Gerard Campbell, Author at koru-cottage.com

Intel NUC11 mini PC review

May 6, 2023May 6, 2023 Gerard Campbell 315 ViewsBeast Canyon, Benchmark, Gaming PC, Intel, NUC mini PC

I’ve dabbled in PC gaming since the days of the Sinclair ZX81 and Spectrum (I’m truly showing my age here).

While modern PC gamers are running graphics cards with 12 Gigabytes of VRAM (and more) and CPUs that are more powerful than anything you could imagine in 1990.

Which brings me to Intel’s Beast Canyon Intel NUC11 PC: A small but mighty gaming PC that is unobtrusive, packs a powerful punch in a small form factor – and there’s not a bit of beige to be seen!

Game Reviews Gaming PC / Mac

Everspace 2 (PC) review

April 16, 2023April 16, 2023 Gerard Campbell 428 ViewsAdventure, Everspace, Gorgeous, PC, Space Dogfight

At its heart, Everspace 2 is an arcade shooter – and I’m perfectly fine with that.

Originally funded by a crowd-funding campaign, Everspace 2 has just come out of a two year early access phase.

It describes itself as “a fast-paced single-player space shooter with deep exploration, tons of loot and classic RPG elements.” Well, it’s all of those things wrapped up in a space faring package that will scratch that space combat itch that’s been bugging you for so long.

Game Reviews Gaming PC / Mac PS5 Switch Console Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

Dredge review: Fishing the deep, dark depths

March 24, 2023April 16, 2023 Gerard Campbell 393 ViewsAdventure, Dredge, Fishing, indie game, mini-game, Sinister, Spooky

I usually find that when I think about a game at lot when I’m not playing it.

Trying to find solutions to mysteries, mulling over exactly what did that cryptic conversation with a character mean, then I’m usually smitten with that game.

For me at the moment, that game is Dredge, a “fishing” game from a game development studio in my home town in New Zealand, that has buried itself into my mind and I can’t stop thinking about it, I can’t stop playing it.

I’m smitten with this indie gem.

Game Reviews Gaming Hardware PC / Mac

Returnal PC (review)

March 12, 2023March 13, 2023 Gerard Campbell 321 Viewsalien planet, Hard, PC, Returnal, rogue-like

Returnal will run well on an ageing GPU like an RX580, which means it still has some life left in it. Sure, it won’t look as good as a card that can push the high frame rates and do ray tracing without breaking a sweat.

More importantly, it’s actually playable on our ageing RX580.

Feature Article Gaming Indie Game PC / Mac PS5 Switch Console Xbox Series X

Dredge developer interview: A fishing RPG with a sinister undercurrent

February 26, 2023March 21, 2023 Gerard Campbell 759 ViewsDrege, Fishing, indie game, Kiwi, Sinister RPG, Small Team

Gerard Campbell caught up with the team behind Black Salt Games.

A young development studio based in Christchurch, New Zealand, making waves with its debut game, Dredge.

Two years in the making, and coming from fledgling game development studio Black Salt Games, comprising the talents of Joel, Nadia, Mikey and Alex.

Gaming Indie Game PC / Mac

Wavetale: Surfing the seven seas

January 29, 2023January 29, 2023 Gerard Campbell 254 ViewsAdventure, Aquatic, Boss Fights, Thunderful Games, Wavetale

In Wavetale, you play as Sigrid.

A young girl who lives on an island above a submerged city of Strandville that lies in an island archipelago.

Wavetale was first released on Google Stadia in 2021 but has now made its way to PC, and is predominately platforming with a smattering of combat.

Byte Size Review Gaming PS5 Switch Console Xbox Series X

Shatter Remastered Deluxe (Switch review)

December 6, 2022December 6, 2022 Gerard Campbell 430 ViewsChilling, Classic, FRantic, Handheld, Kiwi, Retro

To show how old I am, I played the original Shatter on PlayStation 3 back in 2009.

Describing it in a review as (and I quote) “one of those simplistic, visually appealing games that has a brilliant soundtrack and wears its retro roots proudly on its sleeve”.

Byte Size Review Gaming PC / Mac

Destiny’s Sword (PC)

October 15, 2022October 15, 2022 Gerard Campbell 596 ViewsChoose Your Adventure, indie game, Sci Fi RPG, Static Pages, strategy

Destiny’s Sword describes itself as a “living graphic novel”

To me it’s more akin to the Choose Your Own adventure books that were common place when I was growing up – and that’s not a bad thing, believe me.

Told through comic book-style panels, Destiny’s Sword has you commanding a planetary defense force as it works to keep the peace on the planet Cyris.

Game Reviews Gaming PC / Mac Playstation Sony

Spider-Man Remastered: Web-slinging, PC action

August 12, 2022August 13, 2022 Gerard Campbell 518 ViewsPC Remaster, Spider-man, Superhero, Third Person, Web Slinger

PC gamers, rejoice: You can now play one of the best superhero video games around with Insomniac’s Spider-Man Remastered swinging its way onto PC this month.

The PC port has been handled by Nixxes. A 20-year-old Dutch company renowned for a magic touch taking console titles and getting them to work on PC.

Byte Size Review Gaming PC / Mac

Sokochess, Byte Size Review

August 7, 2022August 7, 2022 Gerard Campbell 556 ViewsBrain Bender, Chess, indie game, Puzzle

A chess-based puzzle game from small developer Daisy Games. Sokochess will appeal to gamers who love chess and the challenges that the game brings.

Sadly, I am not a gamer who loves chess and the challenges that it brings. Chess, if I’m being completely honest, just confuses me.

Byte Size Review Gaming PC / Mac

Skábma – Snowfall (Byte sized review)

June 19, 2022July 3, 2022 Gerard Campbell 817 Viewsindie game, Platformer, Snowfall, Steam

Skábma – Snowfall is the first video game to focus on the Sámi people of Northern Europe.

The Sámi are the indigenous people of Northernmost Europe. Their homeland is called Sámiland (Sápmi in Northern Sámi language). Sámiland extends through four countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia.

Based on Sámi culture and steeped in both historical and mythological stories. Skábma – Snowfall sees you control Áilu, a young Sámi boy put in charge of the village reindeer.

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