<![CDATA[A-to-J Connections

<![CDATA[A-to-J Connections - Gaming]]>Fri, 17 May 2024 02:25:05 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Game Review: Musashi vs. Cthulhu]]>Fri, 17 May 2024 02:44:31 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-musashi-vs-cthulhuBy Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

Eldritch horror and samurai seem like a match made in heaven. Right? Well, maybe not heaven, but it really does seem like an interesting, somehow unexplored, concept. Enter Musashi vs. Cthulhu, a fast-paced action game that comes to us by way of developer Cyber Rhino Studios, and publisher QUByte Interactive. It's out today on just about every major platform, and we're going to be taking a closer look at the Nintendo Switch release. The action in this one doesn't let up for one second, so let's get right into it!

As the name implies, Musashi vs. Cthulhu places you into the tabi of legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Apparently a terrible curse has made him the target for all sorts of eldritch horrors from out of the depths, but thankfully he has the skills to keep them at bay. Actually, it's safe to say that he's fighting a losing battle no matter how you look at it. Why is that? Well, this game has no "ending" so to speak, and the fighting only stops when Musashi goes down. Besides not having anything close to a concluding story scene, it also doesn't have any other plot than what I just mentioned. Most of what I just said, scant as it is, can only be found in the game's compendium and eShop description. You'd be forgiven if you just assumed that this game didn't have any story at all. I usually don't bother even mentioning a game's plot in a review when it clearly doesn't have one, but I felt that the premise here was unique enough to at least mention. It also is a big missed opportunity, as the whole "throwing monsters into a historic setting" genre could've been played up for a lot of added hijinks. I guess it's pointless to dwell on what could've been, so let's move on and talk about gameplay.

Playing Musashi vs. Cthulhu will take a bit of getting used to as it has a rather unique control scheme. Musashi can't move on his own, and the only way to pull him in either direction is by having him unleash an attack while facing whichever way you want to move. The game uses all four face buttons, and the D-pad, in order to execute said attacks. Up, Down, and Left on the D-pad attack enemies on the left hand side of the screen, and X, B, and A attack those on the right. These controls refer to the Switch version, but the idea of "top", "middle", and "bottom" buttons applies to all other versions too. The remaining face button that doesn't have an attack, Y in the case of the Switch, is used for a taunt. Enemies constantly flood in from either side, and you have to hit them with the appropriate attack button to damage or kill them. Bugs and slugs are self-explanatory as they occupy a specific area of the screen, but other enemies have to be hit with an attack that corresponds to the location of their weak spot. These weak spots are marked by red pustules, and can be on their shoulder (up), their midsection (middle), or their leg (down). Some enemies later in the game may need more than one hit to kill, or they can have multiple weak spots that have to all be hit. Attacking too early, or striking an enemy anywhere other than their weak spot, leaves you open for a counterattack. If you have your lantern meter filled up (Which fills by killing several enemies in a row or by taunting.) you are saved from being stunned, otherwise you'll most likely take a hit as the recoil of a miss will leave a second or so for enemies to close in. Damage taken or not, a missed attack will eventually cause Musashi to hurl all enemies away from him. That move gives you a moment to breathe and recover from your mistake, but you better use that time wisely since the enemies will now be backed up on both sides. And that's pretty much is the entire game. Your goal is to survive for as long as you can, and three hits mean it's Game Over.

It's been a while since I've played a game as simple as Musashi vs. Cthulhu, but its simplicity also makes it very addicting. It plays like a classic arcade game, as even has a puzzle game sort of vibe to it. I say the latter as I often found myself "getting in the zone" so to speak, similar to how I play a game like Tetris. The only way to get far in the game is to learn how to quickly spot weak points, and to always be on your toes regarding the wave of enemies currently coming at you. It's not just simple button mashing though. Actually, each button press triggers an action, so button mashing is probably the quickest way to leave yourself open to attack. It's worth remembering that attacking also moves you in the direction of the enemy you're striking, so you can use this to sort of "dodge" enemies that are coming in a bit too close. If you need a second to figure out what to do about the enemies on your left, you might want to go after those on the right first to pull you away from them. Some enemies also move a bit faster than others, or can even jump from left to right across the screen, so you'll have to make quick decisions whenever they pop up. I'll admit that I didn't think I'd like the game very much going into it, but I put in about twenty runs before I even realized what I was doing. There isn't a whole lot to this game, and I struggle to find more words to discuss its gameplay, but it does offer a fun experience that's quick, challenging, and easy to jump in and out of. There's also leaderboards that are updated after each game, and who doesn't like having a recognized high score?

Graphics in Musashi vs. Cthulhu have a Japanese ink painting style to them, a style that also applies to the animation of both Musashi and the various monsters. I don't want to make it sound like the graphics are going to blow anyone away with how amazing they are, but they're a lot better than you'd probably expect to find in a game of this size and scope. It is a bit disappointing that the game features only about a half dozen enemies, and one single level to play on over and over again. More variety in locations and monsters would've been nice, but the designs we do get are very well done. Oh, and from what I can tell, you never actually get the titular showdown with Cthulhu himself. Music is good too, but I don't have as many positives to say about it as I did the graphics. It's not bad by any means, but it mostly just exists in the background. There's nothing that stands out about the sound design at all actually, though the sound effects are arguably better than the music itself. Overall the game is very light on the presentation, but there really isn't a lot to complain about since there isn't a lot to see or hear in the first place. At least the menus are quick and easy to navigate through, and the game runs perfectly even on the Nintendo Switch. Sometimes that's all you can ask for.

While I did spend several hours playing the game, and even was briefly #2 on the worldwide leaderboards, I have to say that the novelty of Musashi vs. Cthulhu wears off after a while. I still plan on going back it, and probably will here and there just for fun for months to come, but it's not a game that can hold your attention for very long. There aren't levels in the game, there's no ending, no bosses, and nothing really to work towards besides a high score and some in-game achievements. The latter are admittedly fun to acquire, but they probably won't be enough to bring me back once I feel I've had enough. You can unlock a "Fast Start" mode early on, which essentially skips the first 50 or so slower enemies to get you into the action quicker on subsequent playthroughs, but I preferred turning this off so I could fully ramp up the "normal" way. I mention it mainly as it can also be seen as something of a "Hard Mode". While this isn't a game that's going to fill up tons of gameplay sessions, it does come in at a very reasonable $4.99. I feel that's more than the perfect point for what is essentially an arcade-style action game with fun, yet repetitive, gameplay. It may not stay in your gameplay rotation for very long, but it won't cost you a lot to put it there in the first place.

Though there are probably some people out there who won't appreciate the simplicity Musashi vs. Cthulhu provides, I found it to be entertaining enough to give it a full recommendation. I had a lot of fun during my time with it, and I plan on getting in a few more runs later today. That's on account of the game being fully launched, and I want to see how the current leaderboards reflect that. Anyhow, grab it on whatever console you can, and get to thinning out that never-ending horde of monsters! Also, keep an eye out for "alavic_222" on the leaderboards! See you there!

Check Out Musashi Vs. Cthulhu on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/musashi-vs-cthulhu-switch/

Story: N/A
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A-
Music/Sound: B
Value: A

Overall: A-

Pros:
+ A fast-paced, arcade-style action game that's perfect for repeat playthroughs.
+ Though it does have a slight learning curve at the start, players will be taking out hordes of monsters in no time.
+ The graphics and animations feature a style reminiscent of Japanese ink paintings.
+ Getting a high place on the leaderboards can be very rewarding for those who care about such things.
+ Very reasonably priced at just $4.99.

Cons:
- There really isn't a whole lot to this game in terms of gameplay.
- The simplicity extends to the visuals, and you really only have one character, a half dozen enemies, and one location to work with.
- While the graphics seem to be punching above their weight in a game of this scope, the sound design doesn't fare as well.
- The lack of levels, bosses, or anything beyond a high score can make it hard for some players to get invested.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

Proof I was a top player of Musashi vs. Cthulhu at one point!

]]><![CDATA[Game Review: Awesome Pea 3]]>Wed, 15 May 2024 10:06:27 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-awesome-pea-3By Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

It seems that a lot of precision platformers have been coming to consoles recently, and we have another one to look at today. Available now on just about every major console, Awesome Pea 3 comes to us by way of publisher Sometimes You. We're going to be taking a look at the game on the Nintendo Switch today, but I'm sure that just about all of what I'm going to say will apply to all other versions of the game. This is quite the grueling experience, so let's just skip the intros and get right into it!

Awesome Pea 3 is the final game in a trilogy of precision platformers that all share the same brutally tough gameplay. I haven't played the first two games in the series personally, but I've seen enough about them online to tell that they all play essentially the same. Even though there was apparently enough here to spawn an entire trilogy, I'd be lying if I said I had any idea what the actual "story" of the game is. I know that you play as a green glob named "Pea", and your mission is to see the other end of a set of difficult platforming challenges, but that's about it. Maybe there's a Mrs. Pea that needs to be rescued, but there is no mention of any of that in-game or elsewhere. Putting a story into a game like this would've been a nice touch, but it really isn't a necessity. Well, since I have nothing else to say regarding plot and setup, let’s get right into discussing gameplay.

Gameplay in Awesome Pea 3 is as simple as can be. You run, you jump, you dash, you wall climb, and you wall jump. Most stages will require you to combine all those actions to reach the exit of the stage, and you have to do that a total of 69 times in order to complete the game. There's a bit more to it than that of course, but pretty much covers it in a nutshell. Expanding on that a bit more, each level takes place on a single screen. There's no scrolling in any direction, so you're able to plan out all your moves before even taking the first jump. Heading to the exit as fast as possible is always the best move in any of the levels, but you actually have to grab the exit's key first. Thankfully said key is usually placed in the pathway of the exit, but sometimes it can be annoyingly placed in the furthest corner possible. Besides the exit key, you can also pick up gems. These gems only exist for score and completionist purposes, so you can avoid them if you're only interested in getting to the next stage as quickly and painlessly as possible. Spikes, enemies, and all sorts of hazards are scattered throughout each stage, and Pea only needs to take one hit before dying. Thankfully lives are infinite, and you restart nearly immediately, so you won't be out of the action for very long.

Nothing can spoil a platformer more than bad controls, and I'm pleased to report that Awesome Pea 3's controls are tight and responsive. You can nudge Pea in the smallest of movements, and you can also alter the trajectory of any jump you make. The controls make it so that very few deaths can be blamed on anything but player skill, or lack thereof. If anything, I think the controls can be a bit TOO sensitive. There were several times when I nudged Pea a fraction of an inch too much and brought about my death, and other times when the lightest of taps would send me flying across the screen. Once again, none of that was really the fault of the game itself. The only true quirk in the control scheme worth mentioning would have to be the wall climb mechanic. First off, the game does feature wall jumping that usually is used in tandem with wall climbing. Even though you'll often need to climb a bit to perform a wall jump, said wall jumping pretty much operates exactly as you'd expect it too. It's the wall jumping that requires the extra look. Even though you'll be using it a lot, I don't think Awesome Pea 3 does a good job explaining how one pulls off wall climbing. I'm not even sure it's mentioned anywhere in-game. Basically Pea has the ability to move up a wall as long as you hold the d-pad in the direction you want to go. You can even hold onto the wall for a bit to time a perfect wall jump. These actions take a bit of getting used to, but most players will have them down after only a half dozen deaths or so. Other than mastering a well-timed dash, wall climbing is the only part of the game that might throw off those new to the game. Everything else is very tough, but trial and error will get you through most stages.

