<\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Pumpkin Jack Review","post_excerpt":"3D platformer","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pumpkin-jack-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:55:18","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:55:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206091","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205911,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-01-27 15:30:22","post_date_gmt":"2021-01-27 15:30:22","post_content":"Developer: <\/strong>Factor 5<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>Switch, PS4, PS5(Reviewed)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher: <\/strong>Inin Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nRelease <\/strong>Date: 29\/01\/2021<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTurrican Flashback is a collection that comprises Turrican, Turrican 2: The Final Fight, Mega Turrican and Super Turrican. Turrican is the classic 1990s shooter, platformer and adventure game. It combines several retro genres into one superb game. It's this mix that makes this a fantastic game to revisit.<\/span>\r\n\r\nDesign-wise it compromises the classic side-scrolling levels of a 2D retro platformer but has all the action and mayhem of a shooter. The visuals have that classic 2D feel, with multi-tiered levels, Turrican's level design is excellent. The level designs have the traditional element of going from left to right linearly, however, levels go underground, into the water and the sky. The levels keep you guessing in terms how to progress through them, the designers have also managed to keep a sense of uncertainty as you progress through the levels. Other techniques such as environmental factors like wind, asteroid\\meteor storms, ice and water affect the levels as you play through them. The levels have a really rich depth and lots of enemies hidden around each corner. The platform elements are superb but also frustrating (in a good way) at times. Game difficulty is high throughout. There is one retroelement of timed levels which are in Turrican which add another level of difficulty. Turrican managed to make all these elements work seamlessly together to produce a brilliant rich gaming experience.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nControls and game mechanics are spot on, the controls feel tight, intuitive and responsive. The power-ups allow for you to choose different guns and the power gets ramped up. Your gun can match the type of style you want to play through levels. Players also can leverage bombs, rolling and powered attacks too. The soundtrack (Chris Huelsbeck) is superb for a 90s game, the music and sound effects stand out and lend another dimension to this game. It reflects what is going on in the game, the change in weather and level too. It all adds to the sense of this ever-changing game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nModern-day updates include the ability to rewind, save the state and load the state of the game. The rewind features allow you to replay any point that you may die at, this will happen often, this is very useful due to the difficulty of the game and probably is the only way to finish the game! If you don't use the rewind feature, this game reminds of the super arcade games with limited continues. If you want a challenge try without the rewind.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTurrican is the original and sets the basis for all the other games, it's build and level design lay the foundation for the other 3 games. I found this to be the toughest and as it's the oldest, the visuals are lagging behind the others.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTurrican 2: The Final Fight has some extra guns and I found it not as tough as the original but the look, feel and the gameplay is similar. I would class Turrican and Turrican 2 similar in a lot of ways. Minor gameplay improvements and animations.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMega Turrican and Super Turrican are very similar in look and feel, they look the best in the series and it's a toss-up between these two as which is my favourite. The graphics do the best they could in terms of 16-bit graphics. They both extend the complex level design and possibly get close to perfection for Turrican.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTurrican flashback contains 4 superb retro games to play, control-wise and gameplay-wise they play similarly. The later version of the games do boast better graphics and textures. The gameplay is superb throughout though, an amazing array of well-crafted platform levels mixed with a shooter. The mix of gameplay is chaotic, challenging and tons of fun. I don't remember playing the original but the games do show a level of polish for a game that is 30 years old. The modern-day features of rewind and saving game state take the edge of the difficulty of the game. A fantastic game to revisit or experience for the first time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall: <\/strong>8.5\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Turrican Flashback Review","post_excerpt":"Turrican collection","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"turrican-flashback-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:58:25","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:58:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205911","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205645,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-11-18 12:05:06","post_date_gmt":"2020-11-18 12:05:06","post_content":"

Developer:<\/span> <\/strong>Sumo Digital<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms:<\/span> <\/strong>PlayStation 4, <\/span>PlayStation 5<\/span> (Reviewed)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/span> <\/strong>Platformer<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/span><\/strong> Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Release date: <\/strong>19\/11\/20<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is the latest adventure of Sackboy on the Playstation, this time he returns to a fully 3D world akin to Super Mario World, but with all the paraphernalia that is associated with Little Big Planet. This 3D world is constructed of various types of fabric, cloth and crafting items. Sackboy follows the well-trodden path of the world-based sections of 3D platformers. Each world has a set of levels that follows a certain theme. The game has the standard and generic plot of good versus evil. In this instance, involving an epic quest in which Sackboy must journey through a series of worlds. The presentation and direction do help drive a firm narrative through the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Sackboy and the worlds in 3D do look exquisite, the level design is done superbly well with a mix of levels. Levels vary from speed runs to your standard side-scrolling linear platform levels. The levels themself use colour, the soundtrack (which is amazing) and this stitched together feel to bring this game to life. Each element from the bad guys, to the puzzles and Sackboy, complement the levels well. The use of actors and some fantastic voice-overs is to be noted. The soundtrack and voice acting add to the level's atmosphere and shows the creativity of designers. The level design and storyline have a super polish feel and the cute design of the world contrasts with the darkness of the enemies in the game. There is a whole raft of licenced music in the game. The game is geared towards family but there are enough elements to keep every player occupied.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The game is pure platformer goodness that doesn't require a whole lot to learn from a mechanics point of view. The game is an exploration of the Little Big Planet world in 3D, this is a real experience of Sackboy being transferred into this sumptuous 3D world that fits the character so well. Thematically and game design is exactly what seems to make sense for Sackboy and this wondrous world. It's a dreamy adventure. I did find the game not to be particularly difficult as apart from a few time trials. It's learning curve is low.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

