Sci-Fi Archives - koru-cottage.com

December 19, 2023December 19, 2023 Guy 497 Views Angry Mob Games, indie game, Metroidvania, Platformer, Rougelike, Sci-Fi

Trinity Fusion, Review

(Guest writer, Nina, returns to give a quick Byte Sized take on Indie game, Trinity Fusion.)

Trinity Fusion is a roguevania platformer and the latest release from indie devs Angry Mob Games. It is quite unlike anything the studio has put out before- up until now, Angry Mob’s MO has been mobile games and the odd Predator tie-in.

But you wouldn’t guess that when playing Trinity Fusion. In fact, you’d probably think these guys were veterans of the metroidvania genre.

Game Reviews Gaming PC / Mac Xbox Series X

September 23, 2023September 23, 2023 Richard Armitt 869 Views Bethesda, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Kelptomania, No Mans Sky, Sci-Fi, Space Sim, Starfield

Starfield, we’re past reviewing it.

Starfield, it’s been a long time coming and has caused some cosmic ripples.

Given the pedigree of Elder Scrolls, Oblivion, Fallout, how could Bethesda have anything but an exciting new IP?

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

July 31, 2023July 31, 2023 Guy 698 Views aliens, Challenging, Combat, Overhead, Real Time Strategy, Sci-Fi

Aliens: Dark Descent, Review

Set 20 years after the Aliens 3 movie, Dark Descent focusses on Tantalus Base, where a Xenomorph outbreak has occurred.

I controlled a squad of Marines, akin to “The Commander” in XCOM from the crashed command ship, The Otago.

It has some loose similarities to XCOM, except its combat which is a Real-Time Strategy game, not turn based.

It is however a Newt free zone.

Gaming Byte Size Review PS5 Switch Console Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

June 23, 2023June 23, 2023 Richard Armitt 1072 Views indie, Procedural, Roguelike, RPG lite, Sci-Fi, Top Down Shooter

Replikator, review

Replikator had me at “Top Down Sci-Fi Shooter”. I mean what’s not to love, being a huge Alienation fan and having grown up on the likes of Alien Syndrome, and Alien Breed.

Choose a rag-tag character from a bunch of rag-tag characters, including a Space Racoon. Board some crusty Space Stations and fight your way to the Boss. Yes, we’ve been here before.

Gaming Game Reviews PS5 Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 Guy 631 Views Adventure, Dead Space, Horror, Sci-Fi, Third Person

Dead Space Remake, Review

I don’t do scary Movies, scary TV or scary Video Games. I just don’t enjoy them, never have…and never will?

Yes indeed, confusion abounds because I love the Dead Space franchise. The sci-fi setting, the stunning graphics and immersive in-game UI all sold me on this niche genre in 2008.

Making Dead Space an all-time fav of my Xbox 360 generation.

Its 2023 and in keeping with the current market trend, EA have seen fit to have Motive Studios “remake” Dead Space… and wow. It is very, very good.

So it should be though, as the bones the remake is built on are just as solid now, as they were 15 years ago.

Gaming Game Reviews PC / Mac PS4 PS5 Xbox Series S Xbox Series X

December 4, 2021December 4, 2021 Guy 1418 Views Sci-Fi, Space Dogfight, Space Opera

CHORUS, PS5 Review

Space Combat games have always been a favourite genre for me. Starting with Descent back in 1995 and most recently with the excellent Star Wars: Squadrons on the PSVR.

But the genre often struggled to get AAA quality outings. Certainly, any tangible story and world building rarely occurs within them.

BUT, Chorus has literally come out of my blind-spot and some how managed to be both an awesome arcade space combat game, with an interesting story.

Gaming Game Reviews Playstation PS5 Sony

April 30, 2021April 30, 2021 Guy 1227 Views Alienation, Housemarque, PS5, Returnal, rogue-like, Sci-Fi, Shooter, Sony

Returnal, Review (PS5)

I have always hated games from the Rogue-Like genre. The lack of progression, the severe penalty for simple mistakes and if I’m honest, the feeling of games just being unfair. It does nothing for me.

Well…the genius’s at Housemarque have found the perfect Rogue-Like recipe. Cooking up a beautifully atmospheric, AAA quality, frenetic shooter.

In fact, at this stage of the year Returnal currently sits atop my Game of the Year list for 2021.

Game Reviews Gaming PC / Mac PS4 Xbox One

July 10, 2019 Gerard Campbell 843 Views Devolver, Observation, Sci-Fi

Observation review [PC]: When a sentient AI goes bad …

Previously posted at Gerard’s own blog GameJunkieNZ, here’s his view on Observation.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the team behind sci-fi thriller Observation – were fans of movies Alien, Event Horizon and 2001 A Space Odyssey.

The game opens aboard the international space station Observation which is above Earth’s orbit after suffering a catastrophic event. The ship’s medical officer Dr Emma Fisher eventually manages to reboot the ship’s AI Sam [System Administration Maintenance] but Sam receives a strange transmission telling him to “BRING HER”.

Fast forward a bit and after a second event, the Observation finds itself above Saturn, Sam’s core functions compromised and the rest of Observation’s crew missing. Emma tasks Sam with finding out what has happened.