Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris Review","post_excerpt":"The next installation set of DLC","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"assassins-creed-valhalla-the-siege-of-paris-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:46:56","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:46:56","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206744","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206668,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-08-04 15:31:12","post_date_gmt":"2021-08-04 14:31:12","post_content":"

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Acid Nerve<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms:<\/strong> PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X (Reviewed) and Series S<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/strong> Action, Adventure, RPG<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Devolver Digital<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Death's Door follows the trial and tribulations of a soul reaper, crow, as you progress through a series of puzzle-filled and action-packed levels. You play as a crow who has a job to get souls from creatures you encounter. Your job soon becomes a massive adventure.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the crow reaper, you have assigned missions where you must collect the souls. The game starts in a sombre mood in a world lacking colour apart from the bright red sword you carry. However, before you know it the levels are filled with colours and you roam a plush world. The game does a fantastic job to tread between sombreness and being upbeat too.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The game starts with minimal instructions. I enjoyed this as it allows the player to explore and get used to the game. However, before you can do that, you have your first boss battle which turns into a hack and slash. You use the trusty bright red sword to kill the swathes of enemies that you encounter. The game shifts from dungeons that are a mix of hack and slash to dungeons full of puzzles. The game manages to make both gameplay elements enjoyable and challenging. Each level, puzzle and enemy get progressively more difficult, the instructions and assistance are kept to a minimum so it's up to the player to figure out the nuances of the game. While this seems subtle, it makes the game much richer, and the gameplay experience is gripping. I found it difficult to stop playing the game once I started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The bosses are amazing; there is a real sense of accomplishment when you beat them. The bosses are a strange combination of weird, funny, and just plain odd. They are wonderfully rendered and full of detail.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

I have to say I love the interconnected nature of each level. This gives a real feel that you are in a singular world and this helps to tie story elements too. Puzzles and unreachable sections become open as you progress through the game. The game does challenge the player to figure out what is available to do throughout the game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The story is left purposely vague, and you will gather small morsels of information as you progress through levels and bosses. This helps to build up suspense, intrigue and tension. Each level helps to uncover more detail and builds the story into something of interest. The story has a mix of twists and turns with a beautiful soundtrack that helps to hammer the underlying theme.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The NPCs and your interactions act as the humour in the game and provide light-heartedness to the sombreness in the game, they also help drive the narration of the game too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As this game is an indie game, there aren't any voice-overs. This is the only thing I think is missing for me, but the gameplay and story make up for it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Death's Door combines a wonderful action-based game with a whole host of puzzles to solve. It has a brilliant mix of hack and slash, a beautifully crafted world that is intriguing and a joy to explore. Every aspect of the game has been designed impeccably, every small element including level design should be applauded. It's a wonderful game that excels in all elements: gameplay, story, music score and fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the game from start to end, I just found the game design and gameplay refreshing and such a joy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>9\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Death's Door Review","post_excerpt":"Trial and tribulations of a soul reaper","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"deaths-door-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:48:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:48:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206668","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206593,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-07-16 16:06:42","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-16 15:06:42","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0HitGrab<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/strong>\u00a0Action, Adventure<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong> HitGrab<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag is an indie action platformer from HitGrab Inc. The game is in the finalists of the Nordic Discovery contest. As the title of the name game suggests, it's based on Celtic mythology and uses it for the setting of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is presented using a classical art-style animation, it does remind of some Disney animation. It is reminiscent of many side-scrolling platforms in terms of visuals. It's a genre that has found a footing in indie games after being a mainstay on 8 and 16-bit consoles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Clan O'Conall makes great use of Celtic mythology which helps set the scene for the entire game. If you have played any old-school platformers or indie platformers, the mechanics and gameplay are familiar. Levels consist of worlds where you have to navigate platform sections, puzzles whilst switching through the three playable characters. Each character has skills and attributes to navigate different aspects of levels. The player has to use their skills to solve and progress through levels towards the bosses. There is a satisfying feeling to progressing through each level and a sense of accomplishment. The game is enjoyable as it mixes action and puzzles seamlessly throughout. It has the joyous feel of playing a well-crafted platform action game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Controls are super simple and responsive, you feel in total control and the learning curve is low. The game is forgiving in terms of navigating the platforming sections.