4 player local co-op play is available, but I haven't been able to play more than a single player. Online multiplayer will be available via a patch coming by the end of 2020. The game supports 4k at 60 fps too.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The game is a resurrection of the 3D platformer which is rarely explored, it's like a reboot for Sackboy for modern generation consoles and this makes a good stab of getting the gameplay, world, soundtrack and voice acting into a cohesive story and in turn a game. Sackboy is geared a bit more towards younger ages but I had lots of fun and the licensed music was a pleasant surprise. There are lots to like but a bit too family-friendly for me but I'm not the target audience.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:<\/strong> 7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Review code supplied by Sony.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Sackboy: A Big Adventure Review","post_excerpt":"Fully 3D world","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sackboy-a-big-adventure-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 16:10:19","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 15:10:19","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205645","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205610,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-11-16 15:38:41","post_date_gmt":"2020-11-16 15:38:41","post_content":"

The new PS5 dualsense controller and Astro's Playroom go hand in hand, Astro's Playroom is an extended demo for the new dualsense PS5 controller. It highlights the haptics, adaptive triggers, the built-in microphone and what we can expect from developers in the future when building games for the PS5. Astro's Playroom is an impressive game in its own right too.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The dualsense comes in two-tone colour, it's slightly bigger and longer than the PS4 controller thought fits in your hand better and provides a better feel in the hand. The button layout is identical on both controllers apart from the addition of a mute button below the PS button on the PS5 controller.The next generation aspects of the controller are new haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. These elements are showcased in the wonderfully colourful and free game Astro's Playroom developed by ASOBI Team which is a 3D puzzle\/platformer which takes a trip down nostalgia lane. The key theme of Astro's Playroom is the evolution of the Playstation which underpins all the level design, puzzles and collectables.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The entire game is to showcase the unique PS5 dualsense controller. Almost immediately, the haptic feedback and sense of what the controller has to offer is evident. The haptic feedback kicks in as you wade through water, sand, mud, grass and jungles. Each terrain gives the player a different sensation and it's surprisingly immersive. You can feel the resistance and differing levels of friction in each section of every level. The next big feature being touted is the adaptive triggers, the adaptive triggers are pressure sensitive. The varying degree of force you use on the triggers will mean the character in-game will expend the equivalent force. The adaptive triggers provide similar feedback when a character is pushing or pulling an item in the game, the triggers provide resistance back too. Again, this may seem like a minor thing but the feel and sensation are immersive and adds another layer to the gaming experience. In elements of Astro's Playroom, you do feel as if you are pulling items off the floor. The in-game tutorial describes what each control does and how to use it, it is usually followed by a gaming section where you get to explore these new controls.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The dualsense features a touchpad with RGB LEDs around it, the touchpad feels more responsive and the lights add another feature to the impressive array of features. The controller is charged via USB-C port and has a bigger built-in battery for the extra features of the dualsense. I was charging the controller every 2 days or so but you don't need to buy extra batteries which is a plus. The controller has a big built-in mic and a speaker as well, the dualsense has a 3.5mm port for mics too.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you take Astro's Playroom as a stand-alone game without it being a vehicle to show off the dualsense controller. It's a fun, innovative and creative platform that has moments where it's tough and challenging. The level design is superb and the multi-faceted gameplay, changing form and the ability to become different creatures is cool. It has a big brash and bright colours too. The sound from the game is superb, it also shows that PS5 has an upgrade in audio quality. Astro's Playroom is quite the platformer, it's varied and engaging which I wasn't expecting but I was more than pleasantly surprised. If you are a fan of platformers and puzzle games, you will enjoy this.<\/span><\/p>\n

[gallery ids=\"205613,205617,205616,205615,205614\"]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It will be interesting to see how developers will use the controller in future games but the future looks promising. The dualsense is a real innovation and next-gen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best of all Astro's Playroom comes preinstalled with the PS5 for free.<\/span><\/p>\n

