Author: Gerard Campbell

Hell Architect
GamingByte Size ReviewIndie GamePC / Mac

Hell Architect, Byte Size review (PC)

Gerard Campbell 1357 Views ,  ,  , 

The management sim genre is one that has been around for as long as I can remember but I can’t say I’ve ever played one set in the realms of Hell that tasks you with making hell a better version of itself (is that even possible?)

That’s the idea behind Hell Architect, a management sim from Polish developer Woodland Games where you’re tasked as Hell Manager who is in charge of, well, developing the nine rings of Hell and making it a place Lucifer himself would be proud of.

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Psychonauts 2
GamingGame ReviewsMicrosoftPC / MacXbox Series SXbox Series X

Psychonauts 2, review

Gerard Campbell 1472 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

Five years.

Five long years (actually, it’s more like five and a half years but what’s six months?)

That’s how long I’ve been waiting for Psychonauts 2 from Lucasfilm alumni Tim Schafer & his Double Fine Productions studio to be released since I backed it on crowd-funding platform Fig in January 2016.

I’ve long been a fan of Tim Schaefer’s work – don’t get into a conversation with me about how good Grim Fandango is – and while Broken Age didn’t do it for me, despite funding that, too, I jumped at the chance to crowd-fund Psychonauts 2 when I learned it needed help to be made. This was a chance to be part of game development history, right?

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i510600k
Hardware ReviewsGamingHardwarePC / Mac

Intel i5-10600K CPU review: The heart of a new PC build

Gerard Campbell 1545 Views ,  , 

Recently, Intel Australia/New Zealand got in touch and offered me the chance to test out its 10th Generation i5-10600K CPU – and I jumped at the chance.

I was keen to have the chance to re-build my PC with a newer generation CPU & see how Intel’s 10th Gen chip compares to the i5 8400 that I had been using for the past four years or so.

A big thanks to Intel Australia/New Zealand for the opportunity.

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RED SOLSTICE 2
GamingByte Size ReviewPC / Mac

Byte Sized review: Red Solstice 2: Survivors

Gerard Campbell 1360 Views ,  ,  , 

I never played the original Red Solstice so I can’t offer an opinion on its merits, good or otherwise, but Red Solstice 2: Survivors seems like a solid real-time action game with RPG mechanics.

It’s set on Mars where you control a battle-hardened marine having to help repel an invasion by the mutant Strol.

The story might not be original and the gameplay is nothing new but Red Solstice 2: Survivors is an enjoyable romp in a sci-fi inspired universe if you’re a fan of X-COM and it’s ilk.

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Death's Door Review
GamingFeature ArticleIndie GamePC / MacPreviewXbox Series SXbox Series X

Death’s Door preview (PC)

Gerard Campbell 1203 Views ,  , 

If Devolver Digital is the king of the independent video game, then Death’s Door is the latest jewel in its already glittering crown – and what a big, beautiful, glittering head piece it is!

In fact, Death’s Door could be the sleeper hit of the year that I knew nothing about, but I’m glad I know about it now.

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Days Gone PC
GamingFeature ArticlePC / MacPlaystationPS4PS5Sony

Days Gone PC technical review

Gerard Campbell 2184 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

Once upon a time, you would never have imagined seeing a PlayStation game appearing on a Windows PC but now it’s becoming more and more common place.

First, we saw Guerilla’s Horizon Zero Dawn make the leap from PlayStation to PC, then we were graced with Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding (although HZD was a rough port at launch that required a fair bit of work to get it working properly). Now, it’s the turn of Days Gone PC, a zombie-filled adventure across a post-apocalyptic American mid-west, starring grizzled biker Deacon St John. It’s a technical marvel that really show cases what is possible with PC gaming.

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Judgement
GamingGame ReviewsPlaystationXbox OneXbox Series S

Judgement review (Xbox Series X)

Gerard Campbell 1266 Views ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

I reviewed Sega’s Judgement, a spin-off from the company’s Yakuza series, a year ago on this site.

Now that I’ve played it again on Xbox Series X, my opinion still hasn’t changed: It’s one of the best games from studio Ryu Go Gotuku and if you’re a fan of the Yakuza series then you need to play this. It really is that simple.

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Norton 360 for Gamers
GamingByte Size ReviewMicrosoftPC / MacPSNetworkXBLA

Norton 360 for Gamers

Gerard Campbell 1476 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

Norton 360 for Gamers, you say? In this day and age, anti-virus is a vital necessity when it comes to online protection from data and identity thieves.

I’ve had warnings in the past of accounts being potentially compromised but they never seemed to come to anything. At least I don’t think they did. But I’ve always used some form of anti-virus, both free and subscription (Kaspersky, AVG, Avast, even Windows Defender), and it’s certainly true that you get what you pay for.

Norton is one of the industry’s big players and I’ve been a fan of the company’s anti-virus solutions for a few years, offering a pretty consistent product that provides solid online protection combined with an easy-to-use interface.

(Previously posted at www.gamejunkie.net.nz)

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Evil Genius 2
GamingGame ReviewsPC / MacVideo Content

Evil Genius 2: World Domination (PC review)

Gerard Campbell 1327 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

It’s hard work being an evil meglomaniacal dictator in Evil Genius 2, believe me.

I mean, between ensuring you have enough energy to keep the lights on in your ever-expanding lair where you’re plotting world domination, you also have to deal with workers (aka minions) who are more concerned with what’s for lunch.

A sequel to the original Evil Genius, a real-time strategy/world builder game from Elixir Games in 2004, Evil Genuis 2: World Domination has a real Austin Powers/Despicable Me feel to it.

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Two Point Hospital Jumbo Edition
GamingGame ReviewsNintendoPC / MacPS4Switch ConsoleXbox One

Two Point Hospital Jumbo edition (Nintendo Switch)

Gerard Campbell 1350 Views ,  ,  , 

I’m just going to come out and say it: I’ve had a absolute blast playing Two Point Hospital Jumbo Edition on the Nintendo Switch.

A management sim where you have to build and manage hospitals (and staff) while more and more demands (and illnesses) are thrown at you, Two Point Hospital takes a lot of influences from Bullfrog’s Theme Hospital, a classic management sim from the past. Throw in a wicked sense of humour, and Two Point Hospital Jumbo Edition is just a delight to play.

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The Commission 1920
GamingByte Size ReviewPC / Mac

Byte sized review: The Commission 1920

Gerard Campbell 1045 Views ,  ,  ,  , 

A turn-based strategy game set in the 1920s. The Commission 1920 is a mafia-themed game unlike any other Mafia game I’d played before.

Tasking you in the role as a Don of a mafia family in the city of New Shore – the Bogianas, Calessis, Donanos, Junios and Roccas. This is a resource management sim where you exert your influence over the city to rise to the top. It’s a re-imagining of the original Commission game originally released in 2018 (a game I never played).

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