Visually speaking, Awesome Pea 3 isn't a whole lot to look at. It's not a bad looking game by any means, but there isn't a lot to it. The entire game plays out one screen at a time, and that doesn't leave a lot of room for variety in level design. Admittedly the levels do change every so often, but you breeze through them so fast that you often don't notice all the things that get added or taken away as you progress in the game. There is a noteworthy level of detail that makes even the smallest game area easy to see, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Awesome Pea 3's world just feels rather flat and lifeless most of the time. Pea himself is a rather cute and likable character, but there's not much to him beyond smooth animation and an oddly squishy, very un-pea-like, body. Though the graphics won't blow anyone away, they also don't inspire any sort of complaints either.

Sound is an odd topic, as I originally thought that I would have nothing at all to say about it, then I turned the volume up. Awesome Pea 3 is a very quiet game, I turned the sound settings to the max and still had trouble hearing the game at all. I played a bit in Handheld Mode, and I honestly couldn't hear the music at all. Docked wasn't any better, but then I cranked the volume all the way up just so I could finally have something to say about the sound in this part of the review. It was then that I realized that Awesome Pea 3 has a soundtrack that's so amazing that I felt like it must be in the wrong game. I don't want to make it sound like this game doesn't deserve to have good music, but this soundtrack feels almost wasted on a game whose levels can last literal seconds. Each track is in a chiptune style, but the genres between each of them varies greatly. Some are upbeat and energetic, others are more low-key, others are downright moody and melancholic, and others still had me looking up where I can find the soundtrack. There are even some neat sound effects that round out the package perfectly. I never thought that I'd be saying that the best part about this game would be its soundtrack, but here we are.

Awesome Pea 3 isn't the longest game out there, as it only features a total of 69 levels. I don't want to make it sound like beating the game is going to be anything close to easy, as I wasn't even able to do after several hours of trying, but I bet I could if I just keep at it a bit more. That's the thing too, most of Awesome Pea 3's stages can be beat through sheer force of will. I don't meant that you'll eventually gain better skills, though that might happen too, but that you'll more than likely beat any level by sheer luck after dozens of tries. This is thanks to the quick and fast level design, but any victory in this game will always feel earned. With that in mind, the entirety of Awesome Pea 3 can probably be beaten in a handful of minutes if you have the skill to complete each level without dying. I doubt anyone exists who can complete that speedrunning feat without tossing in countless hours of training, but it's worth mentioning anyway. Most of your time in the game will be spent simply playing the same levels over and over again, but the game's current price of $4.99 eases the sting of repetition quite a bit. This is a fun game that really doesn't ask much of you besides your patience, and it does have a charm that feels far beyond its price point.

While I don't think Awesome Pea 3 is a game for everyone, I do think that it's a fun precision platformer for those looking to add another to their collection. It may not add a whole lot to the formula, but it pulls off what it does do very well. It's a must buy for fans of the genre, for speedrunners, for those looking for a tough gameplay challenge in general, and for those who've played and enjoyed the first two games in the series. I actually think that I'll be checking those games out too after I'm done with this review, since this one has me wondering if they're worth playing too. I guess I'll find that out later, but until then I guess I'll just have to see what that dreaded level 69 holds for me...

Check Out Awesome Pea 3 on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/awesome-pea-3-switch/

Story: N/A
Gameplay: B
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: A
Value: A

Overall: B+

Pros:
+ A precision platformer that's very easy to pick up and play.
+ Wall-climbing may take a bit of getting used to, but it really opens up gameplay once mastered.
+ The game's short levels mean that a single lucky run can win the day.
+ The soundtrack honestly feels more amazing than it has any right to be.
+ There are a total of 69 levels in the game, and I'm sure someone out there will find that at least mildly amusing.

Cons:
- The game is brutally hard straight from the start.
- All levels in the game occupy a single screen, limiting the variety a bit.
- Even though you have the ability to fully control Pea's trajectory, movement can still have a floatiness to it at times.
- There's no story at all to speak of if that's what you're here for.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

#AwesomePea3

]]><![CDATA[It's Dangerous to Go Alone: A Hand In Hand Review]]>Tue, 14 May 2024 08:51:05 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/its-dangerous-to-go-alone-a-hand-in-hand-reviewBy Al

Players: 1-2
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

Puzzle platformers are nothing new, nor are ones that are multiplayer, but Hand In Hand changes up the formula by adding in simultaneous, split-screen action. We'll get into exactly what I mean by all that in a bit, but let's continue with the intro first. Hand In Hand comes to us by way of developer MaxMedia and publisher OverGamez, and it’s currently available on all major platforms. We're going to be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch version today, and hopefully seeing what exactly makes this title unique. We have a lot of ground to cover here, so let's get right into it!

Hand In Hand opens with two soulmates living happily in their fairytale world. A random evil decides to drop in on their harmonious existence, and splits them up. Their love knows no separation though, and they still manage to maintain a connection even though they are far apart from each other. This link is what drives much of the game forward, and their goal is obviously to be reunited with each other. This all might sound very vague, and that's because it is. Very little is told to the player about what is going on, and every single scene is open to interpretation. There's no dialogue, and there's not even anything in the way of written text. This is atmospheric storytelling in its most pure form, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that it can be quite a bit cryptic at times. Nothing is every explained to you directly in-game, and even tutorials are done in picture form. The latter can often be extremely unhelpful, with trial and error often being the quicker option over trying to interpret whatever the pictures are trying to convey. Part of me wanted to appreciate the beautifully simplistic way Hand In Hand delivers its story, but I never was totally convinced that it was a good thing. Conflicted as I may be, I guess it's fair to point out that puzzle platformers don't necessarily need strong stories to give players reasons to pick them up. We've all played many games with stories just as barebones as this one offers, and even some that barely bother with a story at all. I guess we can't go too hard on the game in this respect, but I have a feeling that isn't going to hold up for long.

Even though I was rather lenient when talking about the game's story, I don't think I can do quite the same thing when it comes to Hand In Hand gameplay. I plan on going more in-depth regarding controls later, but I wanted to go over the briefly here since just about every issue I had with the game seemed to stem from them. When I said the game was split-screen and simultaneous, I also mean that it's like that in all modes, including single player. In single player mode you control both the male and female characters using a single controller. You move the guy with the left analog stick, and jump and attack using the left shoulder buttons. To control the girl, you use the right analog stick to move and use the right shoulder buttons to jump and use her magic. You can actually swap those sides in-game, but you get the point. Controlling both characters takes quite a bit of getting used to, but it's made all the more problematic once you realize that you often have to control both characters at once. Not just control them both at once either, but do so while taking on some of the wonkiest platforming I've seen in a long while. I truly hope that everyone who plans on picking this game up has the ability to pat their head and rub their belly at the same time, because that's what playing Hand In Hand feels like most of the time. I can't explain the frustration of having to run and jump with two different characters, who move at two different speeds, and perform their actions on two separate parts of the screen. Maybe I'm not cut out for this sort of gameplay, but this one aspect alone made the entire single player experience borderline unplayable at times. I honestly wanted to end the review after only the second level, but I eventually found the game's saving grace: its multiplayer mode.

I'm going to cover multiplayer in a bit, but let me discuss the rest of gameplay first. Hand In Hand is a puzzle platformer in the purest sense of the word. There isn't much focus on fighting enemies, and when enemies do pop up, it's only the male character who does any direct fighting. The male character can use his non-jump button to attack, and this attack takes out enemies and barriers in his way. The female character has magic instead of an attack, and this magic actually does a lot of different things when used. Its main function is to render the girl invincible for a short period of time, but it also reveals new platforms, and even makes obstacles disappear on the male character's part of the screen. She's also a bit faster than the male character, so having to run with both of them is a bit like that meme regarding an escort character's walking speed, except here they're both controlled by the player. Things get interesting whenever a puzzle pops up, and these often involve a series of switches. Sometimes the switches need to be flipped, powered on, or simply stepped on, but they often have to be activated at the same time on both halves of the screen. These switches often lead to timed platforming sections that have all the annoyances I mentioned above, but I actually like the way the game handles its non-platforming puzzle sections. Seeing one action affect something on the other side of the screen is a nice touch, even though it always seems to be the girl's magic that is far more useful than the male character's attack. There were a lot of puzzle sections I enjoyed, and I think that a good game could've been pulled out of all this if more focus had been placed on environmental puzzles as opposed to timed platforming sections.

The only reason my review wasn't cut short early was because I eventually was able to find a friend who was available to come over and try out the game's multiplayer mode. This one action literally saved the game for me, and it made me seriously wonder why the game wasn't released as a multiplayer-only title. Just about every issue I had with the game was either lessened, or suddenly became a non-issue. Those platforming sections were suddenly quite easy once you didn't have to control two characters at once, and even the more esoteric puzzles are easier solved when two sets of eyes are looking at them. Not only does multiplayer make the game actually playable, but it also made it fun too. I suddenly appreciated the way the game crafted its puzzles, and I got to learn the ins and outs of what each of the characters was truly capable of. That's not to say that multiplayer isn't without its own set of problems. Playing in multiplayer means that each player has a totally different experience with the game depending on which character they are currently playing as. The girl doesn't do any fighting, and is far better at platforming, while the guy pretty much takes on every boss encounter as a one-on-one fight. Some puzzles also require a switch to be hit, and one character to wait until the other completes a section that flips another switch that opens the path for them to move forward next. This means that there are several times when one of the players will be sitting around doing nothing, and a lot of times that will be whoever is controlling the girl. I guess this can't really be helped, but it did make for an uneven experience all around. Multiplayer is also local only, so you'll need a player two who is physically with you in order to get the most out of the game.

Issues with gameplay aside, I have to say that Hand In Hand really excels when it comes to its visuals. The world has several layers of depth to it, there's lots of small details placed throughout, and everything feels like it’s full of life. The environments are a bit on the limited side, and there is something of a muted color palette to everything, but this is a beautiful game to look at. Maybe it's the two-character gameplay, and the silent action, but I got lots of Ico vibes during my time with the game, and I can't really explain why. Clearly this is no 3D adventure, but I'm pretty sure fans of Ico will know what I'm talking about. Even though I found the levels to be a bit same-y after a while, the same can't be said about the boss encounters. These are all big, epic affairs, and calling them anything short of "impressive" does them a disservice. Everything just looks great here, and runs perfectly fine, even on the Nintendo Switch. I do wish there was a bit more variety in the locales you visit, but I guess there's nothing wrong with a game that has a limited scope when it comes to areas a player visits. It's also worth noting that I'm only using screens from the earlier section of the game, as taking screenshots during my multiplayer session wasn't something either of us remembered to do.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to how I'm supposed to talk about sound in Hand In Hand, and that's because there really isn't a whole lot to say about it. This is by no means a silent game, but if I had to describe its sound design in one word, it would be "silently atmospheric". Most music plays softly and slowly in the background, and there were several times I wasn't even sure that it was playing at all. You do get some nice sound effects that give every action some weight behind it, but it makes for an experience that can either be melancholic or boring depending on how well you're currently vibing with the game. There are some nice flourishes that play when certain collaborative tasks are achieved, but these only made me wish that more of the game featured music as good as those brief bits. I guess that encompasses my entire issue with sound, it's not that it's bad, it's just that there's not enough for me to even examine.

