Edward Swardt

“Catmaze can be described as a fairly simple 2D action platformer befitting its genre. It features all the correct tropes and design aspects, and it has just the right amount of challenge to keep things interesting. The Slavic mythological backdrop of the game most assuredly aids in keeping the game unique in presentation; making it feel more like a fairytale video game than “just another” Metroidvana title. While not exactly innovative, it acts as a truly enjoyable experience – which is what matters most.”

“Video Game Fables enjoys minimal faults and even fewer flaws. Its very design – incluiding the simplicity of it – aids in pointing the spotlight where it counts most. The game has a wonderful, if somewhat basic, narrative, but it employs humour and fourth wall-breaking irony in calculated and poignant intervals. It looks and feels like a classic SNES title, but conducts itself with all the candour of a hit up-and-coming indie title most worthy of a player’s time and money. From its unique setting, through to its wonderful staying power, Video Game Fables is exceptionally quaint and fun.”

“Aquadine is a gift that keeps on giving. From its well thought-out cast of characters, through to the prevalent water themes in the city and all of its sights and sounds, there is a constant reason to keep on playing. While the various routes are a little short, they still serve as complete packages on their own, making the addition of an epilogue route even more exciting for completionists. It has its fair share of emotional beats, but the story ultimately serves as a wholesome adventure with friends [and lovers], mysteries and truths, and even a mermaid or two! Aquadine is a surprise, for sure, but it is most certainly an exceptional and welcome one.”

“Voyage is, simply put, a superb experience. From its meaningful score through to the passion-filled hand-painted scenery; the characters therein, and the overarching mysteries of the crash and the planet natives, it is exceptional in its execution. The game is masterful in how it relies on player interpretation to tell its story as well – something rather unique to this indie title! While the puzzles are almost non-existent, the game still manages to induce all of the necessary emotions while players make their way through the various and gorgeous levels. As far as cinematic experiences go, Voyage has undoubtedly set the bar wonderfully high.”

“Train Valley: Console Edition is proof of concept of an award-winning mobile game in the making, which is really where it deserves a spot. Looking past the controller flaws and judging the title for what it is; the overall idea is quite engaging and wonderful. More so when one considers the exciting and somewhat nostalgic premise of laying down and building model train tracks! The puzzle element of figuring out how to efficiently get all trains from one station to another is extremely simple to understand and not too challenging to figure out. This simplicity creates seriously addictive gameplay – perfectly built with chill play sessions in mind. For added joy, it is highly recommended to listen to Kylie Minogue Essentials while the game is played.”

“Old World: Heroes of the Aegean marks the game’s debut on Steam, and it rightfully earns a spot on many favourites lists. It is truly unlike most 4X games currently available, and adequately serves to raise an already high bar. While the game can do with a bit more tutorialisation, there are enough pop-ups and explanations for adventurers to being their journey. Immersion is a massive focal point and the inclusion of supremely detailed stories and scenarios truly levels up the experience beyond what even the developers may have intended. It truly is an exceptional title, one worthy of taking the title as the king of 4X games.”

“The current Steam Early Access build of Sphere – Flying Cities most definitely showcases a few areas in need of serious polish. The narrative absolutely needs work and proper tutorials and explanations of key points do need to still be added. While the premise is alluded to with the game masterfully playing off the key concepts, it comes as a bit of a shock to to discover a lack of a full-fledged campaign. Where are the moral quandaries that come with a burning home planet? Where are the ideological questions and philosophical musings one must consider? How long can a player hold out before upgrading water reserves or building an extra domicile? Thankfully the game is still a preview for a reason, but with an Early Access release from October 2021, these questions become more prominent as the game is consumed by the public. Small improvements to the narrative (perhaps through answering some of the aforementioned questions) and other much needed gameplay changes, could very well elevate everything good about Sphere – Flying Cities, into a rather unique and exceptional experience. Until then, the game serves as a base for the possibility of something great.”

“YouTubers Life 2 is a very unique simulator. While not exactly “based on real-life”, it does a good job of offering gamers a glimpse into what might be involved in the process of becoming a fancy pants online celebrity. It accurately portrays the glitz and the glamour of garnering likes and building a reputation for millions of viewers, while the person behind the camera slowly counts the subscriber count and wishes for it to skyrocket overnight. There is a tiny bit of overlap with other games like the Sims, but in the end YouTubers Life 2 stands on its own as a prominent new simulator worthy of interest and playtime. It may not be profound in any way, but it certainly is good fun.”

“Overall, DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power is a power trip through the everyday lives of three of Dark Comics’ most beloved female leads. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast does not become playable at any point – understandably so. The game is surprisingly faithful to its source material, which is [and it must be stressed] a whacky and warped television show based on the comics. The show, while not to everyones taste, does have a lot of heart, and so does the game. It is just an extreme shame how the game has no clear target audience: it looks and feels like a children’s game with strong messaging about obsession and social media. At the same time, however, it is a surprisingly deep arcade brawler, complete with customisation and extra game modes that tie back into the main experience. DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power serves as a neat escape into the world of the television show, but ultimately fails to wow thanks to an obvious conflict around who the game’s target audience is supposed to be.”

“It is extremely challenging to think of a reason why anyone would want to buy and play the game if it is already available on other, more accessible platforms, for free. Furthermore, Afterpulse is an anomaly of a title that feels like it has no place on Nintendo Switch due to how the experience seems to be the same – or inferior in some cases – across the other respective platforms. It is clear fundamental changes needed to be made for it to work on anything other than mobile. Auto-aim, for instance, is so heavy-handed that no skill is ever required to win a match; while guns can be levelled up and more powerful equipment be made available at the swipe of a credit card. Players who do want a decent first-person experience are much better off looking at something like Call of Duty Mobile or just trying this one out on iOS or Android. The game is not bad, but it leaves a heck of a lot to be desired on a console platform like the Nintendo Switch.”