PS5 review unit supplied by Sony.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"PS5 DualSense and Astro's Playroom Review","post_excerpt":"Next-gen","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ps5-dualsense-and-astros-playroom-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 19:12:48","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 18:12:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205610","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205041,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-06-26 12:04:52","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-26 12:04:52","post_content":"Developer:<\/span> <\/strong>Awesome Games Studio<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms:<\/span> <\/strong>PC, PlayStation 4, <\/span>Switch,<\/span> Xbox One (Reviewed)<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/span><\/strong> Comic Book Roguelite Action<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/span> <\/strong>Awesome Games Studio<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nFury Unleashed is a roguelite action platformer based in a comic book world, there are three comics that you will play through. Each chapter of the comic book contains levels that are randomly generated full of baddies and challenges to navigate. Fury Unleashed is a mix of an old skool shooter like Metal Slug and a platformer. Its default settings are set to hard difficulty. This can be changed for those who don't enjoy a tough roguelite game. The game can be played in either solo or co-op mode, I haven't had the chance to play it in co-op mode but would love to. The game includes a few key features that enhance the game and its playability. The game can be played as you desire, you can meticulously go through each chapter or you can be all out and attack the levels if you take the second approach you are rewarded with higher combos which in turn give you more ink (game currency) and healables. In turn, gaining ink and levelling up your character allows you to spend skill points that allow you to enhance your skills and attributes. This allows you to complement your playstyle as you see fit and as this game is tough, gaining skills and upgrading your character is required no matter which plays style you use.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay consists of battling, shooting, stomping, and meleeing through a varying number of frames in each level, you must navigate to the exit point of each level. The goal is to get through each level to face an end of the comic boss who is usually a huge nasty that occupies the majority of the screen. In the game you gain ink by killing enemies and beating challenges, the ink allows you to purchase in-game items that help you beat the game. More ink can be gained by chaining combos and killing enemies in quick succession too. You can buy new melee and guns throughout the game, each item having its pros and cons, you can choose which suit your style of play. The game action, enemies and levels flow well, the feeling of killing enemies and navigating the levels is smooth, action-packed and tons of fun. As you progress further into the game, the boss battles become more epic. The violence and gore are well suited for the game, there is huge fun and enjoyable element to the randomly generated levels as you must reply levels, it removes any sense of repetitiveness and just means every playthrough is unique.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn the hard setting alone, the game is fiendishly tough, but every level completion is a huge achievement. It mixes the right amount of platformer and shoot 'em up. From the get-go, it's lots of fun and easy to pick up and play but hard to master which are usually the signs of the best games. It incorporates lots of elements like levelling up, character loadout and customisation with a beautiful game with lots of action. It's a sheer joy to play.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong> 9\/10<\/span>\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"Fury Unleashed Review","post_excerpt":"Combo-driven rougelite","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fury-unleashed-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 16:22:15","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 15:22:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205041","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":14},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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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":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":206091,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-03-29 15:59:39","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-29 14:59:39","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong> Nicolas Meyssonnier<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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

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

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

 <\/p>\r\n

Pumpkin Jack is a 3D platformer set in a spooky mystical world with a fantastic cartoony vibe. This is an epic adventure through a hellish world where you play as Jack, the mythical Pumpkin Lord going through multiple levels. Pumpkin Jack is reminiscent of many fantastic 3D platformers, you take control of this hellish Jack character as he battles for good to overcome evil. I know the plot is nothing new but the game has a few gems that make it sound out from most 3D platformers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The designers and developers have created a fantastic spooky world, they have taken the spooky and evil theme and ran with it. The levels are well crafted with a varying degree of difficulty, each level introduces new mechanics that make each new area have a novelty. You will be greeted with a ton of puzzles too throughout each level. Your character can jump, melee and shot bad guys. There are unique sections in each game that break the monotony of just having a standard 3D platformer or problem-solving. The levels and characters are well rendered and the graphics are superb, they have fine-tuned the spooky cartoony feels. A fantastic musical score and theme underpin all the action, the voice acting is superb. The music adds so much to the game and it makes all the elements of the game come together. The boss encounters are fantastic and are probably my favourite parts of the game, the bosses are wonderfully rendered and quite challenging. They add another break from the standard 3D platformer format.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how addictive the game was, the control system is straightforward and easy to pick up and play. Once I spent a couple of hours getting used to game mechanics, I was hooked. The levels offer quite a varied gaming experience, action, puzzles and some aspects that felt like being on a rollercoaster! The game offers varied levels as well, each level has its unique game mechanic and new features. The level of story tension and build-up is done well, the storytelling aids the pace of the game and each level climaxes with a huge boss fight. Pumpkin Jack reminds me of many great 3D platformers but has its twists and humour. This is a fantastic platformer.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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