I know I already talked about controls earlier when I was discussing gameplay, but there are a few more things I wanted to cover before wrapping this review up. While I don't think anything can be done to make the single player experience better, I do wish that the game had button mapping options. Admittedly you are able to switch around a few things, and Switch owners can force button changes through the console menus, but you're always stuck with having to use the shoulder buttons to control your character's actions. I know that I can't be the only one who thinks that jumping with a shoulder button just feels wrong in any context. To make matters worse, the controls still aren't switched to the completely unused face buttons when you're playing in multiplayer. You're also able to switch to a single camera view with a press of the L3/R3 buttons. I never once felt like I needed to use this feature, but I activated it several times by pressing the analog stick a bit too hard when running in-game. If you do that, then I hope you're ready to see one character just cut off the screen entirely. This messed me up more times than I can count, and I can't fathom why the developers didn't also simply assign this function to the unused face buttons. Then there's probably my other giant issue with the game: the lack of "coyote timing" when it comes to jumping. "Coyote timing" refers to the extra frames developers put in when players attempt to perform a jump while close to the edge of a platform. Most games let you still jump even though you may technically already be off the platform, but Hand In Hand will just call that a miss and let you fall to your doom. It's a really hard thing to describe if you're not playing a game that does it, but it probably won't take long to notice that the jumping here seems all sorts of off. Seeing as each character runs at a slightly different speed, the lack of those extra frames will definitely result in lots of missed jumps. This is also something that you'll experience in multiplayer too, but it's far more manageable there since you're only controlling one character.

Before I end this review, I have to admit that I was not able to clear Hand In Hand. I could never wrap my head around controlling two characters who operate at different speeds at the same time in single player, and that multiplayer session was a one-off, scheduled occurrence. I just didn't have it in me to keep trying it in single player. Even though I realize that making this game a two-player only experience may have been a bit restrictive, but going that route would eliminate about half of my issues with the game. Even an AI-controlled partner would've been better than what we got in this final released version. With all that in mind, I must say that I still don't think Hand In Hand is a bad game. It has a lot of issues, but it's a beautiful game that has a great concept. It fails in that concept's execution (in my opinion at least), but still have to give credit where credit is due. This is the kind of game that has "hidden gem" written all over it, and I'm sure many others are already adding it to game of the year lists. While it won't place anywhere on mine, I don't know how much of that has to do with my lack of being able to adjust to the odd control scheme this game employs.

Though I don't think I can give Hand In Hand a full recommendation if you plan on playing it single player, I do think it's worth picking up if you're going to attempt completing it as a multiplayer-only experience. You can probably make some fun gaming memories here if you have a family member, friend, or roommate who is readily available for multiple sessions. It's a fun, quirky game, and its current $12.00 price tag means that it's also quite affordable. Just make sure you know what you're getting into, and you'll be fine. I hope the developers give this concept another go though, as I do think there's something to it, but I guess we'll have to wait and see on that one.

Check Out Hand In Hand on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/hand-in-hand-switch/

Story: B
Gameplay: C
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: C
Value: B

Overall: B-

Pros:
+ A unique take on the puzzle platformer formula.
+ Amazing visuals and animation make this game a feast for the eyes.
+ Very fun to play in multiplayer mode, with each player having a pretty unique experience depending on which character they play as.
+ Some of the puzzles are well-thought out, and there's a lot of potential in the dual-character system.
+ Boss fights are quite impressive, and a nice change to the gameplay formula.

Cons:
- Single player mode is practically unplayable at times due to the many sections that require precision platforming from two characters who control very differently from each other.
- Having to use the shoulder buttons to jump just feels wrong.
- Should buttons aside, the lack of coyote timing makes jumping in general feel somewhat broken.
- Most of the game features only the lightest of music to accompany the game, making the entire experience a rather silent one.
- Even though the game is best played in multiplayer, your player two has to be physically with you. Hand In Hand features no online multiplayer options.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

#HandInHand

]]><![CDATA[Charting A New Course: A Sagres Reveiew (Nintendo Switch Release)]]>Mon, 13 May 2024 23:33:18 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/charting-a-new-course-a-sagres-reveiew-nintendo-switch-releaseBy Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Sagres is a sailing RPG that bears a strong resemblance to the Uncharted Waters series published and developed by Koei. It previously released on Steam, and it's now available for the Nintendo Switch as well. I actually reviewed said Steam release a few months ago, and that review can be found HERE. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to take a second look at the game simply because I had a lot of fun with it the first time around. Also, there are a few aspects of my earlier review I want to revisit. There's a lot to go over on this one, so let's get out there and start sailing already!

"Greetings, Avatar!"

All routes lead to India.

Sagres puts you into the shoes of Fernando, a recent graduate of the Navigation School located in Sagres, Portugal. This isn't really relevant to the review, but it's worth mentioning now that the school in Sagres is considered to be mostly legend as far as history is concerned. His graduation scene is mostly an excuse to set up your starting stats, but you're promptly introduced to Fernando's best friend Lucia afterwards. It turns out that Lucia's father Antonio has been missing for some time, and the court of Portugal is acting rather suspiciously in regards to his fate. Fernando and Lucia attempt to find out more, but their investigation proves to be fruitless. Undaunted, a plan is suggested by their older friend Nicolau. He suggests that they build up their reputation as explorers by completing quests for the local guild. The fame they'll achieve from this is sure to gain the attention of the Portuguese crown, and maybe get them closer to finding out the truth. This plan ultimately succeeds, but the mystery about what became of Antonio runs very deep. It runs for much of the game, and it involves a lot of shady figures, more than a little political intrigue, and relates to plans to find a new sea route to India. Advancement through the game is all done by way of aforementioned quests, with some of them advancing the plot, and most of them simply for more fame and gold. I won't go too much further in explaining the story, as I don't want to dip into spoiler territory. Rest assured that it is full of great writing, witty humor, and enough action to keep players invested. That said, I have to admit that it isn't the deepest of experiences either. That's alright as far as I'm concerned though, as not ever game has to be a life-changing experience for those that play it. Gameplay is easily as important in a game like this, so let's turn our attention there next.

Some random sailing.

Too bad this doesn't come with a stipend.

Since I've already gone fairly in-depth when it comes to gameplay in my original review, I'm going to only give a brief summary here, and mention how things work differently on the Switch. Right off the bat I have to put a few things out there. The first is that the original version of Sagres I played was apparently a very early version. By the time I completed my review, a huge update was released that added new illustrations, story scenes, and gameplay balance. I never went back to try out the game a second time around, but there were a lot of changes that I noticed on this playthrough that I can only assume are a result of the updates the game has received in the months since I last played it. The second thing is the fact that much of my first review centered on my disappointment that Sagres wasn't the spiritual successor to the Uncharted Waters series that I truly hoped it would be. I don't often let biases like that sway my reviews, but I think I did so that time. I still rated it rather fairly, but I cringe at the comparisons I made in it. I'm not sure if it was the game's resemblance in graphics, or the fact that Sagres released in the wake of several new sailing RPGs, but I went in expecting it to be something it wasn't. Hopefully I'll do a lot less of that this time around, but I guess we shall see.

At its heart, Sagres is a luck-based RPG that is very light on any mechanics that are heavily stat-based. You never see your characters on-screen in the proper sense, and your only representation of them comes in the form of your ship when you're travelling by sea, or your horse/camel when you're travelling by land. All actions take place through a series of menus, and most events, battles, and other situations are resolved through what is essentially a flip of the coin. Just about every random event is literally are resolved with that aforementioned coin flip, with the odds being slightly modified if you're skilled in whatever core stat is being checked. Combat, both on land and on sea, is settled by a series of rock paper scissors matches that you only sometimes know the outcome to. This actually reminds me a lot of the rock paper scissors boss matches in Alex Kidd, and they're just as random here. Even the changing of the wind is left up to chance, though it does seem slightly locked to the area you're currently in. I noticed this time around that the sheer amount of events that happened seems to have been increased greatly. I'm not sure if this was due to the rebalancing of the game itself, or if I was just extremely lucky in my first playthrough on the PC, but even the shortest of journeys had an event or two that sometimes left me struggling. I also noticed that the failure rate of events seems to have been increased, with battles themselves being noticeably harder too. I'm not going to complain about the added difficulty, since it was nice to be kept on my toes at all times, but I'm still not a fan of the randomness involved. Sea battles too often are left purely to chance, random events at sea sometimes don't seem to have anything resembling a "good" outcome, and the shifting of winds adds several in-game days to travelling. These are all things that can be dealt with of course, and they might not even be noticed by players who are experiencing the game for the first time. Though there are aspects of the core gameplay that I'm still not totally on board with, I must say that this Switch version is a big improvement on Sagres' formula overall.

A fight against pirates.

I want to play more Sokoban!

Though my earlier complaints might not be readily noticeable to new players, it's hard to miss how hollow the game can feel after a while. I want to preface what I'm going to say next by noting that I have a lot of positives to say about the gameplay loop that I'll get to later. I simply want to get the bad out of the way first. Back to what I was saying earlier, it's really hard to not notice all the many odd gameplay quirks the game has. The trade system is as pointless as ever, and is probably best avoided altogether. Earning money in-game seems completely broken, and I only managed to make the early game playable by save scumming my way to a fortune via lottery tickets. Then there's the in-game clock system, which seems to not only be totally broken, but also non-important. You'll find that you spend literal in-game weeks leaving and entering cities due to what I can only assume was a misguided attempt at realism. Why they chose to focus on that, but not get much else right historically is beyond me. For those who don’t understand what I mean, Sagres requires you to spend several in-game days "preparing" to enter/exit a city that's relative to your Logistics skill. You can increase this, or recruit someone with a higher Logistics stat, but Lucia will tack on 8 days each way for much of the early game. This adds in-game years to everything, and it's any wonder that her dad is even still alive by the time we do run into him. Actually, this time around I noticed that you can take as many years as you want messing around, and the game will still refer to key events happening very recently. This essentially makes the entire in-game clock/calendar system pointless. Maybe there is a limit if you take 30 in-game years to beat the game, but I spent two before completing any story quests, and the characters still referred to things happening "eight months ago". That may one of my biggest issues with the game, but there are more that I'll mention briefly. Ships are very limited, and they offer no real variety beyond being bigger and stronger than the one that came before. Completing guild quests is still a one-at-a-time affair that could have been greatly reduced if you were able to take on several contracts at once. And some of the contracts are simply "discovering" landmarks that already exist within well-populated cities. There's probably more to get out, but I think you get the point.

Still the best way to get money!

I apparently don't know if China exists.

