A note from Dylan on his ‘unconventional’ review of Olija.
I just wanted to try and convey how cool this game manages to make the player feel uncomfortable. Like, it’s a horror game but without proper scares, just menacing and uneasy throughout.
Therefore, I decided to have a bit of fun and play with the reader, make it uncomfortable for them to read and – hopefully – make it engaging and something different to the rest of the online echo chamber.
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This is not a review about the Bioshock Collection games in the sense that I will tread the now familiar narrative ground. Bioshock 1 and 2 and Infinite have graced numerous platforms since the first game appeared in 2007. So gamers don’t need to be schooled on what they’re about and what’s going on.
No, this review is purely to take in the technical spectacle that is The Bioshock Collection on Nintendo’s Switch handheld. Make no mistake: This is a port worth having on the Nintendo’s portable. Especially Bioshock Infinite, perhaps my favourite game in the series.
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Lonely Mountains Downhill began life as a Kickstarter project by German game makers Daniel Helbig and Jan Bubenik.
Full disclosure here: I backed the project and my name’s in the game’s credits. It also got a mention in my pick of 2019.
As an ageing mountain biker the game appealed to me as a way to enjoy one of my passions. When I’m stuck at home and the weather’s too horrific to don the rain jacket and hit the trails. I was also attracted by its low-poly graphical style, with a blocky, chunky biker and vibrant environments.
Thanks to Lonely Mountains Downhill on Switch, I can now “ride” my mountain bike any time I want. At the office, while I’m lying in bed, while I’m, ahem, in the bathroom. It’s also the perfect thing for when I just can’t bothered kitting up and hitting my local trails. Especially with winter looming and its inevitable wet & chilly weather.
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Side-scrolling game Fledgling Heroes is bright, colourful, easy to play – and I’m having a great time with it, despite not being the target demographic.
Most likely aimed at young children due to its bright and cheerful visuals, Australian developer Subtle Boom’s Fledgling Heroes first appeared on the Apple Arcade but now it’s on Nintendo’s platform.
It’s reminiscent of that Flappy Bird game that was all the rage a few years ago but it’s much better, with a charming visual style.
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When the esteemed editor of this fine online publication asked if I was keen to look at Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD on Nintendo’s Switch, I didn’t hesitate saying yes.
You see, dear readers. I had just finished watching a fascinating documentary from Ars Technica on the Oddworld series creator Lorne Lanning. Who regaled viewers about his journey from poor kid in New England (near New York) to concept artists in a US military company to co-founder of development studio Oddworld Inhabitants. (The documentary is well worth a watch (there is also a two-hour plus extended interview with Lanning), as are the remainder of Ars’ War Stories documentaries.)
Released on the original Xbox 15 years ago. Stranger’s Wrath HD is a mix of third-person and first-person action that doesn’t feature downtrodden Abe. The hero of previous Oddworld games. In his stead, a mysterious brooding stranger who must bounty hunt his way through the game world to earn enough Moolah (the in-game currency) to pay for a life-saving operation.
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This was supposed to be a cool Advent Calendar, but December ran away with itself and formatting became an issue.
So here are the survivors, things we can heartily recommend as Last Minute Gifts for the Gamer in your life.
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New Super Lucky’s Tale obviously treads well worn ground, and the Switch is the place for cutesy platformers. I did not play Super Lucky last time around when it graced the Xbox. In fact I haven’t played many platformers for a good while. The simple crux is, Super Lucky does the job well, it’s a joy to play.
Everything the game does it does well, without layers of complexity. There is no need to add depth, New Super Lucky’s Tale is here to scratch the itch of the classic platforming addict. Nice to look at and fun to play in this high paced disposable world, here’s a few hours of pleasant-ness.
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Essentially, Neo Cab is a taxi simulator set in the future.
Where automated cars dominate the ride share business and you drive the only human-driven cab in the region. You play as Lina. A driver for Neo Cab who has uprooted her stable life and moved to Capra City, all for the sake of friendship and maybe love.
Neo Cab’s slow-boil story is not going to be for every gamer. Especially for those with itchy trigger fingers crafted through years of Call of Battlefield or other first person combat games. Neo Cab is a snail’s pace game, one that develops the more you progress.
Worth a look if you like games that try something a little bit different.
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