Recent reviews by krayzkrok

Remember the old "Snake" game you probably had on your phone (or ZX Spectrum if you go that far back!)? Well, take the concept of a snake that never stops moving, which grows a bit longer each time it eats something, and drop that into a dungeon setting full of traps and puzzles, and you have Temple of Snek! It sounds like it could be frantic, but it's really not. Yes, you have to think on your... uh... feet, but it's quite forgiving at first, and restarting at a nearby checkpoint is only a couple of seconds away.

So you slither from tile to tile in time with the music (or in turn-based mode if you prefer), slide over buttons that lower spikes and raise doors, and solve puzzles based on both timing, the length of your snek, and eventually your height above the ground. These start to get pretty devious before long, and there's that great sense of satisfaction when you figure something out (usually with a "d'oh, of course!").

Right now the first quarter of the game is there and feels complete. There are some secrets to find, and a few achievements, and one of these rewards you with the classic version of snake where you try to grow as long as you can. Overall this is an enjoyably addictive game which does some clever things with a familiar concept.

I hate giving this a thumbs down because it's a really excellent game of exploration, discovery and storytelling. I'm sure the devs put a lot of work into it. And yet, it was badly broken when I played this on an Oculus Quest 2 over Link, and judging from the discussion forums I am certainly not alone. Default controller mapping was terrible, and the updated version suggested by the devs was an improvement but still only borderline playable. Picking objects up was an exercise in frustration, often launching themselves across the room. Reading notes was extremely hard, and pressing buttons was a lottery. It's a shame because this is a genuinely great game that probably works just great in VR for some (and when it works, it's awesome) but be aware of these issues if you have an Oculus device. But if if doesn't work, refund it and instead buy the flatscreen version, because it's great.

A really great, atmospheric game of exploration and discovery, trying to piece together what happened on a space station, while solving some mild puzzles. What makes it work is the atmosphere, and the excellent detail and little touches throughout that results in some great environmental storytelling. All the clues are laid out in front of you, if you pay attention. While I figured out the main plot twist early on, the ending still left me with some interesting questions. There's more nuance in the conclusion than first appears, and I love endings that make you think and reflect. There are a couple of mild jump scares, but this isn't a horror game.

I remember playing this on my ancient iPhone. Fortunately Fireproof have done plenty of great work to make this look like a proper PC release, including ensuring the original touch mechanics have been translated to work with a mouse. You're left with an excellent puzzle game for those who like to use observation and logical deduction to figure things out. There's not much more to add really, things slide well, puzzles are the kind that make you feel smart when you solve them, and it doesn't outstay its welcome.

This is... well... it's actually... pretty good. I admit I wasn't expecting much for the price, but it's a mostly competent sci-fi / zombie FPS that does what you expect. The actual shooting is what makes it work. It feels pretty good, zombie heads explode on cue, and it's quite satisfying especially later on with upgraded weapons. The ship's environments are bursting with detail, animated screens, coloured lights and light flares everywhere. It's a bit overwhelming, especially given the contrast with dark areas. Zombies emerge from the shadows and can be suitably unsettling as they lunge the last few meters at you.

It's quite hard and unforgiving at times, zombies are bullet sponges unless you go for the head, which can be hard early on given how inaccurate some of the better weapons are (if you're looking for long reloads under pressure, this is your game!). I started on Medium, and eventually dropped it to Easy and had a much better time. Once you reach the Cargo Bay a few missions in, you start getting zombie soldiers who lob grenades at you. Trouble is, you can barely see these guys - in the darkness they are barely even silhouettes, and you certainly can't see the grenade as it heads in your direction. And they hit hard, typically one-shot kills on Medium or higher unless you're at full health. The effect is that suddenly you're dead! It feels cheap and unfair, especially during one set piece where you're set upon from all sides with virtually no space to move, and there are two of these guys randomly throwing invisible grenades at you. I nearly gave this the "screw this" treatment right there, but on Easy I got through it by buying a "Resume". They remain the most dangerous enemies for the rest of the game, but you slowly learn how to deal with them.