I may have a laundry list of complaints about the game, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that Sagres can be rather addicting too. There's an almost mobile game-like simplicity to the gameplay loop that kept me coming back even though I'd already seen everything the game has to offer the first time around. Also, something about playing this on the Switch just feels right. It's not a controller thing either, as I played the PC version using one as well. I can't describe it, but I kept thinking that it felt like a console game that was ported to the PC even though it was the other way around. Gameplay moves really fast, It's fun travelling through a virtual representation of the world in the mid-1400's, and there's a humor to everything that's hard to describe on paper. It may make no sense why we'd be "discovering" the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza, but having to answer the Sphinx's riddles is fun nonetheless. The game never seems to take itself too seriously, and I like that it mixes in the fantastical with the historical. There's even some decent gameplay variety in some of the guild quests, as some are completed by playing minigames. Some of these are in the style of classic games like Battleship and Sokoban, and it's a shame that most of them are very brief. Then there's the surprising amount of content in the game. There are tons of cities, dozens of hirable navigators, and lots of items and ship upgrades to purchase. There's even some twists and turns to the story that seem to be better executed out this time around. Some scenes seem to have more illustrations added to them, and I think there was even a rewrite or two going on. Though this is by no means the most in-depth sailing RPG out on the market right now, but there's a beauty to what it does do that makes what it's missing not really matter in the end.

Surprise! Minotaur!

Getting a new ship is always fun.

One aspect that I don't think anyone can really fault Sagres on would have to be its graphics. Sagres has a somewhat retro look that is very reminiscent of the Uncharted Waters series. While I promise that I won't take that comparison too far, it really is the first thing fans of the series are going to notice. It's a 2D world that looks like it would fit in on whatever your 32-bit console of choice is. It's colorful, it's smooth, and there are no hiccups at all during gameplay. Though I don't have many things to complain about when it comes to the game's visuals, it's hard to not notice that there isn't a lot that actually goes on during gameplay. You don't see other boats sailing around, and your ship/horse seem to be one of the few sprites around for long stretches of the game. Despite that one rather large negative, there are tons of positives. Character designs are great, the overworld is colorful and full of detail, the in-game icons are easy to grasp, and the parchment look that permeates the cutscenes is neat. Even the battle screens look fun, and I hated having to get into them. There's all sorts of visual references too, as most of the navigators you can hire seem to be references to other media. Unfortunately, the lack of graphical representation does run pretty deep. Many aspects of the game only exist via text, and that can be rather disappointing. Hope you didn't want to see the mermaids, sirens, or other sea anomalies that are plaguing your ship, the descriptions will have to do. Simply not being able to see your characters walking around in the many cities and towns is a bummer. Despite the fact that there are dozens upon dozens of locations to visit, they all use the same icons to represent what they have to offer. This is a very disappointing aspect of the game, but it's a limitation that I was willing to mostly overlook simply because the game charmed me that much beforehand.

I was a little harsh on Sagres' music the first time around, but I still do think there's a lot of missed opportunities here when it comes to sound. The music is by no means bad, but there aren't many tracks that truly stand out. Some of them are stuck in my head even now thanks to how many times I heard them while playing the game, but not because of their strong compositions. Similar to the graphics, there doesn't seem to be a lot of variety when it comes to the soundtrack. Music seems to always come from the same pool, and the tracks don't change much when you're in a new part of the world. Besides a better soundtrack, I think the game could've really benefited from some sort of voice acting. I know that adding in fully voiced characters might be a bit out of the scope of a release this small, but even things like alternate typing sounds, or something representing different characters talking, would've gone a long way. Seeing as there are no character sprites, and they all only exist as a handful of images, there's no denying that these characters could've used anything that would've fleshed them out more than they are. None of these things are game-breaking of course, but they are things that could've helped elevate the experience.

Did we REALLY discover this?

I still hate this part of the game.

Even though I enjoyed Sagres a whole lot this time around, I'm still surprised that it isn't exactly a long game. Most players will probably beat its main questline in about 15-20 hours, and might be able to almost speedrun it if you know what you're doing. You can obviously spend a lot more time on the game than that, but the game does start to show its limited scope at about the halfway mark. You'll undoubtedly have to spend lots of time completing quests to gain the needed money and fame to progress, but the time spent on them seems to be falsely extended due to the fact that you can only take on one quest at a time. You can try to play it more as an open world experience, but there are lots of roadblocks that require you to go into the main storyline in order to unlock more parts of the game. Perhaps I'd have enjoyed it more if those roadblocks weren't there, but that might be a bit too specific a thing to complain about. That's my big takeaway from the game itself actually, there's a lot of issues I can bring up, but none of them ever feel so bad that they made me not want to play the game. Either way you look at it, this is a game that's going to snatch up a lot of your time, and its current price of $19.99 feels more than reasonable for the amount of content offered. I might think that it could've gotten away being a little cheaper, but at least this game has no Switch Tax added to it. (As in it's still the same price on Steam too.)

Travelling across land is a bit tougher.

Big Main Character energy here.

I gave Sagres a rather loose recommendation when I reviewed it on PC, but this time around I have to say that picking it up on switch is pretty much a no-brainer. It's not only a great game, but there really isn't anything quite like it available. It's fun, it keeps you invested, and it's sure to scratch the itch of those looking for a sailing RPG experience on consoles. It's still no Sid Meier's Pirates, Uncharted Waters, or even Sailing Era, but it really doesn't need to be compared to those games. Sagres does its own thing, and it does it well. Now get to sailing, the world isn't going to discover itself!

Check Out Sagres on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/sagres-switch/

Story: B-
Gameplay: B
Graphics: B+
Music/Sound: B
Value: B

Overall: B

Pros:
+ A fun sailing RPG that feels more at home on the Switch than it does on PC.
+ Feels far more complete than the PC version did. (Though it may have caught up via updates.)
+ Skillfully mixes together historical elements with more fantastical ones to tell a story all its own.
+ The graphics may be limited, but there's a charm to them that's hard to deny.
+ Filled with minigames, random events, and all sorts of other bits of content only the most thorough of players will ever see.
+ Ignoring the main quest and playing just for fun is still something players can do.

Cons:
- Anachronisms, and weirdness with cultures, make this not as great a game as it could've been.
- Small annoyances, like wasting weeks entering and leaving cities, are still here.
- There's a sameness to the game that's hard to miss once you're about halfway through the game.
- The simplistic combat, and the fact that you never get to see your characters walk around towns, make the game feel a bit too simplistic.
- The real-world system still seems odd considering you can take years and years not completing the main story.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

I need a drink!

]]><![CDATA[Game Review: Monument]]>Fri, 10 May 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-monumentBy Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC

Old school FPS games have seen a bit of an uptick recently, and that makes sense since Doom gels perfectly in the current wave of '90s nostalgia. Enter Monument, a throwback to '90s games like the aforementioned Doom and Quake. It's out now for the Nintendo Switch and PC, we're going to be taking a look at the Switch version today. Seeing as this game promises to take us to the gates of Hell itself, we might as well get right to it!

Normally I start my reviews with a look at the game's story, but I'm not exactly sure Monument has one. There seems to be a lot of references to Hell going on throughout, and maybe there are aliens involved, but there seems to be very little in the way of plot to drive the action forward. Unless I somehow missed it, there's not even throwaway references in-game or in the eShop description. I guess this really is a story-less game. That's not necessarily a bad thing of course, as it lets players get right to the shooting in a quick and efficient manner. Let's just say you're a dude wandering what might very well be Hell itself, and it's your job to shoot everything that comes at you. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

While the word "simple" could also be used to describe the gameplay, I think there's a beauty in the way the game handles that simplicity. This is a no-frills first-person shooter, and it's sure to remind old school gamers of classic Quake. There's no surprised as far as controls go. You move with the left analog stick, aim with the right, fire and change weapon with the shoulder buttons, and you can even strafe and jump with the face buttons. You don't have an "unarmed" state, but you do always have a gun or two at your disposal. These guns include all the standards like a pistol, a rifle, a machine gun, a shotgun, a plasma gun, and even a teleport gun. The latter makes things a bit more like Portal, but we'll focus our discussion on the others. There are pros and cons to each weapon, but most players will gravitate to a weapon that suits their play style best. Like to run and gun and get out fast? Then the machine gun or plasma gun are the way to go. Prefer to take things slower with calm, deadly precision? Then the rifle and shotgun will suit you best. Whichever you end up choosing, you will eventually run out of ammo thanks to the enemy count being pretty high. Thankfully ammo drops are generously scattered throughout each of the levels, and there's even a mechanic where you can "purchase" more ammo at the cost of your health. Speaking of which, your health is in even shorter supply than your ammo, but regenerative items and armor pickups are common too. Losing all your health means a game over, but you instantly restart from your last save. That save could be one created automatically, or one created yourself through the pause menu. Since you're able to save at any time, you can technically save scum your way through the game. Though possible, I assure you that it will still take a lot of skill and luck to see the journey to its end.

Enemies in Monument are quite the varied lot, and I'd be lying if I said I could identify what they were exactly. Some look like deformed humans, others like alien creatures, and others still look downright demonic. Most run at you relentlessly, but others will hold back and fire projectiles. Stealth isn't really a thing here, so you'll pretty much always have to face threats head on. There are some tactics that can be used, like using cover to your advantage, but combat can get really hectic really quickly. Also, enemies tend to spawn in large groups once you hit a certain threshold, or when you unlock a door or pick up an item. This means you can easily find yourself in the middle of an ambush if you're not always on your toes. You'll quickly learn to watch for potential spots where enemies may spawn in, and to keep an ear open for any noises that might give away the sudden arrival of nearby enemies. While killing all enemies isn't required to complete any of the game's levels, it makes sense to do so anyway since most in-game areas require lots of backtracking. Don't expect much in the way of puzzle solving or maze exploration, but do expect to encounter a lot of locked doors that require color-coded keys to open. Each level will have of these doors, with one of them leading to the heavily guarded exit. And that's pretty much it, survive long enough to find and get through the exit, and do the same thing in the next level.

Just like the old school shooters of yesteryear, Monument is as tough as they come. There are no difficulty options, and the enemy placement and spawn rates are the epitome of unforgiving. Rather than balance out the game, the developers saw fit to litter each level with health and weapon pickups that you'll need to conserve so they last the entire level. While I can easily see some taking this gameplay quirk as a shortcoming in game design, I appreciated the straight-forward approach. There's no emphasis on stealth here, there's no puzzle solving or wonky platforming, there's not even a lot of thought required in clearing a room full of enemies. It's a simple run and gun type of game, and the players who have the most skill or luck will be the ones who survive the encounter. This is the very definition of a "boomer shooter", and I mean that in the best way possible. I didn't mention it earlier in the review, but I found out during my research that this game began life as a mobile title. Once I learned this I soured on the game a bit, and went in wanting to hate it. I assumed it was going to be shovelware, and was completely biased before even booting it up. Obviously I was wrong, and I feel bad that I was so hard on the game initially. Don't get me wrong, this isn't Game of the Year material, but if you're looking for a fun retro-inspired, action-heavy FPS, then you can't really go wrong with Monument.

