Recent reviews by akhsavi

Nostalgia cuts both ways... there's a great difference between impressions you recall and reality you face.

It's about:

• experiment which went wrong;
  
• young scientist who has a Ferrari and suspiciously fast learnt gunfight;
  
• an adventure in galaxy far-far away.

Why you should play this:

• it's one of the most famous, even cult, action-adventure games of the 90s (if you had console that time you know that without my "expertise");
  
• with the original "Flashback" it's one of the first so-called cinematographic action-games: you not just run and shoot - there're first scripted scenes when you have to act in particular way, cutscenes istead of text on static picture and some kind of a ceaseless action-story;
  
• it has its atmosphere and it's inquisitive to see how in past times devs could draw a whole world with only 16bit colour;
  
• its "Hello!" from the times when game industy doesn't exist as an industry - games were a passion, not money-making conveyor;
  
• out of curiosity (if you a newbee and didn't have a console in 90s);
  
• out of sentiment (if you are a veteran of gaming).

Why you may not like it:

• 15 FPS lock;
  
• no tutorial (in 90s all games were without it - you will have to learn by yourself how to play, including mechanic of the rare action-puzzles);
  
• controls - it still as it was before: arrows and one button for all 3 gun modes, combination of them for run and long jump - in a fuss mess is guaranteed;
  
• crashes, not often but they happen;
  
• scripted puzle-scenes (some of gunfights, chasing scenes) don't contain any hints, total oldschool, irritation included.

Probably, some things from the past better to leave in the past if you not ready as a developer to pack them into modern cover.

For nowadays players "enhanced" graphic is barely enhanced, controls too messy and about 20 minutes of gameplay for the whole story if you don't make any mistakes is a good reason just to shrug shoulders perplexedly or even cry out "WTF!?".

For veterans it's a strange dissonance between memories about the game and game itself. Might happen that the main feeling you are left with is an assurance that it could have been better... because nostalgia cuts both ways.

A "clicker" type of game as it should be made.

It's about:

• boy saving his father from bandits;
  
• exploring, looking for adventures, reading and clicking (a lot).

Why you should play this:

1. unlike many other "clicker"-games it's not linear and draggy:
   
   • you not going from level to level cleaning them up one by one;
     
   • you not clicking empty-headed all active objects around the area.
2. instead, game offers the world divided on zones, which you need to explore, and light RPG elements:
   
   • peasants ask for help, some of them later teach you some skills or become traders;
     
   • you need to earn money and obtain different equipment for fighting, hunting, fishing, gathering etc.
     
   • non-active, but collectable objects (eggs, mushrooms, lost crates) provide some sort of pixel-hunting making the game more various and gambling.
3. simple, but interesting story;
   
4. short-budget, but pleasant graphic style with authentic soundtrack (melodies change depending on location).

Why you may not like it:

1. it might seem to be too easy: you obtain fortune too soon and it's harder to find non-active collectable items than complete the main quest;
   
2. it would be a nice idea to point out traders on global map, because on later stages it's not comfortable to remember who sells what.

An evolution of "clicker"-games, talented mix of point-and-click, light elements of RPG, strategy and management, covered with pixel-hunting - making all other games of this genre look obsolete and degenerative.

Excellent example of a "small game" with viral "one-more-time" gameplay.

It's about:

• loser-astronaut who overslept a meteor field and crushed;
  
• some place in space where planets are at hand from each other;
  
• super-astronaut who can jump form planet to planet (sorry Tony - you suck!);
  
• reaction and choosing the right trajectory;
  
• collecting screws or/and cogs;
  
• reaching the edge of the galaxy.

Why you should play this:

1. you have nothing to do and just want to kill some time;
   
2. you got drunk (or got high) and desperately looking for challenge;
   
3. you got drunk (or got high) with your friends and want to check whose double-vision is more precise because you need a "volunteer" to get new portion of alchohol (or weed) and don't want to delegate this responsibility by guess-work;
   
4. development approach (yeah, things suddenly got serious):
   
   • you can buy new equipment (and skins: veterans of TF2 or/and CS:GO should take a nervous cigarette break here) if you have enough screws and cogs (don't ask me how is that possible to have available shop there - we drunk, remember ?);
     
   • various tasks (aka achievements) to accomplish;
5. pleasant graphics and suitable soundtrack.

Why you may not like it:

• there's absolutely nothing to do after you accomplished all the tasks... unless you want to complete them once more with one of your eyes closed.

You might not believe, but it's very fun even if you sober as a judge.

Intelligent, various and humorous puzzle-platformer with poor developer's support.

It's about:

• wimp chasing theft to get back his sacred treasure - pants;
  
• jumping and walking through level avoiding traps and/or overcome obstacles;
  
• solving different kind of puzzles: the core of each puzzle is getting a paper roll for higher score or pants to obtain access to the next level, more pants - more joy, more rolls - more relieve;
  
• indirect fights with boss(es).

Why you should play this:

• you like puzzles and platformers, but don't want to jump too much (or train your reaction) and don't look for brain-melting riddles;
  
• gameplay's multeity:
  
  • development approach - progressing through levels wimp obtains abilities to morph to another condition (Fire, Frost, Portal), each one offers special perk helping to solve the puzzle and complete the level;
    
  • vivid level's enviroment: moving platfroms, controls, cardboxes, fans, portals - everything takes part in shaping the puzzle, everything is a test area for wimp's abilities;
    
  • simple "physics" presented as well: wimp can stick do the platforms to get somewhere or use swing inertness, drown if it's heavy, extinguish fire if immerses into a wanter, etc.
• puzzles are various and comprehensive, but not overwhelmed with details;
  
• absurd and funny athmosphere with fitting soundtrack, it's not irritating even if you stick on some level.

