I do not understand Sker Ritual. At all. It seems that at every opportunity the developers took what was great about Maid of Sker and do the exact opposite to it, and so now, across just two games in the “Sker” property, we’ve got a confused mess across the “franchise” that seems to have no creative idea behind it beyond…
Hello everyone, and welcome to the bumper podcast we have for you for May! In addition to talking through all the big games coming out this month (it’s dominated by one game in particular… can you guess what game?), we also chat through two big topics: Firstly, with Final Fantasy…
Read MoreDokapon Kingdom: Connect is a clever little attempt to take the board game format, and apply it to an RPG. Just go in with the expectation that it’s the latter that only looks like the former, and you’ll be well placed to have a good time of it. Related reading:…
Read MoreI know that AFL isn’t a sport that matters much to anyone outside of Australia. So this is one of those rare articles where we remind readers of just how Australian we are by writing about an AFL game. AFL 23 launched this week and the response can be tactfully…
Read MoreThe revival of quirky, themed simulators has been wonderful. From the two Two Point titles, to the Jurassic Park builders, and several theme park sims, sim fans have been spoiled for choice in recent years. Bandai Namco has now found an opportunity to play in the space for itself with…
Read MoreAt first I was disappointed with the concept of Ash of Gods: The Way. The original Ash of Gods (subtitled Redemption) was a gritty little tactics RPG with rich, albeit dark storytelling. Clearly inspired by The Banner Saga, it never eclipsed that masterpiece, but it still stood in the same…
Read MoreI just want to start this review by saying that I love Tiara, the blue-haired secondary protagonist from the Fairy Fencer series (it’s a series now that there are two games). Like, I really, really, love Tiara. As far as anime female design goes, she’s my third favourite character ever,…
Read More“New US$69.99 price may negatively impact PS5 game unit sales, data suggests. Reports indicate that PlayStation users are buying less (sic) games, and Sony’s data suggests that higher costs are a reason why unit sales have dropped.” This lede, published by TweakTown, seems ludicrous. It’s one of those real stating-the-obvious…
Read MoreMugen Souls is a game that is all about larger-than-life excess. The action is over the top. The narrative and characters are ridiculous and, despite being chibi in visual design, larger-than-life in personality. This is not a game interested in subtlety or nuance. It’s brash and in your face from…
Read MoreChina is a nation and culture that we would all do well to learn more about. It is a nation on the rise, and will almost certainly overtake America in terms of its economic weight in the near future. For now, the softer side of diplomacy and cultural influence remains…
Read MoreDeconstructeam is a developer I admire on principle alone. This is a team of people that are committed to building narrative experiences, and using gameplay mechanics as part of the fabric of storytelling. This is, I believe, how games should be, and Essays on Empathy and The Red Strings Club…
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