Before I wrap up this review, I want to talk a bit about the game's visuals and music. The graphics in Monument are very similar to what you'd find in the original Quake or Unreal, but with a Doom aesthetic slapped on top of everything. It's all very low-poly, with lots of Hell-like visuals, and that's a look that I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoy. Said graphic style might be something of an acquired taste, but Monument really nails the '90s PC vibes perfectly. This game looks amazing when placed in context, and I'm pleased to report that it consistently runs smooth on the Switch. I can easily give just as much praise to the game's soundtrack too. Guitar-heavy metal gets the blood flowing in just about every level, and the soundtrack sounds like it's made up of music from a lost Doom title. Whenever I review a budget title and rave about the music, I can't help but wonder if the music was created specifically for this project, or if it was simply taken from a music library. Though I have no clear answer in this case, I guess I'm willing to overlook it since the music is just that good. My only slight complaint would be that most tracks seem to loop in an odd way, but that's hardly noticeable when the action in full swing. This is no AAA release by any stretch of that definition, but the presentation in Monument really punches above its weight.

After giving Monument several hours of gameplay, I can easily say that picking it up is a no-brainer if you're a fan of the genre. It's by no means a perfect game, but it's fun for what it is, and it comes in at a very affordable $7.00. At that price it's worth picking up just for a quick level or two, and it's even on sale now (at the time of writing at least) for an even lower $1.99. Get it, boot it up, and get to blasting. Hell isn't going to clean itself up after all!

Check Out Monument on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/monument-switch/

Story: N/A
Gameplay: B+
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: B
Value: A

Overall: B+

Pros:
+ A fun retro-inspired FPS in the style of the original Quake.
+ The '90s vibe and aesthetic permeate everything, down to the graphics and music.
+ Though not perfectly balanced, the many health and ammo drops take away some of the sting caused by the game's difficulty
+ An example of simple run-and-gun action done right.
+ Its price makes picking it up almost a no-brainer.

Cons:
- There's no story or plot to speak of.
- Can be very unforgiving at times, even in the first levels.
- Enemy placement can feel very random at times, and some enemies are cheap as hell.
- The graphic style might not be for everyone, and the looping of the music can sometimes take players out of the otherwise enjoyable experience.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

#MonumentFPS

]]><![CDATA[Game Review: Ratyrinth]]>Thu, 09 May 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-ratyrinthBy Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

Even though precision platformers aren't something I normally play, I figured that one that featured a rat would surely be what got me back into the swing of things! Ratyrinth is that game, and it's out now on all major platforms by way of EastAsiaSoft. We're going to be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch version today, and seeing as our rodent friend is already hopping with excitement to get this review going, we're going to dive right in!

Even though I'm not going to bother judging Ratyrinth on its story, I felt I should point out that it technically does have one. You play as a rat who is separated from his family and sets off to find them. That's it, that's the story. It's told to you in the briefest of cutscenes, and I actually had to go back to the start of the game to verify that said story wasn't something created for the eShop description. Our rodent friend of course decided that he was going to take the deadliest path possible in order to rescue his family, and we're all along for the ride. There are 80 levels to go through, and they all vary in difficulty from "kind of hard" to "I don't want to play this anymore". While you'd think I'd say that the levels get progressively harder as you go, I don't think that's the case here. Perhaps in a move to keep players invested, each extremely difficult stage seems to be followed by 3-4 that are relatively easy when compared to it. I guess that could just be something that only I noticed due to my platforming skills (or lack thereof), but I'm fairly positive that it was an intentional move on the part of the developers. With that story talk out of the way, let's move on and discuss gameplay.

Ratyrinth is a brutally tough platformer, but your rat avatar is quite nimble. Our rodent hero can run, jump, duck, cling to walls, and perform a wall jump. It only takes one hit to take out our spunky rodent, though he does have the ability to jump on certain enemies. Jumping on enemies won't kill them, but the ones you can jump on can be used as additional platforms. Most of your enemies come in the form of other animals, but you're just as likely to die from the ever-present bottomless pits and spikes scattered throughout each stage. You'll be doing a lot of dying over the course of the game, but you never have to worry about something as archaic as lives, and you respawn at the start of the stage instantly. Most stages can be completed in a very short time, but they all have a couple tough sections that make getting to the exit far more than a chore than it needs to be. That's actually one of the big issues I had with Ratyrinth, the fact that there are no mid-level checkpoints that allow you to skip sections you've already cleared. Each level has to be completed in a single go, and that can lead to lots of frustration when you struggle just to get back to the section that killed you in the first place. Despite the instant respawns, I found that it often took several minutes to get to the final impossible challenge in those very hard levels. More often than not minutes would be spent getting to a tough section, a spike gets our rat friend, and the cycle starts anew. This quirk of gameplay is ultimately was why I never bothered to beat the game. At around level 50 or so, I just lost all patience and gave up. I promise I won't give up on this review though.

Since Ratyrinth styles itself as a precision platformer, you'd assume that means that it has tight controls. While I'll admit that most actions, like running and jumping, are very tight and responsive, there are others that don't operate nearly as well. While there are a few tiny things I can point out, I think that the biggest culprit in the wonky controls department has to be the wall slide and the wall jump. I've never encountered a more inaccurate wall jump in my life, and the amount of times you're required to use it in-game is simply insane. In order to perform a wall jump, you must first grab onto a wall. I say "grab", but you latch onto it for a second before you start to slide down. You then have to jump away from the wall, but you have to do so at the right time or the slide will negate any upward movement you may have made. You then have to do this back and forth repeatedly until you clear the section. This is all really hard to explain in writing, but you'll more than likely find that jumping up spiked walls, or avoiding enemies and projectiles placed in alcoves, is near impossible thanks to that annoying slide. Every section that required wall jumping were ones that I only cleared by sheer luck. Not once did I feel I grasped the wall jump mechanic, and it too was a reason why I ultimately gave up on the game.

Even though I just laid out two big reasons why Ratyrinth doesn't exactly hit it out of the park when it comes to gameplay, I have to say that it's a great-looking game in spite of those flaws. The graphics are all displayed in a monochrome style, and there's a certain beauty in that simplicity that's hard to describe if you haven't seen the game in action. It almost feels like a manga come to life, and there's even lots of smooth animation that adds to that aesthetic. Since it's not exactly a graphically intense game, it probably comes as no surprise that Ratyrinth runs perfectly no matter what nonsense may be happening on screen. Honestly, it's the graphics that kept me around for the most part, though they weren't enough to get me through to the end. Oh, and if you're not a fan of spiders, there's an arachnophobia box you can check in the options menu to not see them at all in the game. Even though I didn't bother with this myself, I appreciate that it's an included option. Unfortunately, the rest of the presentation doesn't fare nearly as well as the graphics. The music and sound effects are fine, but they're largely forgettable, and there isn't much in the way of menus or a title screen. Hell, I wasn't even sure I saw that opening cutscene the first time through and had to restart the game to confirm it actually had one. Still, the graphics do make up for a lot of the game's shortcomings, and most of the stuff I just mentioned were things I barely noticed while actually playing the game.

I gave Ratyrinth about three hours before I threw in the towel, and who knows how long it would've taken me to clear the entire game. I know that sounds like far too little time for me to write a review, but I'm not exaggerating when I say that at least two of those three hours were spent trying to clear only 2 or 3 levels. I even had a friend who was over help me clear one of them, and that "help" turned into an hour session of us going back and forth until we somehow got through it. With all that in mind, I'm positive that the game can be cleared in well under an hour if you have the skill to just run through it. Obviously most people will need far more time than that, but this isn't exactly a long game if you take away the difficulty. I'm not proud that I ultimately gave up, but I had to do it for the sake of my sanity. Despite the fact that I walked away from it prematurely, I must say that I didn't hate my time with Ratyrinth. There were plenty of times where I was simply having fun, and I'm sure that fans of these types of games will find even more to enjoy here than I did. Also, the game only costs $4.99. At that price, I wouldn't even care if I had bought it outright. It was worth it for the couple hours of distraction, and for me and my friend to have an old school, controller-sharing gaming session.

While I can't give Ratyrinth a full must-buy recommendation, I do think that it's a game that fans of precision platformers will enjoy. That wall jump is wonky as all hell, but maybe others can get the hang of it better than I did. At less than five bucks, it's worth picking up just to see what I'm talking about. If you do choose to get it, be sure to let me know if our rodent friend ever gets to see his family again. I need that closure in my life, because I know that my rat will never see his family ever again. See you in the next one!

Check Out Ratyrinth on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/ratyrinth-switch/

Story: N/A
Gameplay: C
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: B
Value: A

Overall: B-

Pros:
+ A challenging platformer for those who enjoy such things.
+ The monochrome graphic style looks great, as do the enemy designs and animation.
+ With the exception of the wall-jump, all the controls feel tight and responsive.
+ Quick respawns mean you get back into the action quickly after death.
+ Very affordable at just $4.99

Cons:
- The wall-jump mechanic seems near broken and makes many challenges harder than they need to be.
- Much of the difficulty comes from the lack of mid-level checkpoints rather than challenging platforming.
- There isn't much in the way of presentation, and there's no story to speak of at all.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

]]><![CDATA[Game Review: Timberdoku]]>Wed, 08 May 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-timberdokuBy Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Fans of puzzle games have a lot to enjoy already on the Nintendo Switch, but there's a new game in town that just might grab their attention for a while. Coming to us by way of Leoful Entertainment, Timberdoku is a line-clearing puzzle game that has several mechanics that seek to make it stand out in an already crowded genre. We're going to be taking a look at the game today, and seeing as we have a lot to go over, let's get right into it!

Describing puzzle games that involve the placing of shapes to clear lines often boils down to comparing it to Tetris and something else. Even though it may be somewhat boring to go that route, I'm going to do my best to give Timberdoku one of those comparisons. Simply put, Timberdoku is what you'd get if you mixed Tetris with Sudoku, and threw in a bit of Columns for good measure too. There, that's the review. No, but seriously, while there's a lot going on here that has to be explained, that one sentence does an okay job in describing the game. We'll cover the jewel mechanic that brought me to mention Columns later in the review, but most of Timberdoku falls into the "Tetris meets Sudoku" label. You are given three blocks at a time, and they can pretty much be in any configuration. You then take the blocks and place them in 9x9 grid that is divided into 9 smaller 3x3 grids. Lines are cleared if you fill in a line completely from left-to-right or top-to-bottom, or if you manage to fill up an entire 3x3 grid. Either way, this means filling in some solid shape of 9 blocks. You're then given a score that's dependent on how many lines/grids you've cleared, and if you're able to get a clear chain going. You must place all three of your blocks before you're given more, and the game ends when you have a piece that you no longer have space for on the board. That sounds simple enough, but let's go over some of the intricacies that make Timberdoku unique.