Why you may not like it:

• it's poorly supported: some achievements broken, leaderboards haven't been implemented despite made promises, developers don't participate in community discussions, etc. (*)
  
• boss is always the same and mechanic of the fight constantly repeats itself.

Very nice and entertaining game cleverly balanced to make you chew the cud for a time and get deserved portion of fun either. Could have been great if developers cared.


* EDIT:
Broken achievements have been removed.

Decent platformer/runner game, but only for true fans of the genre with not an ear for music.

It's about:

• riot against system;
  
• parkour;
  
• pushing button in right moment.

Why you should play this;

1. you not only liked BIT.TRIP RUNNER, but also considered it as an easy game;
   
2. feeling graphic style;
   
3. development approach: passing through levels you earn points to obtain new parkour tricks;
   
4. an opportunity to play not only as runner, but as a chaser too;
   
5. level-design with various game zones and complex, truly differemt levels;
   
6. meticulous animation of movements.

Why you may not like it:

1. looks like sountrack contains only 1 (ONE!!!) the same melody for all levels (60 for each game mode) - taking into account certain amount of failures that's worse than a torture;
   
2. no checkpoints - that causes a critical problems:
   
   • broken balance: if you want to collect all bonuses and perform all the tricks game is painful because mistake means start level again;
     
   • if you try to choose some middle ground in tricks and bonuses, game is easy;
     
   • complex levels (starting from second zone) demand to locate a right route - that, unfortunately, possible only through some amount failures - so, failures from wrong choice, failures from attempts to collect all bonuses and perform all tricks, necessity to push the button in right microsecond and inevitability to start level again if you make a mistake - all that hardly a positive gaming expirience.
3. the idea with obtaining tricks for points is meaningless because these tricks only for your eyes - they make your run more spectacular, but don't help to pass through level faster, don't secure you from mistake, they completely useless in other words;
   
4. tricks can be performed only in special places of the level: so, instead of helping you they become another source of tension.

If you a rookie in this genre, go through 1st zone (basic and bonus levels), delete and forget the game then - in this case, perhaps, your impressions will stay positive. Otherwise... well, you have been warned.

Charming game with lack of budget symptoms.

It's about:

• brave girl finding out the reason of happened blizzard and arctic fox helping her;
  
• symbols and legends of Alaska people;
  
• solving simple puzzles and jumping.

Why you should play this:

• charming main characters;
  
• simple puzzles focused on cooperation between characters;
  
• blizzard is a part of the game: it helps you jump further or pushes you over precipice - monitor the direction;
  
• authentic story and setting;
  
• a lot of additional video materials about life in Alaska.

Why you may not like it:

• it's short - 4...5 hours to meet credits, collect all of the achievement and watch all videos about Alaska people;
  
• poor level's backgrounds, textures and scarce of details;
  
• controls feel "woody", unresponsive;
  
• no true support for 21:9 screen, due to that you may not be able to complete last DLC's puzzle - need to switch to lower resolution and "window"-mode.

Charm, authentic story and educational materials - that's all game can offer and, basically, that's not a winning material, but in this case it's enough.

It's like being in love with kind and beautiful but ridiculously stupid girl: every moment you don't feel love you exhale hate - no middle ground.

It's about:

• charmimg creature saving ancient forest;
  
• feeling of journey and adventure;
  
• jumping and exploring;
  
• playing solo on your gamepad.

Why you should play this:

1. you like metroidvania games: here's a lot to explore, many hidden places, informative map and suitable amount of skills to unlock;
   
2. skills and perks:
   
   • exploration lets you to find ancient trees and being rewarded for that with particular skill (wall-climbing, double jump, etc.)
     
   • enough xp-points let you to unlock some of the abilities (seeing hidden places, less amount of energy for "saves", addtional health when you save your game, etc.)
3. appropriate level-desing: it's difficult to lose way and at the same time easy to remember places you want to come back later to get some in-game "sweets" as additional amount of health, energy or xp-points;
   
4. astounding graphic, brilliant animation and touching soundtrack;
   
5. nice story;
   
6. various game areas with different style.

Why you may not like it:

1. "slippery" controls - you might need time to get used to it;
   
2. controversial "saving system" - it's not all that bad, but there're high chances that at the beginning you will often forget to use it;
   
3. game truly raises hackles - not because it's difficult, but there are plenty of zones where one wrong step causes an immidiate death no matter how much health your creature has;
   
4. if you are going to use keyboard as a controller, highly likely you will end up like that;
   
5. scripted pursuits where you can't save the game and have to go through some (or huge) amount of failures before you succeed;
   
6. despite the fact that areas have different style, enemies are mostly the same - their colour is all that changes;
   
7. no true support for 21:9 monitors.

Obscene language - that's what you will resonate around during your walkthrough:

• if you are concerned parent make sure your kids won't hear you;
  
• if you are gentle and well-behaved kid (or at least you have such reputation) be sure no one is around you.

You will be playing it avidly, cursing it (and developers) loudly, turn it off with anger and start it again immidiately - yes, you will like it.