PS Store NA\/EU<\/a> |<\/span> eShop NA+EU<\/a> |<\/span> Microsoft Store (Xbox One)<\/a> |<\/span> Steam<\/a> | <\/span>GOG <\/a>|<\/span> Epic<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Pumpkin Jack Review","post_excerpt":"3D platformer","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pumpkin-jack-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:55:18","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:55:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206091","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205911,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-01-27 15:30:22","post_date_gmt":"2021-01-27 15:30:22","post_content":"Developer: <\/strong>Factor 5<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>Switch, PS4, PS5(Reviewed)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher: <\/strong>Inin Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nRelease <\/strong>Date: 29\/01\/2021<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTurrican Flashback is a collection that comprises Turrican, Turrican 2: The Final Fight, Mega Turrican and Super Turrican. Turrican is the classic 1990s shooter, platformer and adventure game. It combines several retro genres into one superb game. It's this mix that makes this a fantastic game to revisit.<\/span>\r\n\r\nDesign-wise it compromises the classic side-scrolling levels of a 2D retro platformer but has all the action and mayhem of a shooter. The visuals have that classic 2D feel, with multi-tiered levels, Turrican's level design is excellent. The level designs have the traditional element of going from left to right linearly, however, levels go underground, into the water and the sky. The levels keep you guessing in terms how to progress through them, the designers have also managed to keep a sense of uncertainty as you progress through the levels. Other techniques such as environmental factors like wind, asteroid\\meteor storms, ice and water affect the levels as you play through them. The levels have a really rich depth and lots of enemies hidden around each corner. The platform elements are superb but also frustrating (in a good way) at times. Game difficulty is high throughout. There is one retroelement of timed levels which are in Turrican which add another level of difficulty. Turrican managed to make all these elements work seamlessly together to produce a brilliant rich gaming experience.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nControls and game mechanics are spot on, the controls feel tight, intuitive and responsive. The power-ups allow for you to choose different guns and the power gets ramped up. Your gun can match the type of style you want to play through levels. Players also can leverage bombs, rolling and powered attacks too. The soundtrack (Chris Huelsbeck) is superb for a 90s game, the music and sound effects stand out and lend another dimension to this game. It reflects what is going on in the game, the change in weather and level too. It all adds to the sense of this ever-changing game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nModern-day updates include the ability to rewind, save the state and load the state of the game. The rewind features allow you to replay any point that you may die at, this will happen often, this is very useful due to the difficulty of the game and probably is the only way to finish the game! If you don't use the rewind feature, this game reminds of the super arcade games with limited continues. If you want a challenge try without the rewind.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTurrican is the original and sets the basis for all the other games, it's build and level design lay the foundation for the other 3 games. I found this to be the toughest and as it's the oldest, the visuals are lagging behind the others.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTurrican 2: The Final Fight has some extra guns and I found it not as tough as the original but the look, feel and the gameplay is similar. I would class Turrican and Turrican 2 similar in a lot of ways. Minor gameplay improvements and animations.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMega Turrican and Super Turrican are very similar in look and feel, they look the best in the series and it's a toss-up between these two as which is my favourite. The graphics do the best they could in terms of 16-bit graphics. They both extend the complex level design and possibly get close to perfection for Turrican.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTurrican flashback contains 4 superb retro games to play, control-wise and gameplay-wise they play similarly. The later version of the games do boast better graphics and textures. The gameplay is superb throughout though, an amazing array of well-crafted platform levels mixed with a shooter. The mix of gameplay is chaotic, challenging and tons of fun. I don't remember playing the original but the games do show a level of polish for a game that is 30 years old. The modern-day features of rewind and saving game state take the edge of the difficulty of the game. A fantastic game to revisit or experience for the first time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall: <\/strong>8.5\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Turrican Flashback Review","post_excerpt":"Turrican collection","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"turrican-flashback-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:58:25","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:58:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205911","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205645,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-11-18 12:05:06","post_date_gmt":"2020-11-18 12:05:06","post_content":"

Developer:<\/span> <\/strong>Sumo Digital<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms:<\/span> <\/strong>PlayStation 4, <\/span>PlayStation 5<\/span> (Reviewed)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/span> <\/strong>Platformer<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/span><\/strong> Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Release date: <\/strong>19\/11\/20<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is the latest adventure of Sackboy on the Playstation, this time he returns to a fully 3D world akin to Super Mario World, but with all the paraphernalia that is associated with Little Big Planet. This 3D world is constructed of various types of fabric, cloth and crafting items. Sackboy follows the well-trodden path of the world-based sections of 3D platformers. Each world has a set of levels that follows a certain theme. The game has the standard and generic plot of good versus evil. In this instance, involving an epic quest in which Sackboy must journey through a series of worlds. The presentation and direction do help drive a firm narrative through the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Sackboy and the worlds in 3D do look exquisite, the level design is done superbly well with a mix of levels. Levels vary from speed runs to your standard side-scrolling linear platform levels. The levels themself use colour, the soundtrack (which is amazing) and this stitched together feel to bring this game to life. Each element from the bad guys, to the puzzles and Sackboy, complement the levels well. The use of actors and some fantastic voice-overs is to be noted. The soundtrack and voice acting add to the level's atmosphere and shows the creativity of designers. The level design and storyline have a super polish feel and the cute design of the world contrasts with the darkness of the enemies in the game. There is a whole raft of licenced music in the game. The game is geared towards family but there are enough elements to keep every player occupied.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The game is pure platformer goodness that doesn't require a whole lot to learn from a mechanics point of view. The game is an exploration of the Little Big Planet world in 3D, this is a real experience of Sackboy being transferred into this sumptuous 3D world that fits the character so well. Thematically and game design is exactly what seems to make sense for Sackboy and this wondrous world. It's a dreamy adventure. I did find the game not to be particularly difficult as apart from a few time trials. It's learning curve is low.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

4 player local co-op play is available, but I haven't been able to play more than a single player. Online multiplayer will be available via a patch coming by the end of 2020. The game supports 4k at 60 fps too.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The game is a resurrection of the 3D platformer which is rarely explored, it's like a reboot for Sackboy for modern generation consoles and this makes a good stab of getting the gameplay, world, soundtrack and voice acting into a cohesive story and in turn a game. Sackboy is geared a bit more towards younger ages but I had lots of fun and the licensed music was a pleasant surprise. There are lots to like but a bit too family-friendly for me but I'm not the target audience.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:<\/strong> 7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Review code supplied by Sony.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Sackboy: A Big Adventure Review","post_excerpt":"Fully 3D world","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sackboy-a-big-adventure-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 16:10:19","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 15:10:19","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205645","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205610,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-11-16 15:38:41","post_date_gmt":"2020-11-16 15:38:41","post_content":"