The most interesting aspect of Timberdoku, and the thing that makes it challenging, has to be how the game handles block pieces. While many of the shapes the blocks take will be familiar to players of Tetris, there are some that are just strange. Throughout Timberdoku you'll be given U-shaped pieces, long L-shaped ones, lines from 2-5 blocks in length, single blocks, and even diagonal lines. I'm not sure how many block variants are in the game, but the sheer variety never ceased to amaze me in the Endless Mode. Placing these requires a lot of thought too, as their odd shape can leave gaps that can be near impossible to fill once created. These gaps will either need smaller pieces to fill them in, or you'll have to clear several surrounding lines in order to get to them. The other odd thing about placing shapes is that you can't actually rotate them. This will probably throw most players for a loop, as that mechanic feels key to any shape-based, line-clearing puzzle game. This makes a lot more sense within the context of the game, but it can be a harsh thing for newcomers to learn. I still try in vain to rotate pieces from time to time. Also, since you're given three pieces at once, you often have to plan how and where you're going to place each one. You may notice early on that one of them won't fit onto the board as it currently stands, so your job will be to clear a space for it with the other two. It all works surprisingly well, even if the mechanics do take a bit of getting used to.

While what I just described works for all of Timberdoku, I mainly had the Endless Mode in mind. Endless Mode is your standard non-stop puzzle game mode where score is all that matters. It's fun for a while, but the Adventure Mode is probably a better place to hone one's skills. This mode offers 80 challenges that either involve hitting a certain score threshold, or clearing a certain number of gems. The first goal is rather self-explanatory, but the gems mechanic require more explanation. In Adventure Mode, gems take the place of some block pieces, both on the board and attached to shapes that spawn in, and you need to clear a certain amount of each color to progress. This is easier than it sounds though, as it just means that a gem has to either be in a line, or in a 3x3 grid, when it's cleared in order for it to count. If you're not given enough gems on the board when a stage starts, you have to wait for them to spawn in along with your playing pieces. That's one challenging aspect of these stages, but the other has to be the fact that all Adventure Mode stages already have pre-placed blocks in them. These can be rather troublesome, as you'll often spend the first few turns trying to clear the mess that's in the stage when you first enter it. While I don't think any of the Adventure Mode stages are particularly difficult, they can be rather challenging if the game's RNG gives you pieces that simply don't work with the blocks already placed. It makes for some game overs that feel a bit unfair, but it's a great mode nonetheless. Oh, and before anyone says anything, I know that what I just described has very little to do with Columns. I just figured I'd mention it earlier since bother have jewel/gem-related mechanics.

There isn't a lot presentation-wise worth mentioning about Timberdoku. Everything about it is rather simple, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. There's not a lot of color, there's not much in the way of music, and even the title screen is rather bare bones. I'm not even sure what the visual theme is supposed to represent, as I think it revolves around wood and a farm, but I can't be sure. It does have touch controls if you're playing in Handheld Mode, but that actually made me wonder if this were all some sort of mobile port. It's probably not the best puzzle game out there, but fans of the genre are sure to sink several hours into this one, and I have to admit that the gameplay concept of mixing Tetris and Sudoku is rather unique. It's big saving grace has to be its price, as it currently sits at a very affordable $4.99. That makes picking it up a rather simple choice, even if it's not the most robust puzzle game out there.

While I personally don't think there's a lot about Timberdoku that makes it stand out among the puzzle genre greats, I have to admit that I had a lot of fun during my time with it, and I appreciated the way that it changed up the standard line-clearing format. It's not a must-buy title by any means, but puzzle game fans might want to take a look at it if they're feeling adventurous. It's a nice distraction, and it comes in at a very reasonable price. Just keep an eye out for those big pieces, those are sure to ruin anyone's day!

Check Out Timberdoku on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/timberdoku-switch/

Story: N/A
Gameplay: B
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: C
Value: A

Overall: B

Pros:
+ A great puzzle game that mixes Tetris-style line-clearing within a Sudoku-like playing field.
+ The sheer variety of pieces the game throws at you is sure to keep you on your toes in a way Tetris rarely does.
+ While the Endless Mode is entertaining, the Adventure Mode is sure to keep players invested for several hours.
+ At just $4.99 at the time of this writing, picking it up isn't a big investment money-wise.
+ Clearing blocks is just fun.

Cons:
- Not being able to rotate pieces can take a long time to wrap one's head around.
- Some Adventure Mode stages feel unfair due to the RNG of the pieces given in regards to the blocks already placed in the puzzle.
- Just isn't quite as addicting as other similar puzzle games.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

]]><![CDATA[Game Review: Mothered]]>Tue, 07 May 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-motheredBy Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

I've played a lot of horror games over the years, but I don't think any have come close to creeping me out in the way that Mothered has. Styled as a "role-playing horror game", it comes to us by way of Delores Entertainment, and is available on just about every major platform. We're going to be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch release today, and seeing as there's a lot of ground to cover here, we're going to get right into it!

Mothered has one of the strangest stories I've ever experience in a video game, but I'll do my best to explain it. You take on the role of Liana, a young girl who's returning home after an operation that has caused her to be apart from her mother for quite some time. She is taken to her mother's home by her father, but he mysteriously doesn't want to show his face. Things get weirder from there, and you learn that no member of Liana's family seems quite right. Her brother only sometimes talks to her through his door, never leaving his room, and her mother appears to be a mannequin. I actually thought that last part was just a quirk of the graphic style being used, but it becomes apparent over the course of the game that Liana is in fact seeing her mother as something other than human. That feeling is apparently mutual though, as Liana's mother seems to have trouble adjusting to her daughter being home again. Things get weirder from there as Liana's mother gives her various tasks to fill up her week at home. That's the other thing, Liana isn't going to stay at her mother's home forever, and she’s actually set to be picked up again by her father after only seven days. What starts out as a family reunion quickly turns horrific in ways that I can't really get into without also going into spoilers. This all might sound very confusing when laid out like this, but rest assured that it all (mostly) makes sense within the context of the game. I'm going to circle back around to the story in a bit, but I want to get it out the way now that I think it's by far the strongest aspect of the game, and it's sure to keep players glued to their screens.

There isn't a lot of gameplay in Mothered, but I guess it could be classified as a first person adventure game. As mentioned earlier, he game refers to itself as a role-playing horror game, but the only role-playing elements I can think of come in the form of a level up mechanic I'll explain later. Most of the game sees you move around the house in a first person view, and interacting with people and objects using the shoulder buttons. The game has something of an in-game clock, with the week slowly advancing as you complete each task given to you by Mother. These "tasks" are all rather simple things like talking to Mother, eating Liana's favorite breakfast, answering the phone when Liana's father calls, or even picking apples. Speaking of picking apples, I want to get that part of the game out of the way now as it's the only section that made me truly feel frustrated. At one point of the game you're tasked by Liana's mother to pick eight apples, but there appear to only be exactly eight apples available to be picked and the graphics do you no favors in seeing said apples in the trees. This single task took me about 30 minutes to complete, and I was so done with the game at that moment that a lot of the weight and impact of what should've been a very creepy scene was lost. That's probably the only task worth really describing, as most of them are far simpler to complete. You usually simply have to find mother, and do whatever she asks you to. Or maybe you don't...

I don't want to give away the specifics, but Mothered actually operates on a loop. More than likely you'll finish the game the first time only to see it loop back around to the beginning. One of your goals is to figure out how to break this cycle. I only mention this bit of a spoiler as I think it's not quite obvious that this is what your greater task is. I only kept playing out of sheer curiosity, but I could see others simply give up there. That's not even a bad thing admittedly, as leaving the game at that point does still give you a good sense of what is happening in-game. It's also easy to lock yourself out of changing things up in subsequent playthroughs as the game autosaves at the beginning of each day. And that's pretty much it for gameplay in Mothered. Figure out what tasks are expected of you, and either do them or don't. While this does mean that the game technically has multiple endings, only one can be classified as the "true" ending. On an interesting note, I think it may be possible to accidentally stumble into said true ending on your first playthrough if you either know what you're doing, or if you're simply someone who thinks a bit outside the box. I'm sort of going in circles at this point, but that's mostly because there's very little else to discuss as far as gameplay is concerned. I mentioned levelling up earlier, and there is something of a mechanic where you gain an important in-game percentage each time you perform certain actions. This is related to the ending you'll eventually get, so it's something you're going to want to watch out for. This might all sound like I'm being vague for the sake of being vague, but that's mostly because I truly want to preserve that first-time experience for those who may want to get right into the game after reading this review.

Very recently I reviewed a similar game that was also published by Delores Entertainment called The Enigma Machine (You can find that review HERE), and Mothered actually shares a lot of similarities with that game when it comes to presentation. There may be no computer interface this time around, but Mothered has the same low-poly, PS1-era 3D feel that the exploration segments do in The Enigma Machine. They once again remind me of a Puppet Combo title, but even more so this time around since this game leans far more into its horror elements. I once again have to admit that the visuals are something of an acquired taste, but I personally fell in love with the glitchy, VHS-style look of the game. The graphics complement the game perfectly, and I can't imagine it being presented in any other style. Amazingly, I can also say pretty much the same things about the game's sound. There isn't a lot in the way of traditional music here, but there's a lot of spooky and atmospheric tracks that accentuate whatever is on screen at any given time. It may sound rather trite to say that the music has a movie-like quality to it, but the only thing wrong with that statement would be that I rarely hear music this good in any horror movie. There's even a lot of jump scares that work better than anything I've seen before, and they work almost exclusively thanks to their attached sound effects. It's probably the hardest thing to describe in writing, but seeing and hearing the game is action is truly something else.

Mothered is by no means a long game. First time players can easily clear it in about 1-2 hours, even if they too get stuck in the orchard scene like I did. There is the loop mechanic I mentioned earlier though, so I think full completion falls more in the 2-3 hour range. Obviously this means it's a very short experience, but at just $4.99 it offers more than enough content for its price. Actually, that's not really fair as I'd have to say that its price feels almost too low for how great this game is. Saying that I enjoyed my time with Mothered would be an understatement. It actually worked its way so deep into my head that I now count it among my favorite games of all time. I've never experienced a horror story told in this fashion, and it's simply executed perfectly. I mentioned The Enigma Machine earlier, but now it's time for me to reveal that there's a bigger reason as to why and Mothered look so similar. Though I can't seem to find much about their release dates online, Mothered appears to be a prequel to The Enigma Machine. I didn't reveal that game's story in my review, and I won't reveal more of Mothered's here, but the connections are so deep and jarring that I don't think I'll ever forget playing them for the rest of my life. I'm so glad that random chance brought me to play them practically back-to-back. I really don't want to be hyperbolic, but these games are just that good.

Do I even have to say how I feel about the game overall? Not only do I give Mothered the highest of recommendations, but I suggest you grab The Enigma Machine along with it. The fact that both games will cost you less than ten dollars almost feels criminal, but it also means that you pretty much have no excuse to not grab them both right now. Pick them up on whatever platform you can, clear your weekend, turn down the lights, boot up the game, and thank me later. These are some of the best horror games I've ever played, and they deserve a high spot when discussing excellent video games in general. Even though these both seem to have released quite a while ago, I hope that it's not the last we see from this series. (If one can even call it that.) Anyway, I'm done here. It's time for us all to hurry along, we wouldn't want to keep Mother waiting.