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics whilst simple are polished and bring the game to life, it's simply clean and suits the game to a tee. Each environment has its look and feels with different creatures to battle as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each of the three characters has a levelling up system where you can build the character into whichever playstyle suits you. The character levelling is straightforward and isn't in-depth as an RPG.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag delivers a fantastic vibrant action platformer that looks great. The gameplay is solid and is easy to pick up and get stuck into. Celtic mythology helps to give a backdrop to each level and ties the story. During the game, players will have to swap between three characters to navigate enjoyable levels. Each level has a great mix of platforming, action and puzzle gameplay. It's a fantastic fun platformer that I loved playing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:<\/strong>\u00a08\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Clan O\u2019Conall and the Crown of the Stag Review","post_excerpt":"Action platformer","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"clan-oconall-and-the-crown-of-the-stag-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:49:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:49:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206593","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206517,"post_author":"30","post_date":"2021-07-02 17:16:46","post_date_gmt":"2021-07-02 16:16:46","post_content":"

The Isklander trilogy is an alternate reality adventure, a virtual escape room. The trilogy is made by the Swamp Motel, an immersive entertainment company and the experience makers behind the London based Resident Evil 2 escape room \/ haunted house hybrid.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the virtual escape room, you scrumage through social media posts, hack into emails, scavenge through websites, make phone calls. It\u2019s a combination between fiction and reality, an augmented reality approach to the game. The escape room can be played with up to 6 players. You all are present in a video meeting where you and your team are presented with the case you need to solve in under 90 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander makes great use of the theme of Lonon and the shady going-ons (in this story) to help describe a wonderfully crafted story. The story has a level of intrigue that makes you want to hunt down each clue and solve it. In some instances, you will have to comb over the evidence more than once to find the clues. The team-based activities make this a joy. The acting and voice-overs all add to the mysterious going ons, it\u2019s all superbly produced and presented.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n

We played through the first story: <\/span>Plymouth Point - A Missing Person Hunt<\/span><\/em>. In this story, Ivy Isklander has gone missing and it is our job to find her as we have recently just joined Plymouth Point Resident\u2019s watch. <\/span><\/p>\n

My team consisted of 4 players in total. One person on the team was sharing their screen as we looked through the clues. I found the experience to be very fun and interesting. It started off as a video call with an old lady which made it seem like it was real. The clues were easy to follow and were not very confusing. The only thing that was a bit obstructed was the one part where we were to find the second part of a recording but we could not figure out the puzzle until the clue was sent to us via chat.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As another player on the team, what I liked about the game is that it was easy to play and ran smoothly. There were parts where things were easier to find, and solve and some weren't that easier. I personally really enjoyed playing and can\u2019t wait to play the others!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

To be honest, I have never been in an escape room, so I did not know what to expect. I did see the trailer for how to play Isklander. I am happy to say it was a lot of fun and I did enjoy myself and it was much better than what I thought when I was looking at the trailer. To be fair as this was the first part of the trilogy, I did enjoy the setup and the story. I would have loved for it to have a few more live-action performances; as I think they were so engaging and hooked me in. I did have the odd network issue (that could have been on my end) but it was a little annoying. The time seemed to go so quickly but that could have been because I was having such a good time with my team trying to solve the escape room. I would like to play the other two parts of the trilogy to see what else Swamp Motel can do with this: reality adventure. I would recommend anyone who likes the idea of a virtual escape room to check it out with their friends and family, I am sure they will have a lot of fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

Isklander website:<\/span> www.isklander.com<\/a>
Swamp Motel website:<\/span> swampmotel.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

A big thank you to Nassir and the rest of the games team for all their help in this review.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Isklander Trilogy:\u00a0Plymouth Point Review","post_excerpt":"Alternate reality adventure","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-isklander-trilogy-plymouth-point-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/566174041","post_modified":"2022-10-08 02:42:04","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 01:42:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206517","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206442,"post_author":"33","post_date":"2021-06-18 15:26:14","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-18 14:26:14","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Out of the Blue <\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>PC, PS4 (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Electronic puzzle game, first-person adventure<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Raw Fury<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe cosmic horror universe created by H.P. Lovecraft has already served as inspiration for several movies and games and now, developer Out of the Blue has decided to drink from this fountain, Call of the Sea, its action-puzzle title is based on the works of the famous writer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou play as Norah, a woman suffering from an unknown disease (some black spots on both hands and sometimes has a hard difficulty on standing up or walking). Call of the Sea invites the player to explore a mysterious island off the coast of Tahiti in 1934 and try to decipher the unexplained disappearance of an archaeological expedition. The group, led by Harry, searched the local ruins and legends surrounding the region for a cure for the strange condition that afflicts Norah, after a few months without any kind of news from her husband, she receives a package in the mail with an old photo, a key with the initials CW and a bizarre dagger. The mission seems simple at first: find him. However, there is more to his illness and this island than one might think at first.