The new PS5 dualsense controller and Astro's Playroom go hand in hand, Astro's Playroom is an extended demo for the new dualsense PS5 controller. It highlights the haptics, adaptive triggers, the built-in microphone and what we can expect from developers in the future when building games for the PS5. Astro's Playroom is an impressive game in its own right too.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The dualsense comes in two-tone colour, it's slightly bigger and longer than the PS4 controller thought fits in your hand better and provides a better feel in the hand. The button layout is identical on both controllers apart from the addition of a mute button below the PS button on the PS5 controller.The next generation aspects of the controller are new haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. These elements are showcased in the wonderfully colourful and free game Astro's Playroom developed by ASOBI Team which is a 3D puzzle\/platformer which takes a trip down nostalgia lane. The key theme of Astro's Playroom is the evolution of the Playstation which underpins all the level design, puzzles and collectables.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The entire game is to showcase the unique PS5 dualsense controller. Almost immediately, the haptic feedback and sense of what the controller has to offer is evident. The haptic feedback kicks in as you wade through water, sand, mud, grass and jungles. Each terrain gives the player a different sensation and it's surprisingly immersive. You can feel the resistance and differing levels of friction in each section of every level. The next big feature being touted is the adaptive triggers, the adaptive triggers are pressure sensitive. The varying degree of force you use on the triggers will mean the character in-game will expend the equivalent force. The adaptive triggers provide similar feedback when a character is pushing or pulling an item in the game, the triggers provide resistance back too. Again, this may seem like a minor thing but the feel and sensation are immersive and adds another layer to the gaming experience. In elements of Astro's Playroom, you do feel as if you are pulling items off the floor. The in-game tutorial describes what each control does and how to use it, it is usually followed by a gaming section where you get to explore these new controls.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The dualsense features a touchpad with RGB LEDs around it, the touchpad feels more responsive and the lights add another feature to the impressive array of features. The controller is charged via USB-C port and has a bigger built-in battery for the extra features of the dualsense. I was charging the controller every 2 days or so but you don't need to buy extra batteries which is a plus. The controller has a big built-in mic and a speaker as well, the dualsense has a 3.5mm port for mics too.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you take Astro's Playroom as a stand-alone game without it being a vehicle to show off the dualsense controller. It's a fun, innovative and creative platform that has moments where it's tough and challenging. The level design is superb and the multi-faceted gameplay, changing form and the ability to become different creatures is cool. It has a big brash and bright colours too. The sound from the game is superb, it also shows that PS5 has an upgrade in audio quality. Astro's Playroom is quite the platformer, it's varied and engaging which I wasn't expecting but I was more than pleasantly surprised. If you are a fan of platformers and puzzle games, you will enjoy this.<\/span><\/p>\n

[gallery ids=\"205613,205617,205616,205615,205614\"]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It will be interesting to see how developers will use the controller in future games but the future looks promising. The dualsense is a real innovation and next-gen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best of all Astro's Playroom comes preinstalled with the PS5 for free.<\/span><\/p>\n

PS5 review unit supplied by Sony.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"PS5 DualSense and Astro's Playroom Review","post_excerpt":"Next-gen","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ps5-dualsense-and-astros-playroom-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 19:12:48","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 18:12:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205610","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205041,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-06-26 12:04:52","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-26 12:04:52","post_content":"Developer:<\/span> <\/strong>Awesome Games Studio<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms:<\/span> <\/strong>PC, PlayStation 4, <\/span>Switch,<\/span> Xbox One (Reviewed)<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/span><\/strong> Comic Book Roguelite Action<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/span> <\/strong>Awesome Games Studio<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nFury Unleashed is a roguelite action platformer based in a comic book world, there are three comics that you will play through. Each chapter of the comic book contains levels that are randomly generated full of baddies and challenges to navigate. Fury Unleashed is a mix of an old skool shooter like Metal Slug and a platformer. Its default settings are set to hard difficulty. This can be changed for those who don't enjoy a tough roguelite game. The game can be played in either solo or co-op mode, I haven't had the chance to play it in co-op mode but would love to. The game includes a few key features that enhance the game and its playability. The game can be played as you desire, you can meticulously go through each chapter or you can be all out and attack the levels if you take the second approach you are rewarded with higher combos which in turn give you more ink (game currency) and healables. In turn, gaining ink and levelling up your character allows you to spend skill points that allow you to enhance your skills and attributes. This allows you to complement your playstyle as you see fit and as this game is tough, gaining skills and upgrading your character is required no matter which plays style you use.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay consists of battling, shooting, stomping, and meleeing through a varying number of frames in each level, you must navigate to the exit point of each level. The goal is to get through each level to face an end of the comic boss who is usually a huge nasty that occupies the majority of the screen. In the game you gain ink by killing enemies and beating challenges, the ink allows you to purchase in-game items that help you beat the game. More ink can be gained by chaining combos and killing enemies in quick succession too. You can buy new melee and guns throughout the game, each item having its pros and cons, you can choose which suit your style of play. The game action, enemies and levels flow well, the feeling of killing enemies and navigating the levels is smooth, action-packed and tons of fun. As you progress further into the game, the boss battles become more epic. The violence and gore are well suited for the game, there is huge fun and enjoyable element to the randomly generated levels as you must reply levels, it removes any sense of repetitiveness and just means every playthrough is unique.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn the hard setting alone, the game is fiendishly tough, but every level completion is a huge achievement. It mixes the right amount of platformer and shoot 'em up. From the get-go, it's lots of fun and easy to pick up and play but hard to master which are usually the signs of the best games. It incorporates lots of elements like levelling up, character loadout and customisation with a beautiful game with lots of action. It's a sheer joy to play.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong> 9\/10<\/span>\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"Fury Unleashed Review","post_excerpt":"Combo-driven rougelite","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fury-unleashed-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 16:22:15","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 15:22:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205041","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":14},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