Check Out Mothered on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/mothered-a-role-playing-horror-game-switch/

Story: A+
Gameplay: B
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A
Value: A+

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A truly creepy horror experience that is like no other.
+ One of the best written stories I've seen in a video game across any genre.
+ Breaking the loop and achieving the "true" ending really requires a lot of thought and action on the part of the player.
+ The low poly graphics give off a very nostalgic PS1 feel.
+ The atmospheric soundtrack sounds like it belongs in a horror movie far above this game's budget.
+ At just $4.99, both Mothered and The Enigma Machine are clear must-buys.

Cons:
- The controls can be a bit clunky at times.
- The graphics and subject matter may not be for everyone.
- That orchard section is sure to try the patience of most players... but maybe it's meant to?

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

It's Wednesday, my dudes!

#MotheredConsoleEdition

]]><![CDATA[A Class Reunion You'll Actually Want to Attend: A Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Edition Review]]>Mon, 06 May 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/a-class-reunion-youll-actually-want-to-attend-a-class-of-heroes-2g-remastered-edition-reviewBy Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC

I've already mentioned my love of the first two Class of Heroes titles in my review of the first game (Which can be found HERE), but I think it's the sequel where things really get interesting. Rounding out the new PQube-published Class of Heroes re-releases is Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Edition available now for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC. We will once again be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch release, but I'm sure most of what I'm going to say will apply to both versions. I already know that this is going to be a long one, so let's jump right into it!

The principal is an alcoholic!

Costini is always welcoming to near-dead heroes.

The Class of Heroes series isn't exactly known for its strong stories, and Class of Heroes 2G is no different in that regard. You play as a new student at Crostini Academy, and you're tasked with creating and guiding a group of fellow students on the road to becoming the best adventurers the world has ever seen. Once again I'm a little confused as to who exactly it is that you're playing as, since you're addressed directly by several NPCs before you even assemble your first party of adventurers. Third party protagonist or not, neither you nor the characters you create have any particular role to play within the story itself, instead things are driven forward by the game's many NPCs. It probably goes without saying that the cast is just as colorful this time around, with fellow student Olive being your main point of contact between the Academy and your party. There are several more students and teachers for you to get to know as well. There's the silly dwarf student Coppa, the wishes-he-was-a-fairy laboratory instructor Giorgio, the unbeatable swordsmaster Dante, the slightly creepy Vice Principal Vese, the rather sus health teacher Galenus, and plenty of others that I don't have time to discuss. Class of Heroes 2G has dozens of characters of all types, and I'm pleased to say that they're all well-written and easy to love. While I do think that these characters do a good job driving the game forward, the school setting does feel a bit removed from the gameplay. I praised the first game for integrating the Academy itself into most of its other systems, but there's quite a bit of less of that here. While there probably won't be many stretches of the game where you're not reminded that you're simply a group of students, it doesn't really give players the same feeling of your adventures taking the place of attending classes or taking tests. I guess one could just imagine the entire game as a series of afterschool sessions, but I do think it's a missed opportunity to expand on what the first game provided.

In my review for Class of Heroes I discussed my history with the series, and my many biases between the first two games. I basically stated that I loved both games for different reasons, but I feel that Class of Heroes 2G is where the series really gets off the ground. Even though that may sound like I played the second game far more than the first, that wasn't actually the case. I don't want to get too deep into the weeds when it comes to details that don't matter, but it took years for me to finally get my hands on Class of Heroes 2. Basically the original PSP and PS3 versions of the game were released in very limited physical versions only to people who preordered them from a company known as GaijinWorks. This release (at least the PSP version) was first mentioned back in 2009/10, but it wasn't until 2013 that players in the West were able to finally play it. I was indeed one of the lucky few who got both physical releases, but I played them both digitally to preserve what are probably some of the rarest games I own. I immediately fell in love with the original PSP version, but initially cut my time with it short when I learned that an updated PS3 release was coming soon. This release was the actually the one we're reviewing today, and it included all sorts of additions and even full voice acting. Though I did play that one too, I never really strayed from the PSP version. The problem was that by 2013 I wasn't really playing my PSP. I basically only kept it around for Class of Heroes 2, and that meant that my time with it was far more limited than the first game. That didn't mean I didn't enjoy it far more than the first, but I figured it was worth pointing out that my biases aren't based simply on having played one more than the other. With all that in mind, I'll try to keep my comparisons as relevant as possible, and my biases to a minimum.

Olive is new best girl!

Fast travel is such a time saver.

I could very easily make this review twice as long by simply rehashing what I've already said about gameplay in my review for the first Class of Heroes game. Rather than doing that, I think I’m going to instead focus on discussing what this game does differently, and provide context as needed. While both Class of Heroes games are dungeon crawlers, I like to think of the first one as being heavily influenced by the unforgiving classic Wizardry games, while this one goes for a more player-friendly approach. The steep learning curve is still there, and you'll more than likely have a few encounters that take out your entire party in one fell swoop, but Class of Heroes 2G does a much better job when it comes to establishing better difficulty and progression balance. You once again assemble a party of up to six adventurers, and this time the default party is not complete expulsion-worthy trash. I actually used the default characters as my main party for the purposes of this review, and it's not a bad idea for players new to the genre/series to do the same. If you choose to create your own characters, you'll find that there's a lot of new additions this time around. All the races return, but their bonuses and weaknesses are better implemented, and there is far more variety within the character classes. I mentioned most of the notable races the first time around, but it's worth mentioning that there aren't as many "obvious" classes certain races are forced into. Fairies are still mainly magic users, dwarves still have high strength and the like, Elves make good rangers as always, but you can more realistically put most any race into any class if you have enough patience and determination. Besides the obvious classes like fighter, monk, mage, and ranger, you can also create ninjas, puppeteers, and idols. There are also advanced classes that require stat minimums that have to be met by levelling up in an adjacent class. Each race and class feel far more unique this time around, and there doesn't seem to be as much pointless filler. I did find it a bit odd that just about every class learns magic even if it doesn't seem like they should (Looking at you fighter!), but I guess class growth of that kind isn't exactly anything to complain about.

The first boss is really hard!

Other towns have limited resources.

Character creation and party balance isn't the only way the game is improved, as there are several other quality of life changes that speedline adventuring. For example, magic no longer has a per use cost but uses MP instead. This change means that magic users are far more useful early on as they aren't limited to just two or three spells before they have to rest. Exploration is made easier as fast travel can be achieved once you purchase an area's map and have filled in the relevant areas. This makes the frequent retreads through lower level areas far less of a chore in the long run. The entire alchemy system is made more streamlined, and you no longer have to identify materials before they can be used. Getting rid of that identify step not only ensures that players will actually use the alchemy mechanic, but it's also a big weight lifted off the party's budget. Then there's the alignment system that's been made more refined, which along with synergy is made far less important than it was in the first game. That may sound like a negative, but it actually means that gambits can be used far more frequently, and that you'll have access to more of them too. I can go on like this, but I think you get the point regarding this game's improvements. It almost feels as if the developers put out a survey asking what players didn't particularly enjoy in the first game, and then actually worked to improve the game based on those suggestions. I don't want to make it sound like it's all a cakewalk now, because it really isn't. There simply far fewer aspects of the game that seem to work against players this time around.

Considering the fact that you'll be spending much of your time in dungeons, let's discuss those for a bit. While they pretty much operate the same as they did in the first game, there are some changes worth mentioning. While I already discussed the fast travel bit earlier, the map system makes things far more accessible to the player. You can see warp tiles and traps on the maps, and there are even notations on each exit that indicate where they lead. The first dungeon in the game, The Forest of Beginnings, is also probably the best intro to the game that once could hope for. It seems large and expansive when you first enter it, but you'll quickly learn the layout of its four regions in no time. It also serves as an indirect tutorial to multiple game mechanics as you'll learn about different tile types, monster encounter spaces, the floating mechanic, and even how event squares work. It's a fun little area that you'll see a lot as you'll be forced to pass through it several times in the early game in order to get to the more advanced dungeons in the game. The repeated pass-throughs were rather enjoyable though, as there's probably no better feeling of accomplishment than plowing through enemy encounters that used to give you trouble. There will definitely still be times where you get find yourself in a jam several maps deep, but this is no trial-by-fire first dungeon. Even when you get beyond that dungeon, don't expect to get your entire party stuck in a hopeless situation like you could in the first game either. Hell, I'm not even sure this game even has a party rescue mechanic because I never once had to use it.

The bulletin board is important for progress.

Don't forget about alchemy!

Class of Heroes 2G is a very non-linear game, and its story is mainly told via a series of quests. This is my cue to once again say that I miss how integrated the school aspect was in the first game's main questlines. While you still get all your quests from fellow students and faculty, there inclusion could very well be an afterthought. That not to say that the quests here aren't without their own charm. What Class of Heroes 2G ditches in keeping the framing up at all times, it gains in sheer characterization and world-building. Many quests will introduce you to new characters in very a natural way, and you'll come to learn all about them the more you complete their requests. Even though the game feels like it moves quite a bit faster than the first, it has a much bigger world that features many more dungeons, more cities, and even three schools. The other two academies don't come into play until quite a bit into the game, but they're a neat addition nonetheless. Early on you'll find that you have to finish every quest in order for the story to progress, but things become more open-ended as the game goes on. Nearly half the game is made up of optional quests and areas, but I think that's one of the things that makes this sequel far greater. You can never have too much of a good thing, right?

I guess all my talk about gameplay in Class of Heroes 2G is circling around to the point that this probably the single best example of a dungeon crawling RPG of its era that you're likely to ever play. While I wouldn't say that it's perfect, I would say that it's damn near close. It surpasses the first game in just about every way, and maybe is only outdone by its own sequel. (Note: I have yet to play Class of Heroes 3.) I pointed out in my review for the first game that I'd refrain from talking too much about this one, but it seems that I didn't hold myself to that same standard in the writing of this review. I guess that has more to do with the both games being released back-to-back this time around, but it also has to do with the fact that Class of Heroes 2G feels more like an improved redux of the first game rather than a true sequel. There's obviously different characters and a different story here, but everything about it seems to be an attempt to perfect the first game's formula rather than attempting a true follow-up. This was actually a problem I had when I played the game back on the PSP, as it simply replaced Class of Heroes in my rotation in a way that sequels usually don't. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're only planning on playing one Class of Heroes game, make it Class of Heroes 2G. You really won't regret it. Now excuse me as I slowly regret making that point in a review that's only about halfway done.

Not weird at all...

Everyone is named after food.

Seeing as both Class of Heroes games have very similar art styles, you'd think I'd have to say that they both fare about the same when it comes to visuals, but I'd still have to give Class of Heroes 2G the edge. Not only do the character, monster, and area designs all look as good as the first game, but there are far more of them too. While I still have the same gripe regarding the rather limited character portraits, the game makes up for it with just about everything else it offers. There's more detail to everything, less reliance on text-only menus, and the various dungeons and base locations have their own distinct look and feel. Simply put, the world feels more fleshed out in ways that are hard to explain. Races like the dwarves, felpurrs, and fairies felt rather generic the first time around, here they have personalities all their own. That may sound like a point that shouldn't be included in a discussion on visuals, but you'll see what I mean once you start meeting students of the various races. I guess I have to say that I miss not having a robust image gallery in this one, but not only is that a rather small issue in the grand scheme of things, but I'm also not sure it won't unlock once I fully beat the game. There still isn't a lot in the way of actual animation, but one could make the point that it's a limitation that's present in many other titles in the genre. Also, while I would definitely expect things to be far more impressive if this was a newly released game in 2024, we have to of course remember that this is an update of a game that's well over a decade old. In that regard I guess we can forgive its few graphical shortcomings, even though I don't think any concession needs to be made in regard to the game's visuals.

