Verdict: Skip it Unless this sort of thing looks appealing to you: Overview Station-wagon restoration/upgrade simulator, focusing on uncovering a mystery and scavenging resources. Time Investment / Mental Investment This game does not respect your time (see screenshot above). I don’t want to spend my scant videogame time doing tasks I would not enjoy IRL,…
Halls of Torment
Verdict: Liked it Overview Vampire Survivors clone with the barest hint of Diablo tossed in. Some of the manic nature of Vampire Survivors is (thankfully for many) stripped out, making this entry more approachable and less straining. Time Investment / Mental Investment Run-based game. A short, failed run can be 5-10 minutes while ~30 is…
The Rogue Prince of Persia
Verdict: Liked it Overview Fun Dead Cells clone (same studio) with plenty of new ideas and more intense platforming. While the weapon combat feels a little less in focus than in Dead Cells, you have some expanded options like kicking, vaulting, and using the environment to kill your enemies. Story is pretty thin, which is…
Herdling
Verdict: Skip it Overview A game about herding fictional yak-like beings. If that sounds stupid to you, it’s because it is. We’re generally sympathetic to games that don’t rely on violence as a core mechanic, but the “mundane jobs as gaming entertainment” genre has seen better entries. Herdling is intended to be pretty and calming,…
Diablo 3: You Can’t Go Home Again
[HEADER IMAGE] Game Pass added the third and arguably most maligned installment of Blizzard’s dungeon crawler RPG series from 2012. I had such a blast with this game back in the day, playing with one of my best friends. Everyone else seemed to hate it. That friend and I grabbed it on Game Pass recently…
Atomfall
TL;DR Overview A beautiful, Fallout-y post-apocalyptic survival and exploration shooter with a neat setting in alternative 1960’s Britain. The shooter elements take a back seat here to survival/stealth/strategy; you’re no supersoldier, so watch out when things get loud. If that’s your sort of thing, you won’t want to miss this one. Otherwise, skip it. Time…
33 Immortals – Game Preview
TL;DR Overview Note: this is a preview version of the game. A Hades-like roguelike with some neat ideas and a well enough done MMORPG element with light teamwork boosting the experience. If you haven’t played Hades, start there, unless you are dying for that co-op element and have friends lined up already. Time Investment and…
Monster Train
TL;DR Overview A zany roguelike deckbuilder perfect for anyone who’s played Slay the Spire to the point of nausea and are looking for something similar but different (mostly similar). If you’ve never played Slay the Spire, start there. Time Investment and Payoff As with Slay the Spire, Monster Train’s roguelike gameplay loop focuses on runs,…
Short Reviews for Grown Gamers 