Page 14 of 23 Previous 1 … 13 14 15 … 23 Next

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 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Super Sami Roll Review","post_excerpt":"Platform\/action game","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"super-sami-roll-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:31:47","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:31:47","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=207190","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":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":206091,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-03-29 15:59:39","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-29 14:59:39","post_content":"

Developer:<\/strong> Nicolas Meyssonnier<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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

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

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

 <\/p>\r\n

Pumpkin Jack is a 3D platformer set in a spooky mystical world with a fantastic cartoony vibe. This is an epic adventure through a hellish world where you play as Jack, the mythical Pumpkin Lord going through multiple levels. Pumpkin Jack is reminiscent of many fantastic 3D platformers, you take control of this hellish Jack character as he battles for good to overcome evil. I know the plot is nothing new but the game has a few gems that make it sound out from most 3D platformers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The designers and developers have created a fantastic spooky world, they have taken the spooky and evil theme and ran with it. The levels are well crafted with a varying degree of difficulty, each level introduces new mechanics that make each new area have a novelty. You will be greeted with a ton of puzzles too throughout each level. Your character can jump, melee and shot bad guys. There are unique sections in each game that break the monotony of just having a standard 3D platformer or problem-solving. The levels and characters are well rendered and the graphics are superb, they have fine-tuned the spooky cartoony feels. A fantastic musical score and theme underpin all the action, the voice acting is superb. The music adds so much to the game and it makes all the elements of the game come together. The boss encounters are fantastic and are probably my favourite parts of the game, the bosses are wonderfully rendered and quite challenging. They add another break from the standard 3D platformer format.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how addictive the game was, the control system is straightforward and easy to pick up and play. Once I spent a couple of hours getting used to game mechanics, I was hooked. The levels offer quite a varied gaming experience, action, puzzles and some aspects that felt like being on a rollercoaster! The game offers varied levels as well, each level has its unique game mechanic and new features. The level of story tension and build-up is done well, the storytelling aids the pace of the game and each level climaxes with a huge boss fight. Pumpkin Jack reminds me of many great 3D platformers but has its twists and humour. This is a fantastic platformer.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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

PS Store NA\/EU<\/a> |<\/span> eShop NA+EU<\/a> |<\/span> Microsoft Store (Xbox One)<\/a> |<\/span> Steam<\/a> | <\/span>GOG <\/a>|<\/span> Epic<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Pumpkin Jack Review","post_excerpt":"3D platformer","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"pumpkin-jack-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:55:18","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:55:18","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206091","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205911,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2021-01-27 15:30:22","post_date_gmt":"2021-01-27 15:30:22","post_content":"Developer: <\/strong>Factor 5<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms: <\/strong>Switch, PS4, PS5(Reviewed)<\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre: <\/strong>Action<\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher: <\/strong>Inin Games<\/span>\r\n\r\nRelease <\/strong>Date: 29\/01\/2021<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTurrican Flashback is a collection that comprises Turrican, Turrican 2: The Final Fight, Mega Turrican and Super Turrican. Turrican is the classic 1990s shooter, platformer and adventure game. It combines several retro genres into one superb game. It's this mix that makes this a fantastic game to revisit.<\/span>\r\n\r\nDesign-wise it compromises the classic side-scrolling levels of a 2D retro platformer but has all the action and mayhem of a shooter. The visuals have that classic 2D feel, with multi-tiered levels, Turrican's level design is excellent. The level designs have the traditional element of going from left to right linearly, however, levels go underground, into the water and the sky. The levels keep you guessing in terms how to progress through them, the designers have also managed to keep a sense of uncertainty as you progress through the levels. Other techniques such as environmental factors like wind, asteroid\\meteor storms, ice and water affect the levels as you play through them. The levels have a really rich depth and lots of enemies hidden around each corner. The platform elements are superb but also frustrating (in a good way) at times. Game difficulty is high throughout. There is one retroelement of timed levels which are in Turrican which add another level of difficulty. Turrican managed to make all these elements work seamlessly together to produce a brilliant rich gaming experience.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nControls and game mechanics are spot on, the controls feel tight, intuitive and responsive. The power-ups allow for you to choose different guns and the power gets ramped up. Your gun can match the type of style you want to play through levels. Players also can leverage bombs, rolling and powered attacks too. The soundtrack (Chris Huelsbeck) is superb for a 90s game, the music and sound effects stand out and lend another dimension to this game. It reflects what is going on in the game, the change in weather and level too. It all adds to the sense of this ever-changing game.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nModern-day updates include the ability to rewind, save the state and load the state of the game. The rewind features allow you to replay any point that you may die at, this will happen often, this is very useful due to the difficulty of the game and probably is the only way to finish the game! If you don't use the rewind feature, this game reminds of the super arcade games with limited continues. If you want a challenge try without the rewind.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTurrican is the original and sets the basis for all the other games, it's build and level design lay the foundation for the other 3 games. I found this to be the toughest and as it's the oldest, the visuals are lagging behind the others.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTurrican 2: The Final Fight has some extra guns and I found it not as tough as the original but the look, feel and the gameplay is similar. I would class Turrican and Turrican 2 similar in a lot of ways. Minor gameplay improvements and animations.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMega Turrican and Super Turrican are very similar in look and feel, they look the best in the series and it's a toss-up between these two as which is my favourite. The graphics do the best they could in terms of 16-bit graphics. They both extend the complex level design and possibly get close to perfection for Turrican.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTurrican flashback contains 4 superb retro games to play, control-wise and gameplay-wise they play similarly. The later version of the games do boast better graphics and textures. The gameplay is superb throughout though, an amazing array of well-crafted platform levels mixed with a shooter. The mix of gameplay is chaotic, challenging and tons of fun. I don't remember playing the original but the games do show a level of polish for a game that is 30 years old. The modern-day features of rewind and saving game state take the edge of the difficulty of the game. A fantastic game to revisit or experience for the first time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall: <\/strong>8.5\/10<\/span>","post_title":"Turrican Flashback Review","post_excerpt":"Turrican collection","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"turrican-flashback-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 15:58:25","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 14:58:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205911","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205645,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-11-18 12:05:06","post_date_gmt":"2020-11-18 12:05:06","post_content":"