“Space Commander: War and Trade has a lot of promise. Unfortunately, it is let down by the extremely obvious nature of its mobile game heritage. Sure, this may not be the exact same game that launched on mobile platforms years ago, but it certainly feels like it in terms of gameplay and features. Space commander: War and Trade is by no means a bad game; but it does fall short in terms of what is expected from 4X games — even on Nintendo Switch.”

“Dude, Where is my Beer? serves as a quaint little adventure into the world of the hipster. It is about being a parched foreigner in an era of craft brews, and one who just wants another taste of a ‘nostalgic pilsner’. The game has a few odd, yet forgivable, design decisions; but offers a lot of enjoyment as compensation. It is also short and extremely beautiful, which helps a lot with the unique feel. Ultimately, guiding the dude around puzzles and unique bars is good fun and provides a solid experience for a small indie title.”

“The Longing’s strongest aspect is how it encourages exploration while encouraging meditation and introspection. Most players will undoubtedly turn the game into a habitual pick-up, while playing other games. However, once they truly immerse themselves into this fantastically sombre world of the shade, the reflection will come naturally, almost willingly. It is very rare for a game to test the waters of what is considered modern-day video gaming, and even more rare for it to succeed. The Longing is exemplary in this regard; masterfully immersing players into the shade’s world as it spends 400 days in solitude. It is, without a doubt, an exceptional experience.”

“It is baffling how a franchise more than a dozen titles in, would suffer from such unusual and strange game design decisions as those found in Harvest Moon: One World. This is unfortunate, given how the premise tries its hardest to intrigue, and its aesthetic is somewhat enjoyable (with a glimmer of a unique gameplay feature here and there for good measure). Unfortunately, it is overshadowed by an overall gameplay design that simply does not work. In a way the charming nature of the game makes sense: it is an indie title meant for the occasional pick up every time someone has a free minute or two to spare. Tackling the game head-on, however, with the misconception that it is a true simulator, thus having in-depth gameplay beyond the huge lore dump at the start; will leave gamers with nothing but seedless disappointment.”

“While it is still unknown whether Breakpoint: Red Patriot features as the final DLC content in the Year One pass; it is without a doubt a great addition to the game. With ten brand-new story missions, Red Patriot follows directly on from Deep State while also acting as a standalone narrative – pushing Nomad’s story further into one of greatness. Much like how Scott Mitchel is the legendary Ghost Recon operative from past and present titles, Anthony “Nomad” Perryman is being set up to be the next generation legendary Ghost Recon operative. The missions are exciting and hearken back to Wildlands while also teasing how Breakpoint is linked to other Ghost Recon titles, whereas the cosmetic and gameplay additions serve as the extra cherries on the top of a good piece of DLC. Red Patriot is only the next step in what will undoubtedly be a massive multi-year journey for Nomad, whose journey began with Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands. Whether you decide to get Ghost Recon Breakpoint: Red Patriot as a standalone addition, or as part of the Year One Pass, there is no denying it will be well worth the cost. It may not be exceptionally robust, but it offers enough content to tide over the wait for other post-game additions.”

“While Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York has a few negative points, it ultimately works well as a standalone title. Admittedly, it is a bit of a hard sell when compare it to the main titles in the series and even the proviso expansion, but it mostly gets it right in the end. Although the loss of player initiative and a noticeable lack of player choice do mar the overall experience, the tight narrative is ultimately enhanced by an extremely relatable protagonist – who helps to keep things interesting from start to finish. Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York is a Visual Novel that takes a step back from the flashiness of its predecessor, but still manages to stand on its own as a decent companion. It is perfect for anyone who wants more World of Darkness, but may come off as a bit of a surprise to fans of gameplay-rich Visual Novels.”

“Frostpunk: On the Edge is a simple (yet nerve-wracking) end-game scenario that offers a tiny glimpse into the future of New London, and the regime they impose on all of their offshoot settlements. Whatever 11Bit decides to do now that Frostpunk is done with, I am certain it will play into the ending On the Edge sets up. This War of Mine set in the Frostpunk universe, perhaps? Whatever the case may be, it is genuinely a sad day, knowing this is the end for one of the best city builders this side of the video game generation.”

“Beyond a weird bug or two, Parkasaurus is a genuine treat to play. From a genuinely surprising number of management systems through to one of the silliest cartoon aesthetics ever seen in a park simulator, the game holds a wonderful amount of unexpected surprises belying its cutesy storefront presentation. In more ways than one, the game hearkens back to 90s classic cartoons like Dink, The Little Dinosaur. Overall, it is an amazing title with a lot of promise, and has the ability to eventually become one of the best park simulators available.”

“It may still have a long way to go before it can be considered a “full-fledged” release, but there is no denying how wonderfully complete Artificer: Science of Magic already feels. Similarly, the game plays like the best of its genre while carrying an art style that is simultaneously unique and exceptionally creative. The combination of art style, addictive gameplay, and manufactured “need” to survive “just one more day” is real, and well worth investing time into.”

“Paws and Soul may not be some triple-A action spectacle, but it is a beautiful and colourful display of what it may be like to explore and reflect on memories of a life long lived. It does so with aplomb as well, as it showcases wonderful and easy puzzle segments that never hurt the brain. The music helps to immerse you while the gameplay lets you embody the game's literal spirit. Paws and Soul successfully accomplishes what it is set out to be, a beautiful tale with ethereal ideologies to make it an experience worth enjoying.”