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs the plot unfolds, we discover more details about the unfortunate ending of those who dared to set foot on the island, how their sanity gradually ebbed away, and we are forced to help Norah make a difficult decision: live or love.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has a great start! Directly linking to the great Cthulhu\u2019s lore, the opening\/beginning of the game is already amazing and very immersive.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game has so much care on its creation like some letters have a short cutscene to illustrate what happened in the letter, this kind of detail gets me every time. Another great thing is that those who had read the books will see a bunch of direct references! Like de Vinyl from \u201cThe Music of Erich Zann\u201d (One of my favourite tales by the way) or a newspaper talking about the family who lived on the farm from \u201cColour out of space\u201d. So, if you are included in this level of appreciation of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I strongly suggest you read everything! Another interesting writer to have a look at before you play is Julio Verne, I was lucky at this point, because I have read \u201cTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas\u201d, and the book talks about the wonders of the mysteries that are hidden in the deeps of the sea.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe graphics reminded me a lot of Bioshock 3, being half drawn and half 3D. It has a brilliant landscape, worth it to take a few minutes to appreciate it.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEven though the games have this gigantic Lovecraft\u2019s atmosphere, it brings a beautiful and joyful scenario with lots of singing birds\u2026 colours\u2026 and sunlight. Well\u2026 most of it anyway it does get dark as you go. So, from the first moments of Call of the Sea, it is evident that the game is inspired by many classic works of literature. Here we have clear evidence pointing to Julio Verne and H.P. Lovecraft. So that being said, Verne brings the amazing and beautiful part of the unknown in the meanwhile, Lovecraft, brings the dark cosmic part, which was an excellent mix for me and the game did it with perfection, as it's not a Lovecraftian horror game, but it doesn't leave aside its mysteries and influences.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea is divided into chapters where you'll have to unravel specific puzzles to have the means to solve an even bigger one that will give you the possibility to advance to the next part.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAssuming a didactic stance, the game starts the adventure calmly, with relatively simple challenges. However, as you progress into the island, the puzzles get more difficult with loads of \u201ccomplex\u201d puzzles that were made, so you take your time to solve them, they aren\u2019t that easy but also not impossible that you would get stuck for days on it if you get all the clues that the game always gives you. So, remember, don\u2019t play this game for the first time if you\u2019re in a hurry. The best thing about these puzzles is that they are extremely rewarding when solved.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor me that the only bummer I saw during the game, was the fact that you can\u2019t jump cutscenes nor dialogues, that\u2019s a bit annoying when you are playing the game for the second and third time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nNorah has a diary which is extremely important to keep track of the updates that she does, so you have a beautiful immersion during this amazing experience. Every time Norah sees something important, a new note will appear in her notebook, and it's with these tips that the player needs to unravel the problems to advance to the next area and understand more about Henry's fate and the evil that befalls our explorer.<\/span>\r\n\r\nA good feature of the game is the fact that you can save anytime and continue exactly where you were at the moment you saved the game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe soundtrack and sounds during the game are all impeccable! They go perfectly with the game\u2019s atmosphere. My suggestion is that you play the game with a loud 5.1 Home heater or a good Headset, so you can feel the surroundings.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is amazing, every single one of them does an excellent job, and we are accompanied by their beautiful narration until the last minutes of a short but memorable game. Part of the charm that captivates us comes precisely from the exceptional dubbing of Cissy Jones, a veteran of electronic games. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the rest of the cast does a good job too, but Norah's is the soul of the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCall of the Sea was such a great surprise to me, from the first moment I saw a trailer I was intrigued with this game, being a huge fan of Lovecraft\u2019s work, I was \u201cpuzzled\u201d with this game and what it's about. When the opportunity of reviewing it, I was delighted to do it and the game gave me more than I was expecting from the beginning to the end of it, this is a 10 out of 10 game since you press \u201cStart a new game\u201d. I really hope that more and more games like this one keep coming.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nPs: Thank you Raw Fury for the opportunity of reviewing this game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong><\/span>10\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Call of the Sea Review","post_excerpt":"Action-puzzle","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"call-of-the-sea-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206442","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206418,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-16 20:17:56","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-16 19:17:56","post_content":"\r\n

Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>Artdink<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms: <\/strong>Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre: <\/strong>Action, RPG\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0ININ Games\/STUDIOARTDINK<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is the wonderfully updated version of the same game that was released for the Sega Megadrive in 1994. It's updated for modern generation consoles while keeping the gameplay and general charm of the game intact. It is a throwback to old school RPG action games from the early 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an action-adventure RPG that remains faithful to the original title but has spruced up graphics and brings it into the modern console generation. While the graphics don't match the levels of AAA titles, it does a great job of making them fit for this generation of gamer. At its heart, it is a platformer with RPG elements thrown in, you navigate numerous dungeons, solve puzzles and extract information from multiple characters in each environment. It follows the classic platformer game mechanics of collecting coins, kills enemies, dodges pitfalls, traps and progresses to more complex levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The level design of action elements, platformer sections and puzzles are densely packed into each area which consists of a lot of dungeons. The platform and puzzle mechanics are the standouts for me, they have managed to replicate the original but improve them as well. The controls are responsive and you always feel in total control.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Each dungeon and environment has been rendered using a mix of 2D and 3D animation which gives the levels and dungeons a bigger sense of scale. Asha and Pepelogoo, her companion, are vivid with the use of bright colours to bring their personalities to life. The use of vivid colours brings each area and dungeon to life too. Levels have multiple planes and you navigate them to find power-ups or items required to further your quest. The characters are rendered in a wonderful cartoon style that is thematically present throughout the game. The diverse areas and the cartoony graphics give this game a real modern look and feel which sets the stage for compelling gameplay.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a wonderful recreation of the classic action RPG game released back in 1994. The developers have done a fantastic job of upgrading it and improving the controls to make it more responsive. The use of modern generation graphics breathes new life into this excellent platformer. Even if you haven't played the original, there is plenty here for newcomers. If you are familiar or semi-familiar with the original, this version is a wonderful upgrade and a way to relive the nostalgic era of classic platformers. The game is bright, lots of fun and challenging in many ways. It was sheer joy to play a game that wonderfully updated the original game and revisited this old school platform RPG game from the 90s.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The boxed retail version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World comes exclusively with the original Monster World IV published by ININ Games. So you can relive the glory days of the original.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The digital version of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World can be purchased from the Nintendo and Sony stores and is published by STUDIOARTDINK.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World Review","post_excerpt":"Updated for modern generation ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"wonder-boy-asha-in-monster-world-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:50:34","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:50:34","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206411,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-14 19:29:01","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-14 18:29:01","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong>\u00a0Capricia Productions<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platform:<\/strong>\u00a0Windows PC (Steam)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:\u00a0<\/strong> Action<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:\u00a0<\/strong>All in! Games\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage pitches itself as a story-driven music game that aptly describes the game. The game follows the protagonist Gitta Barbot and her life of misery, trauma and survival through this horrible world. The game is a first player adventure game with quick-time events all using the metal soundtrack to tell the story and ultimately becomes integrated into all game events.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The game is a first-person adventure game with the majority of the gameplay elements being in the first person; however parts of the storytelling are from a 3rd person view. The game consists of sandboxed areas where you are given cues on what to do, the majority of these game events require you to solve a puzzle, collect items or fight your way out. The pace of the game which is aided by the soundtrack can be fairly quick and you find yourself in a rush to complete the level your time runs out. To break up the gameplay, you will have quick-time events appear throughout the narrative. I found the puzzle elements that were timed to be quick and the controls are clunky too which made them feel even trickier than they should have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The graphics could be better, it felt like a last generation game, the environments and characters model were all just a bit off.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, despite this, the soundtrack and story which are intertwined are the real stars of the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The metal soundtrack composed by Arnold Nesis consists of artists like Ron \"Bumblefoot\" Thal (ex-Guns N\u2019 Roses), Rob van der Loo (Epica), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), Casey Grillo (ex-Kamelot), Rocky Gray (ex-Evanescence), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), Tina Guo and Snowy Shaw (ex-King Diamond, ex-Therion).