Developer:<\/span> <\/strong>Sumo Digital<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Platforms:<\/span> <\/strong>PlayStation 4, <\/span>PlayStation 5<\/span> (Reviewed)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Genre:<\/span> <\/strong>Platformer<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Publisher:<\/span><\/strong> Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Release date: <\/strong>19\/11\/20<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is the latest adventure of Sackboy on the Playstation, this time he returns to a fully 3D world akin to Super Mario World, but with all the paraphernalia that is associated with Little Big Planet. This 3D world is constructed of various types of fabric, cloth and crafting items. Sackboy follows the well-trodden path of the world-based sections of 3D platformers. Each world has a set of levels that follows a certain theme. The game has the standard and generic plot of good versus evil. In this instance, involving an epic quest in which Sackboy must journey through a series of worlds. The presentation and direction do help drive a firm narrative through the game.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Sackboy and the worlds in 3D do look exquisite, the level design is done superbly well with a mix of levels. Levels vary from speed runs to your standard side-scrolling linear platform levels. The levels themself use colour, the soundtrack (which is amazing) and this stitched together feel to bring this game to life. Each element from the bad guys, to the puzzles and Sackboy, complement the levels well. The use of actors and some fantastic voice-overs is to be noted. The soundtrack and voice acting add to the level's atmosphere and shows the creativity of designers. The level design and storyline have a super polish feel and the cute design of the world contrasts with the darkness of the enemies in the game. There is a whole raft of licenced music in the game. The game is geared towards family but there are enough elements to keep every player occupied.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The game is pure platformer goodness that doesn't require a whole lot to learn from a mechanics point of view. The game is an exploration of the Little Big Planet world in 3D, this is a real experience of Sackboy being transferred into this sumptuous 3D world that fits the character so well. Thematically and game design is exactly what seems to make sense for Sackboy and this wondrous world. It's a dreamy adventure. I did find the game not to be particularly difficult as apart from a few time trials. It's learning curve is low.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

4 player local co-op play is available, but I haven't been able to play more than a single player. Online multiplayer will be available via a patch coming by the end of 2020. The game supports 4k at 60 fps too.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

The game is a resurrection of the 3D platformer which is rarely explored, it's like a reboot for Sackboy for modern generation consoles and this makes a good stab of getting the gameplay, world, soundtrack and voice acting into a cohesive story and in turn a game. Sackboy is geared a bit more towards younger ages but I had lots of fun and the licensed music was a pleasant surprise. There are lots to like but a bit too family-friendly for me but I'm not the target audience.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Overall:<\/strong> 7.5\/10<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Review code supplied by Sony.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","post_title":"Sackboy: A Big Adventure Review","post_excerpt":"Fully 3D world","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"sackboy-a-big-adventure-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 16:10:19","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 15:10:19","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205645","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205610,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-11-16 15:38:41","post_date_gmt":"2020-11-16 15:38:41","post_content":"