There's a certain level of low-budget jank that permeates the proceedings. The voice acting is amusingly terrible, the story is ridiculous (and you've heard it done better before), the datapad entries are not worth your time, and there are a few odd decisions. Like the basic weapon being able to one-shot just about anything whereas your fully upgraded semi-automatic rifle unloads entire clips into some enemies without taking them down. Headshots are key here, yet sometimes it doesn't quite seem to register.

Fortunately it doesn't take itself too seriously, and it doesn't overstay its welcome either. Outside of the 4-5 hour campaign, there are your standard wave and survival modes, and various collectibles for the completionist. If you're looking for a low-budget Doom 3, this is a surprisingly enjoyable game.

Some of the most fun I've had in VR, and that's saying something. Brings a convincing sense of being in the same room with a group of friends playing a fantasy board game, without the hassle of setting everything up or having to retrieve the dice from behind the sofa. In fact it's difficult to emphasise just how big of a deal it is having that sense of presence here. The game itself is compelling stuff. It's not particularly complicated to play, but there's plenty of depth available. The main criticism I've seen is that there's only one campaign, which is true at the time of writing (more are coming), but I've played through it five times in the past couple of days and each one felt unique. Dungeon layout, monsters and items are randomised, and it plays out very differently each time. In fact, each new situation feels unique, giving plenty of room for different tactical approaches that keep replayability fresh. What the game does particularly well is that sense of being overwhelmed at times but being able to pull everyone through using your tactical genius! The visual and sound effects are very well done, the pieces feel like hand-painted models, and there's a real sense of quality to the entire game. Jumping in and out of games, setting up games, it's all handled with ease. It is easily one of the best VR games I've played.

There are a few issues right now, although nothing major. There's no mid-campaign save at all, which means you better have 2 hour plus set aside! This is being addressed soon though according to the devs. Each of the four characters is interesting and has pros and cons, but the mage probably needs some tweaking; really, just more to do particularly in the early game. Mages rely on cards for their power, but without them their tactical options are limited. There may be a few minor bugs as well, but we didn't really notice anything serious. But I have confidence that the devs will fix and improve this game based on their track record.

So yeah, an excellent game and don't be afraid to jump right in and start having a blast. There's more content coming soon, but if you're worried about replayability I'd say there's plenty to be had already if you have a group of players enjoying themselves. The game plays fine solo as well, where you take on the roles of all the characters, but there's no doubt it's much better in a group.

Delete is a deeply strange name for a puzzle game that doesn't seem to have much to do with deleting anything. But hey, just go with it. Fortunately the game is much better than the name. It's basically Minesweeper mapped onto 3D objects, with various twists (some of them literal) thrown on top. This is a game of pure logical deduction, no guessing is ever needed. You need to identify where the mines are located, with mine-free squares showing the number of adjacent mines. Ok we know how to play Minesweeper, Delete takes it further by introducing simple rules as it goes along, such as squares that only show mines on a diagonal, and then later adds the ability to twist and rotate parts of each shape to alter the number of adjacent mines next to safe squares. It's all quite clever and logical, and fairly straightforward once you get into the groove. It feels challenging like a Picross puzzle is challenging; it's not really that hard, but it's enjoyable doing it. Some atmospheric ambient music and smooth fx rounds it all off. It won't take long to finish, but it's worth the few bucks asking price.

What elevates this atmospheric point and click adventure is a strong story, excellent writing, good voice work and tight progression. Graphics are quite low resolution, but the art brings it alive regardless. The music evokes a mix of Blade Runner, Deus Ex and Anachronox, and it really suits the game. As for gameplay, it's pretty standard point and click with an inventory, characters help progress the story, so does combining inventory items and using them in the right places. It's mostly logical and I never got stuck for long. There's even a hidden "hint" system that's not very hard to find, and it's good for providing subtle nudges in the right direction. There are several endings, all easily accessible with a judicious save at an obvious point, but a second playthrough is almost certainly necessary if you want to optimise the ending, because some puzzles have more than one solution.