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The characters are voiced by Kobra Paige (Kobra and the Lotus), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), and Davidavi 'Vidi' Dolev (Gunned Down Horses). This is where the game's strength is and it's the musical offering. The game does turn into a musical pretty quickly. Levels and the amount of time you have to complete puzzles are dictated by musical interludes. I'm not a huge fan of musicals so I found the musical elements a bit over the top for me. The soundtrack is amazing though. However, the soundtrack doesn't save the game, it doesn't manage to gloss over the clunky gameplay and parts of the story which are odd and wholly unbelievable story elements.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Of Bird and Cage starts with a deep dark story of a young woman and her trauma throughout her life. It was a lot darker than I thought it would be. The metal soundtrack adds a lot of depth to the story and helps to paint the story. The game does take a turn and becomes like a musical fairly quick though. I'm not a huge musical fan. I found the quick-time events and general gameplay a bit clunky. The visuals lacked the refinement and polish that the gameplay also did. Parts of the story are just bizarre but the ideas are good but just not executed as they could have been. The soundtrack is the real superb element of the game that helps drive the game. Ultimately better gameplay elements and visuals would have improved the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Of Bird and Cage Review","post_excerpt":"Story-driven music game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"of-bird-and-cage-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:07","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:07","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206411","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206368,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-06-08 15:01:24","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-08 14:01:24","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Insomniac Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PS5<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/strong>\u00a0Platformer, third-person shooter<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the latest outing for Ratchet & Clank that is exclusive to PS5. For the uninitiated, Ratchet & Clank is the much-praised third-person platform shooter developed by Insomniac Games. Ratchet & Clank are the dynamic duo trying to save the world.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe story follows the main characters Ratchet & Clank as they get thrown in between dimensions to defeat the evil Doctor Nefarious. The game features an entire story that requires little knowledge of the franchise, so those new to the series don't need to know anything about prior games. It's a standalone game in that sense and the narrative is akin to a cartoon action film with excellent cinematics. The story and plot are developed by completing a series of missions across the galaxy, each different planet having its enemies, characters and unique terrain. The rift apart in the title refers to the interdimensional travel in the game where you will get to play as another Lombax known as Rivet. Story-telling weaves in between the two playable characters, the narrative is maintained between switching characters. The switch between characters is seamless during the gameplay.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay is centred around fantastic platform action mixed with a third-person shooter. Both game genres are executed impeccably, the action is fast-paced and you have a plethora of guns that give a thrilling third-person shooter. The platform elements are challenging at times with many environments making use of a whole variety of gaming mechanics. Then there are puzzles, inter galaxy travel and a cohesive story underpinning all the gameplay elements. There is also character levelling up and weapon upgrade features too. It isn't as rich or as in-depth as an RPG but it does add more features to the gameplay, the levelling up is rudimentary in that sense. All these gameplay elements are combined into a cohesive fun game.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nProgressing through levels you collect upgrades, bolts that allow you to purchase and upgrade weapons. While this seems like a small feature, I loved the sheer amount of weapons and what they do. The weaponry in the game is brilliant, it adds a whole element of another edge to the gameplay. Every time a new gun or game mechanic is introduced it is done in a well-paced manner, you won't be overburdened with game controls to learn all at once.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nVisually the game does nail the very detailed cartoon look and feel. The main characters are rich in detail and you can see the detail in the fur of Ratchet. Clank is similarly detailed and the use of contrasting colours are used effectively throughout. Every character you encounter is meticulously rendered. The cartoon art style is stunning and vibrant, it gives the world a sense of life.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe voice acting is superb, it does make the characters more relatable and personable. The storytelling mixes all the critical elements serious, funny and incredulous as needed. The cinematics and visuals do give off the sense of a playable movie.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLike with previous PS5 exclusive games, Ratchet & Clank makes use of the haptic feedback in particular. Like Returnal and Astro, the haptic feedback is used for triggering primary and secondary fire types of weapons. It does work well but this was the only real use of it in the game. Vibration and sounds through the controller are used to enhance the gaming experience and cinematics.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe game allows you to choose what difficulty suits you, you can make it as tough or as easy as you want. No grinding required unless you want to.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA day-one patch (performance mode & performance RT) will be released that will allow for dynamic 4K at 60 fps and dynamic 4K at 60 fps with ray-tracing. The game was reviewed with the quality mode playing 4k at 30 fps.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAlong with the performance improvements some minor updates will be available in the day-one patch such as photo mode updates, skip cinematic option, accessibility updates and general improvement and polish.