The new PS5 dualsense controller and Astro's Playroom go hand in hand, Astro's Playroom is an extended demo for the new dualsense PS5 controller. It highlights the haptics, adaptive triggers, the built-in microphone and what we can expect from developers in the future when building games for the PS5. Astro's Playroom is an impressive game in its own right too.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The dualsense comes in two-tone colour, it's slightly bigger and longer than the PS4 controller thought fits in your hand better and provides a better feel in the hand. The button layout is identical on both controllers apart from the addition of a mute button below the PS button on the PS5 controller.The next generation aspects of the controller are new haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. These elements are showcased in the wonderfully colourful and free game Astro's Playroom developed by ASOBI Team which is a 3D puzzle\/platformer which takes a trip down nostalgia lane. The key theme of Astro's Playroom is the evolution of the Playstation which underpins all the level design, puzzles and collectables.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The entire game is to showcase the unique PS5 dualsense controller. Almost immediately, the haptic feedback and sense of what the controller has to offer is evident. The haptic feedback kicks in as you wade through water, sand, mud, grass and jungles. Each terrain gives the player a different sensation and it's surprisingly immersive. You can feel the resistance and differing levels of friction in each section of every level. The next big feature being touted is the adaptive triggers, the adaptive triggers are pressure sensitive. The varying degree of force you use on the triggers will mean the character in-game will expend the equivalent force. The adaptive triggers provide similar feedback when a character is pushing or pulling an item in the game, the triggers provide resistance back too. Again, this may seem like a minor thing but the feel and sensation are immersive and adds another layer to the gaming experience. In elements of Astro's Playroom, you do feel as if you are pulling items off the floor. The in-game tutorial describes what each control does and how to use it, it is usually followed by a gaming section where you get to explore these new controls.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The dualsense features a touchpad with RGB LEDs around it, the touchpad feels more responsive and the lights add another feature to the impressive array of features. The controller is charged via USB-C port and has a bigger built-in battery for the extra features of the dualsense. I was charging the controller every 2 days or so but you don't need to buy extra batteries which is a plus. The controller has a big built-in mic and a speaker as well, the dualsense has a 3.5mm port for mics too.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you take Astro's Playroom as a stand-alone game without it being a vehicle to show off the dualsense controller. It's a fun, innovative and creative platform that has moments where it's tough and challenging. The level design is superb and the multi-faceted gameplay, changing form and the ability to become different creatures is cool. It has a big brash and bright colours too. The sound from the game is superb, it also shows that PS5 has an upgrade in audio quality. Astro's Playroom is quite the platformer, it's varied and engaging which I wasn't expecting but I was more than pleasantly surprised. If you are a fan of platformers and puzzle games, you will enjoy this.<\/span><\/p>\n

[gallery ids=\"205613,205617,205616,205615,205614\"]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It will be interesting to see how developers will use the controller in future games but the future looks promising. The dualsense is a real innovation and next-gen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best of all Astro's Playroom comes preinstalled with the PS5 for free.<\/span><\/p>\n

PS5 review unit supplied by Sony.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"PS5 DualSense and Astro's Playroom Review","post_excerpt":"Next-gen","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ps5-dualsense-and-astros-playroom-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 19:12:48","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 18:12:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205610","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205041,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-06-26 12:04:52","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-26 12:04:52","post_content":"Developer:<\/span> <\/strong>Awesome Games Studio<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlatforms:<\/span> <\/strong>PC, PlayStation 4, <\/span>Switch,<\/span> Xbox One (Reviewed)<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nGenre:<\/span><\/strong> Comic Book Roguelite Action<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\nPublisher:<\/span> <\/strong>Awesome Games Studio<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nFury Unleashed is a roguelite action platformer based in a comic book world, there are three comics that you will play through. Each chapter of the comic book contains levels that are randomly generated full of baddies and challenges to navigate. Fury Unleashed is a mix of an old skool shooter like Metal Slug and a platformer. Its default settings are set to hard difficulty. This can be changed for those who don't enjoy a tough roguelite game. The game can be played in either solo or co-op mode, I haven't had the chance to play it in co-op mode but would love to. The game includes a few key features that enhance the game and its playability. The game can be played as you desire, you can meticulously go through each chapter or you can be all out and attack the levels if you take the second approach you are rewarded with higher combos which in turn give you more ink (game currency) and healables. In turn, gaining ink and levelling up your character allows you to spend skill points that allow you to enhance your skills and attributes. This allows you to complement your playstyle as you see fit and as this game is tough, gaining skills and upgrading your character is required no matter which plays style you use.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe gameplay consists of battling, shooting, stomping, and meleeing through a varying number of frames in each level, you must navigate to the exit point of each level. The goal is to get through each level to face an end of the comic boss who is usually a huge nasty that occupies the majority of the screen. In the game you gain ink by killing enemies and beating challenges, the ink allows you to purchase in-game items that help you beat the game. More ink can be gained by chaining combos and killing enemies in quick succession too. You can buy new melee and guns throughout the game, each item having its pros and cons, you can choose which suit your style of play. The game action, enemies and levels flow well, the feeling of killing enemies and navigating the levels is smooth, action-packed and tons of fun. As you progress further into the game, the boss battles become more epic. The violence and gore are well suited for the game, there is huge fun and enjoyable element to the randomly generated levels as you must reply levels, it removes any sense of repetitiveness and just means every playthrough is unique.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn the hard setting alone, the game is fiendishly tough, but every level completion is a huge achievement. It mixes the right amount of platformer and shoot 'em up. From the get-go, it's lots of fun and easy to pick up and play but hard to master which are usually the signs of the best games. It incorporates lots of elements like levelling up, character loadout and customisation with a beautiful game with lots of action. It's a sheer joy to play.<\/span>\r\n\r\nOverall:<\/strong> 9\/10<\/span>\r\n\r\n ","post_title":"Fury Unleashed Review","post_excerpt":"Combo-driven rougelite","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fury-unleashed-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-09-04 16:22:15","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-04 15:22:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205041","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":14},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_22"};

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