If the low resolution graphics don't put you off, Primordia is well worth several hours of your time.

Hob is one of those rare games that you don't want to end. The swansong for Runic Games, and what a way to go out. Hob feels somewhat old school in design. It tells you very little, but it shows you a lot, so you begin with a sense of mystery about the world and you learn with the character. It's such a confident design, and it works.

In Hob you control a control a character who's awakened by a mysterious stone sentinel. The sentinel leads you through the game's prologue, and you soon learn that you're in metrovania land, a kind of Super Mario World made from cogs and gears where progression allows traversal to places you could previously not reach. While this is a tried and tested design, Hob distinguishes itself through the design of its world. It's a beautiful place, full of vertiginous drops and vistas that disappear into the mist, a place where pressing buttons and pulling levers can drastically move entire sections of the world around, often in breathtaking ways. The world is a jigsaw of interlocking pieces, and pathways open up in the most devious manner. Puzzles feel clever but never obtuse.

The world is very open, and eventually you'll be faced with a variety of possible directions to explore, yet the game is good at leading you towards your goal, if that's your preference. What it keeps hidden are secret places, hidden ledges, and mysterious caves that contain several of the games various upgrades, including currency with which you can buy additional combat abilities. It took me 15 hours to beat the game, and there were still secrets that I'd yet to uncover. Some of them are well hidden.

Combat quickly turns from button mashing into a dance, with enemies that will smash your face in if you take a frontal approach. To aid you there are various moves available, from dashing and jumping to warping and using weapon combos, several of which are unlocked in your home cave over time. Combat is pretty satisfying, although there's nothing too challenging. I played on Hard and had some enjoyable fights, but nothing insurmountable. Normal would strike me as a bit too easy, frankly, so don't be afraid to crank the difficulty a bit which encourages you to use the various moves at your disposal. You can change it at any time.

There were a few times where lining up jumps in 3D space were a little frustrating, but generally it's very forgiving of mistakes. If you barely miss a ledge you'll grab onto the edge and pull yourself up, and dying simply means respawning nearby.

Hob is an enjoyable and memorable game, one of the best I've played lately. If you like exploration of a beautifully constructed world, with enjoyable but fairly forgiving combat, you won't regret it.

I hate this game.

Sometimes.

The rest of the time, it is very, very good. However, it is no Spelunky HD. The first game was pretty close to perfection. Everything just interlocked and purred along like a watchmaker's masterwork. It was hard, but you always felt like death was your fault. You always felt like you were getting just a tiny bit better each time. Eventually you'd beat the game, there would be much joy, and then you'd keep playing, and play some more, because there were layers you'd yet to discover.

Spelunky 2 almost feels like Spelunky HD but from an alternate universe, a universe where they didn't quite manage to reach the same level of perfection as the first game. It looks largely the same (although the cleaner graphics are certainly a step up), it sounds the same, most importantly it feels the same (although if you're starting out, do yourself a massive favour and turn off "always run" until you develop the sixth sense necessary to advance). You make your way through directed but randomly generated levels, collecting gold and gems, equipping yourself with various tools and weapons, and slowly chipping the paintwork away to reveal the hidden secrets underneath. It's still got what Spelunky HD had in spades, which is why I've put many hours into this so far (and no doubt many more). But it also has a cruel streak that Spelunky HD did not have, a sense of "you have got to be kidding me" unfairness that felt missing from the first game. There are just a few too many instant deaths, too many ways the game is trying to say "we know your kind, and you will suffer", and I just feel that it's lost that ineffable perfection that the first one had. I don't think I ever rage quit Spelunky HD (much), but this game makes me want to ALT-F4 nearly every day!

But it's still brilliant, still ridiculously addictive, still clever and inventive, and still worth your time and money. It was inevitable really that it wouldn't be able to improve upon the perfect game, but it had a damn good try and for that I will continue to punish myself until I beat it.