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRatchet & Clank melds the genres of 3rd person shooter and a platform into a fun game and rewarding game. The game is paced well with plenty of upgrades, side missions and collectables to keep you busy in-between the main story. The cinematics give the feel of a cartoon movie and the voice over is superb and it does give the story more credence as it makes it seem more believable. There are a ton of guns to get as you progress through the game and makes the game even more enjoyable. It's a well-polished fun game that is hard to put down. It's a fantastic game.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a09\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Review","post_excerpt":"Latest outing for Ratchet & Clank","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ratchet-clank-rift-apart-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:51:38","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:51:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206368","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206302,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-05-28 13:43:05","post_date_gmt":"2021-05-28 12:43:05","post_content":"Developer:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatform:<\/strong>\u00a0PC (Steam)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, Strategy<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Frontier Developments<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nElite Dangerous: Odyssey is an FPS and spaceship combat game that is the latest extension of Elite Dangerous. The game is set in a futuristic galaxy where the protagonist flies between galaxies to undertake missions. The galaxy seems infinite. The scale of planets and galaxies to visit is huge. I haven't played Elite Dangerous in a long time but I was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer and I will delve through the multiple game types and the action feast that is Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTo start, I mainly played the FPS mission-based game, where you travel the galaxies where you attempt to gain influence and power up your character. It has that classic action RPG style gameplay mixed with a huge emphasis on the action elements. I loved the FPS elements, it's very action-focused and you have to choose how you negotiate each mission. The FPS is mixed with interstellar travel. Different planets have different temperatures and gravity which mean each level is unique. There is a mix of stealth elements, shooter, all-out mayhem and lots of little clever gameplay mechanics such as specialist tools. I did find the gameplay a bit repetitive without a story to bind your missions together, the game consists of what would be considered side missions. If you like the mechanics of going from planet to planet and upgrading your player then this may be up your street.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe control system does require a keyboard and mouse just with the sheer amount of menus and options available, the controller just won't be suitable. The regular FPS controls make it easy for anyone to get acclimated with the game. There is an array of menus and side menus that can be a bit clunky, to begin with, it did require a couple of hours to get used to them. The FPS elements are pretty standard and the spaceship does require a bit of time to be proficient. Extensive controls and menus are needed to track missions, spaceships, planets and goals.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMaps, space and levels are all rendered well, this will vary on the GPU that you have but even on my mid-tier GPU, it was awesome to look at it. The frame rate at 1080p was consistent for me and I didn't encounter any graphical issues. The game isn't fully an open world. Each area you visit is enclosed and limits where you can roam. The mix of martian, moon and space environments provide a backdrop for the levels. Each level\/area has its unique buildings such as factories, outposts, laboratories, refineries etc. It does give a sense of a series of planets that are inhabited, a living world where you drop into different places to complete missions. The whole space theme, ships, environments and outposts are done well. The gameplay reminds me of Mass Effect without the central story to pin it all together, it's the game I think that comes closest to what Elite Dangerous: Odyssey plays like except a first-person view. Just like Mass Effect, the game is mission-based as opposed to wandering amongst the planets.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere is also a space combat mode that allows you to pit yourself against other online players. It allows for deathmatch and team deathmatch modes. I found this tons of fun and I thought it was cool but I found matchmaking poor and a lack of full games an issue. Though there could be huge scope for an improvement in terms of matchmaking which detract from the game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOverall, the game is interesting, I love the mix of FPS action-based space action mixed with spaceship combat. I like the use of tools and levelling up your character as you see fit. There is a huge world to explore and tons of missions to boot. The single-player game has elements of massively multiplayer online games too where other commanders are visible in lobbies and stations. The spaceship and deathmatch combat is awesome but I found matchmaking poor and very rarely played with more than 3 people.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe game does suffer from a host of bugs and issues which made the first person game extremely frustrating. The point score of 5\/10 is pretty much down to bugs and issues. I encountered multiple mission-ending bugs where I had to do a game reset. I found the most frustrating thing is that I was getting into a rhythm and then some sort of bizarre issue stopping your gameplay. These bugs need to be addressed to get the whole experience. With bugs and issues fixed, I could see the game as being very enjoyable but I was left frustrated most of the time. I was hoping the game wouldn't crash or just end abruptly. I found the lack of story in the FPS made the game lacklustre and the missions became quite repetitive quickly and with bugs hugely frustrating.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong>\u00a05\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Review","post_excerpt":"FPS and spaceship combat game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"elite-dangerous-odyssey-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:52:01","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:52:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206302","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":23},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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