Ashley Barnett-Cosgrove

““Montezuma’s Revenge – The 40th Anniversary Edition” is a game that brings the difficulty of 80s gaming into the now. If you played the original or are looking for an old-school challenge, “Montezuma’s Revenge – The 40th Anniversary Edition” is a game that may give you the shits, but it’ll be up to you to decide if the journey is worth it.”

“Unfortunately, CLAWPUNK is not for everyone, but if you enjoy hard 80s-style gameplay, you won’t be disappointed. As uncompelling as the gameplay is, CLAWPUNK delivers a graphical explosion with neon flair and great music. With a great variety of cards, enhancing a cat makes customisation and experimentation fun.”

“R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is a shoot ‘em up genre for those looking to get that nostalgic hit. Its unforgiving gameplay is only for the hardcore fans of the genre. With updated graphics and newly added music, it certainly deserves the HD boost in its title.”

“Tingus Goose is a bizarre trip into the unknown depths of love and how it can transform you into something you never thought imaginable. If you enjoy idle games, this is certainly one to get, unless, of course, you like playing idle games so as not to get distracted. Either way, Tingus Goose is entertaining in a brain-melting way.”

“High School Dirty Secrets has an overly sexualised wrapping, but presents an interesting story to discover. With a cliché horror audio, you can become absorbed in the environment, but unfortunately, it has some poor graphical choices that spoil the experience. With a rewarding clue and puzzle loop, it is hampered by excessive backtracking.”

“There is a reason Jackbox Games Inc. is on its 11th iteration of party games. Though a particular game may not be to your liking, the fun had trumped overall with beautiful graphics, themed music, and a selection of games that you will find one you love. The Jackbox Party Pack 11 will bring big belly laughs to you, your friends, your family, and your community.”

“Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap maintains its core gameplay loop while taking smart, innovative steps to evolve its formula. The introduction of the rougelite element was that perfect step to keeping it fresh. While some elements are yet to evolve, such as humour and user interface interaction, these don’t take away from the fun of the Orc killing carnage. With four-player co-op, it’s a great time to join in with some friends and protect the Human World from the Horde.”

“So, has my anticipation been met? Yes, yes, it has. Although the lengthy grind and tiresome comedy didn’t appeal to me, as a whole, Stick it to the Stickman is great. With its fast-paced action, poppy graphics, thoughtful audio, and massive replayability, Stick it to the Stickman is another hit for developer Free Lives and publisher Devolver Digital.”

“Grandma, No! was enjoyable, and thankfully just long enough to escape without having your cheek flesh pulled from your jawline. It’s full of weird and wonderful characters, devastatingly hilarious situations, and fun minigames, and while jokes were hilarious at first, they started to feel like you were listening to someone suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.”

“Shotgun Cop Man is fun and will give you at least four hours of entertainment, and more if you strive to complete all the goals. With many weapons, simple gameplay, and fitting music to keep you hyped up, Shotgun Cop Man is a nice alternative to similar genres like Super Meat Boy.”

“Though Softie is short, it brings simple gameplay, a creepy setting and storyline, and meaningful music. Kristina Springer has my attention, and I’m interested in seeing what other games will be added to the catalogue in the future.”

“Totally Spies! – Cyber Mission provides a great interactive experience for fans of the franchise, allowing them to feel more strongly connected as it ties in with season seven of the cartoon. Though the graphics are different, I believe they are more beneficial to the gameplay presentation as opposed to being one-on-one with the cartoon.”

“Sofie: The Echoes needed more development time before being released. Having to reboot the game several times to clear bugs, restart a run due to being stuck in unwinnable situations, suffering multiple crashes to the desktop, and having to reinstall the game to force assets to appear as intended does not make for an enjoyable experience.”

“Miraculous Paris Under Siege is a great game for those wanting more interaction with the franchise. Children will thoroughly enjoy the game but will require assistance in parts. Where a child would be more forgiving of the foibles, I think the asking price for the quality is too high.”

“The graphics are a beautiful cartoony hand-drawn art. It reminded me of what a child would do with a combination of charcoals and coloured pencils. It was expertly presented with a dinginess and brightness that complimented the tone of the game, and while the cutscenes between gameplay are done in the same style, they are presented in a comic book style.”

“Attack of the Karens though full of genres is a perfect example if you put time and precision into the development of a game you will have an exceptional and functional product. The retro aesthetic of visuals and sound make for a perfect trip down memory lane for those who owned a Gameboy. The challenge on offer with the replayability options, and the addictive one-more-run gameplay make Attack of the Karens highly enjoyable.”