Sean "KingOTheCask" Richards

“To bring this all home, Kejora, despite the occasional flaws that I noted, was a pleasure to experience. The story spoke to matters of protecting those around you and what you would do to ensure the safety of others, and did so in a nice, concise few hour package. And in a world of video games that ask upwards of 100 hours of gameplay to finish (yes, I play JRPG’s if you weren’t aware), a brief tale like Kejora is a welcome experience.”

“Overall, I found As I Began to Dream a well-grounded and enjoyable entry into the puzzle-platformer genre, despite some of the gameplay shifts and handful of technical hiccups. The story the game presents, while tragic and heart-breaking, provides hope that there is a brighter corner around the murky beast that is grief. Strayflux provided a wonderful portrayal of such a complex emotion that is grief in the unique medium that is video gaming.”

“But did I enjoy my time with Constance? I did, despite my rageful moments. Constance presents a deeper than surface-level approach to the Metroidvania genre and poses the question “What would our inner world look like in cases of significant anxiety and depression in our external world?” In recent years, I have been someone who struggles more with anxiety. It’s not easy at times, but Constance allowed myself, and hopefully others, to understand this one thing: it’s OK to ask for help.”

“Outside of playing a few hours of the first Red Dead Redemption, coupled with testing out a friend’s copy of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Westerns and mech games are a relatively untread genre for me. It’s not through active dislike…it’s just…there are so many other genres of games that no person can simply taste all of them equally. Bounty Star, in my opinion, presents a solid story of survival and overcoming trauma and grief that is unfortunately hampered by its gameplay. Had there been the provision of more frequent Bounties throughout the game, coupled with a stronger benefit of managing your “farm”, I think that this easily could have been at least a 9 out of 10 game. But it’s the little nagging thought that was in the back of my head that kept going “This story…doesn’t need this long to be told.””

“Sonic Wings Reunion, while being a silly little side-stop in my gaming, is not something that is setting the world on fire. For the fanbase of this series, I am certain that I am probably making someone mad over there. But the game…just doesn’t lend itself to being anything beyond an arcade game. If you have been following this series since it began in the early 1990’s, maybe it’s worth picking up. But if you find yourself a newbie to Sonic Wings world, you may not see what the fuss is about and might opt to spend your hard-earned money elsewhere. And I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Farming/life simulator games are not going anywhere anytime soon. Gamers (myself included) will always yearn for a sense of escapism to another life that we cannot fulfill in the real world. Cattle Country definitely provides a new take on this genre of video games and I do recommend it, with one caveat. You’ll notice that I made a LOT of comparisons to Stardew Valley. While not one of the first in this genre, its impact was enormous to this corner of the gaming universe. Without fail, any discussion of this genre will seemingly lead back to Stardew Valley (or Harvest Moon for you old-timers). Will I go back for more Cattle Country now that this game review has been completed? Yes. Will it be immediate and with the same fervor? Probably not.”

“Your House is a game that I can happily say will be another one of those gems in this little corner of the gaming world. The style, the story, the puzzles – everything blends seamlessly together in a way that makes for a nice, satisfying game.”

“I like simulation games. They’re fun little rabbit-holes to trundle down and live the life that, well, maybe you don’t want to live, but maybe you’re curious about? That being said, as more and more of them are being released to the masses, the wider the quality of these games are. Despite my concerns, issues, and hiccups with my playthrough of this game, I did genuinely enjoy it! Will I 100% it and reach the top tier of Shop Owner in game? Maybe, but I can certainly say that I wouldn’t say no.”

“I normally tend to swing towards the cozier side of gaming. Give me your Animal Crossings, your Stardew Valleys. With that being said, though, I genuinely enjoyed this game! It presented a very compelling story and world that I would love to see more of. Hinyari9 also managed to sell me on a run-and-gun style of game, which is normally not my cup of tea. Honest truth – give this game a chance – if the concept of making different builds doesn’t sell you on this game, the story might win you over instead!”

“I rarely, if ever, play any kind of racing games nowadays and while one might not consider this a racing game, it still definitely fills that niche for some gamers. That being said, Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders was a lot of fun! It strikes a nice balance between those looking to break some time records on a trail and those looking to unwind and take a trip down some beautiful mountainsides. My hope is that Megagon Industries continues to invest in this game and develop more facets that keep future players hitting the slopes as time goes by!”