Going along with the overall theme of the review, I have pretty much nothing negative to say about the music or sound design in Class of Heroes 2G. The soundtrack is perfect for what it is, even if I do sometimes think that the dungeon music is a bit too dramatic and ominous than it needs to be. Thanks to the overall length of the game, the soundtrack is quite large, and there isn't a bad track in the bunch. In fact, there are several that were stuck in my head throughout my time writing this review. I often say things like: "I'm going to go pick up this soundtrack after I'm done with the game!" but in this case I already have it. The limited PSP release I mentioned earlier came with a 2-Disc soundtrack, and it's been one of my favorites throughout the years. And that's just talking about the instrumentals. The opening cutscene and closing credits feature amazing vocal tracks that have seen heavy rotation in my video game playlists. If that were all I had to say about things it would be fine enough, but unlike the original Class of Heroes, this game is fully voiced. This little touch of presentation brings the entire world to life, and it's one of the main reasons why I keep going back to the fact that I love the game's characters. They're just made all the more memorable and endearing through the voice acting. Admittedly there is no English dub option, but that's never been an issue for me. That said, it would've been nice to have included an English-language option since the game was getting the remastered treatment. Once again, I have nothing at all bad to say about the sound in Class of Heroes 2G, and I encourage everyone to grab its soundtrack after you're done with this review!

WTF are these?!?!

I think this is all a Wizardy VI/VII reference.

I mentioned in my review for the first Class of Heroes game that one of the few things it had over its sequel was its difficulty and hardcore dungeon crawling nature. I have yet to personally compare the two games in regards to how long it takes to clear everything in each of them, but I can say that they both square up rather evenly when it comes down to their runtime. Even though Class of Heroes 2G is a lot smoother in its progression and difficulty, it stuffs in far more content than the first game. There are many more dungeons to explore, more locations to see, dozens of party combinations to try out, and it's simply the more enjoyable experience overall. The biggest factor has to be that it cares far more about your time than the first game did. You can probably clear the main storyline in about 30 hours if you're just running through the main questline, but you're looking at well over 50 hours if you really want to see everything the game has to offer. I never actually completed the game fully back on the PSP, but I recall putting in about that many hours nonetheless. This is quite the time sink of a game, but none of the time spent on it feels like filler. Considering that both Class of Heroes games currently come with the same $19.99 price tag, it probably makes sense as to which game I suggest you go with if you're only going to get one. Once again, they're both great and offer their own unique gameplay quirks, but Class of Heroes 2G is a must buy for fans of dungeon crawling RPGs.

Always keep your guard up.

Beware Dante!

I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I give Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Edition the highest of recommendations. It's an amazing game that has truly held up over the years, and it's an excellent dungeon crawling RPG. Getting to play it again was a delight, and I hope that this means that we'll be getting the third game in the series soon. I didn't mention it earlier, but there's actually a more recent spin-off game in the series that players might want to check out once they clear this. It's called Adventure Academia, and you can find our review of it HERE. Anyway, grab this one on whatever platform you can and thank me later. Just make sure you're not late to class or Dante will make sure you pay for it!

Check Out Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Edition on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/class-of-heroes-2g-remaster-edition-switch/

Story: A-
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A
Value: A+

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A near perfect dungeon crawling RPG that improves on the first game in just about every way.
+ Hits the perfect difficulty balance where things never feel too easy or difficult.
+ Great monster, character, and dungeon designs make this a feast for the eyes.
+ Not only does the game feature an amazing soundtrack, but it's fully voice acted too.
+ Even though it moves far faster than the first game, it still features about double the content.
+ Advanced character classes, optimized party setups, and a rich alchemy system give players a lot to dive into.
+ At just $19.99, it's a must buy for any fan of the genre.

Cons:
- Even though it's better balanced overall, it still has a rather steep learning curve.
- While there aren't any character classes that feel useless this time around, there are some that feel far more overpowered than others.
- Definitely more heavy on gameplay over story, so it may not be for those looking for a more plot-driven experience.
- Though it didn't bother me at all, the game doesn't have an English-language dub.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

This game even has its own Tingle!

#ClassOfHeroes2

]]><![CDATA[Game Review: The Enigma Machine]]>Sun, 05 May 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/game-review-the-enigma-machineBy Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation 4, PC

I'm no stranger to adventure games, but even I find The Enigma Machine to be a rather odd entry into the genre. It features both text-only and low-poly, first-person 3D segments, and plenty of sci-fi horror elements that tell one of the strangest stories I've ever encountered. It's out now on the XBox, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch, and we're going to be taking a look at the Switch version today. As the name implies, this is quite the mysterious game, so let's dispense with all the intros and dive right in!

There are some parts of the plot of The Enigma Machine that still elude me even after completing it, but I'm going to do my best to lay out its story here. You play as a test user (Apparently called a RADE?) that's currently demoing a computer program known as DREAMSCAPE. The virtual world of DREAMSCAPE is meant to simulate the mind of an AI, and your guide throughout this journey is a program known as demOS. demOS doesn't remember too much about itself, but it tasks you to travel through the various levels of the DREAMSCAPE in order to recover the codes that might help it remember what series of events brought it to its current state. Seeing as you'll be going in and out of a virtual world, it may come as no surprised that the game is split between the distinct parts. All interaction with demOS is done via text-only interactions on a computer console, and you're given free rein to explore a series of 3D environments whenever you're in DREAMSCAPE. As mentioned earlier, each of DREAMSCAPE's worlds hide a code, and your goal is to figure out where they're hidden in each level. Finding the code and inputting it into demOS' console then progresses the story. While I don't want to reveal too much more about what's going on in-game for fear of dipping into spoiler territory, I will say that I found The Enigma Machine's storytelling to be one of its strongest aspects. There were other parts of the game that I was far less enthused about going through, but I always did so with the hope that the next story section would be compelling enough to make it all worth it. That always turned out to be the case thankfully, but I think that's as good a segue as any to move onto discussing gameplay.

Though it may sound like an odd comparison, I couldn't help but feel that The Enigma Machine reminded me a lot of how gameplay worked in the original Myst. This is mainly due to the open-ended puzzle solving sections of the 3D parts of the game, and also the reliance of messing with contraptions as opposed to managing a huge inventory system. These 3D segments are all in the first person, and you interact with objects using the shoulder buttons. Figuring out each level's puzzles can take you the long time, or you can simply breeze through them depending on how well you're able to figure out what is expected of you. Each level just sort of throws you in with no instructions, so solving each puzzle requires you to first learn what the puzzle even is. The levels don't really have a beginning or end to them, and you can leave them once you get what you want. You can even clear the entire game without partaking in any puzzle solving if you know the codes needed to progress. (As in by looking them up or remembering them from a previous playthrough.) Obviously skipping the entire game this way doesn't help you in the long run, but it is an option that's there. While I personally don't think any of the puzzles were particularly difficult to solve, I figured I'd drop that bit there just in case anyone is hopelessly stuck in some of the admittedly obtuse 3D exploration sections.

In the end the only thing that really matters in-game are your interactions with demOS. Sadly, it's these interactions that I feel are the weakest part of the game. Finding screenshots that I felt captured the game was the bane of my existence as they were all either filled with giant, jagged textures, or filled with tiny, glitchy text. Reading the dialogue (if you can call it that) from demOS is easy enough in the first half of the game, but things start to become nearly unreadable halfway through. Glitches occupy a lot of the screen, and bright lights blur out the font. This is all exacerbated when you see the in-game keyboard that you have to use. I understand the vibe the game was going for, but simply picking from on-screen options would've shaved minutes off the game time. Typing out "contamination" on a keyboard controlled by an analog stick, and also full of the same on-screen glitches, isn't my idea of fun. I played the entire game docked, but I imagine it would be nearly unreadable if one were to play it in Handheld Mode. Thankfully most of these sections are just reading, but it did make for a rather uneven experience.

Presentation-wise, I have to admit that The Enigma Machine is something of an acquired taste. The graphics in the 3D sections are low-poly models that remind me of the PS1-inspired survival horror games of Puppet Combo. I actually had to look up if this was one of their games when I first booted it up. Some might find a bit of nostalgia to the look and feel of the graphics, but they're not all perfect even within the context of their style. Textures constantly bleed into one another, and there are times when the lighting seems to be completely broken. The graphics work for the most part, but there are some sections that were just as buggy as the later demOS bits. I've already discussed those demOS sections of the game earlier, but I think the change in graphic style was a bit odd due to how different they are to the other parts of the game. A very 80s computer interface feels a bit odd when it's mixed with 90s-era 3D graphics. It makes one wonder who the game was made for. While I'm of the opinion that the game falls short of greatness visually, I do think it hit it out of the park when it comes to its sound design. This isn't a soundtrack that's going to have you run out and buy it as soon as you're done with the game, but it's one that perfectly sets and enhances the mood throughout the entire experience. Every single piece of sound works in tandem with the game, and I'll admit that there were some parts where a soundbite jump scared me.

The Enigma Machine is a rather short game at about 1-2 hours depending on how long it takes you to figure out some of its more difficult puzzles. You can even speedrun it a bit by simply inputting the codes right off the bat like I mentioned earlier. Though it's not going to be hold your attention for very long, I do think it's a rather great experience overall in spite of that. It's creepy, it tells its story in a very unique way, and it's a game that I don't see myself forgetting any time soon. It also comes in at a very affordable price of just $4.99. Rather than look at this as a standard gaming experience, I think of it more akin to watching an interactive movie that is priced with budget in mind. What genre of interactive movie it is though is probably a matter for further debate. It may not be the most accessible game out there, but it definitely is one of the most affordable.

Even though I have to admit that there are parts of The Enigma Machine that won't appeal to all players, I still have to say that I think it's a game worth picking up. It doesn't ask for much time or money, and there really isn't anything else like it. As long as you go in expecting some level of jank and wonkiness, you'll be fine. Grab it now on whatever platform you can, and get to solving the mystery behind demOS and DREAMSCAPE!

Check Out The Enigma Machine on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/the-enigma-machine-switch/

Story: A
Gameplay: B-
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: A
Value: A

Overall: B+

Pros:
+ A unique take on the adventure game genre that mixes together an 80s-style computer interface and 90s-style 3D graphics.
+ One of the strangest stories I've seen in a while. Does not go at all where you're thinking.
+ Music and sound are totally spot on and create the perfect eerie atmosphere.
+ At just $4.99, this game feels like a steal.

Cons:
- The visuals in both sections of the game can be a bit of an eyesore at times.
- The clunky keyboards in the demOS segments, and the wonkiness of the 3D sections, make the entire game feel a bit jank.
- Can be fully cleared in about an hour, with very little reason to go back to it afterwards.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

#TheEnigmaMachine

]]>