Seneste anmeldelser af Semaphia

It's a fun little program, albeit one limited in functionality as it stands. If you're looking to add a playful bit of colour to your desktop, you can do much worse than this.

That said, while it's business model will undoubtedly generate a good chunk of revenue, it will always come up short compared to user made content a platform like Wallpaper Engine offers. Since Desktop Mate has nothing to gain by offering workshop support instead of DLC, I fully expect a pay-once moddable platform to appear if DM proves there's interest in the desktop mascot again. Now that I'd REALLY be interested in.

As it stands, it's basic, but functional. I'll personally be waiting for the competitor with workshop support to come out if Desktop Mate proves there's a market for this kind of thing.

In a year where Balatro (deservedly) took the indie roguelite world by storm, it's inevitable that some other titles might get somewhat lost in the shuffle. They'll do well & carve out an audience for themselves, but it feels like they may just be deserving of more love & recognition - Shogun Showdown is one of those games.

The tile-based tactical TBS combat is absolutely fantastic to figure out & iterate on, with so much variety available to you if you're willing to try new things. I had a build where I'd sacrifice all my tiles for a low CD coin throw that did lethal damage to anything other than bosses, then the next run, I found myself being a backstabbing position swapping powerhouse, all while learning little tricks along the way to better deal with the games unique enemy movesets.

The presentation is absolutely elite. Shogun Showdown has similar incremental post-clear story snippets to something like Hades, but unlike Hades, the story/characters don't take up too much time, and instead exist just to add a pleasant sprinkling of flavour to the game. The vibes are further enhanced by the immaculate pixel art, sound effect, and original soundtrack.

15 hours in, and I'm far from done with Shogun Showdown. Like Slay the Spire, Into The Breach, FTL, & Balatro, I can see this being one of those strategy experiences I find myself coming back to for years to come.

It Takes Two is a little bit of a mixed bag, but one I would still recommend if you're looking for a good co-op experience.

On the one hand, you have a game that plays like nothing else out there, with absolutely stunning character & environment art, simple but solid puzzle design, and an incredible attention to detail that continues to impress throughout. Above all else, there's this real sense of imagination & wonder that's present from start to finish, resulting in an experience that's rather magical, at times reminding me why I grew to love video games to begin with. There's some genuinely awe inspiring moments here, and plenty of laughs to be had - especially if you're the kind of person to enjoy killing your co-op partner!

On the other hand, you have a heavy-handed narrative that seems to jump between certain emotional states with very little care or concern besides pushing the plot forward, and a conclusion that fails to present any sense of meaningful introspection from the lead characters. This also leads the game to feel a little bit sluggish in its latter portions since you know where the characters are inevitably going to end up, and you just feel like you're going through the motions to get there. There are some moderate story highlights, but they are mostly carried by the absurdity of the scenarios & the fantastic VA performances moreso than anything else.

Overall, despite its shortcomings, it's a game packed with as much imagination & whimsy as one could hope for, which is why I'll find myself looking back on it with (mostly) fond memories.

I'm a jaded old sod with no nostalgia of having played this growing up, yet the total absurdity of Katamari just warms my heart in a way that very few games can. Who knew that rolling up everything from batteries to continents & yeeting them into the cosmos could be so satisfying?!

There's some nice addictions in REROLL that arguably put it above Damacy, with the biggest of them being the very fun themed challenges - Same concept, but they just feel a little bit more purposeful than the random chaos you might find in the first game. The soundtrack is... Different, though I'd hesitate to say better or worse. While Damacy was all about the lighthearted bangers, REROLL tends to be a bit more experimental,

As for negatives, the collectible draw distance can be incredibly low at times, and the FOV/camera angle continues to get stuck in ways that don't allow you to see much of anything, but these are relatively minor grievances in a game with so many positives.

Short, sweet, and absurd, Katamari Damacy & REROLL+ are absolutely worth your time.

Simply put, Patrick's Parabox is one of the finest no frills puzzle games I've ever played. There's a real originality here that, paired with a trickle of new mechanics & a carefully paced difficulty curve, gives you a constant sense of slight confusion without feeling overwhelmed, followed by real EUREKA! moments when you figure out that challenging puzzle after a few minutes of thought & experimentation.

A short & sweet little puzzler with around 45-60 mins of playtime, with another 30+ minutes failing to find that final puzzle to tick off 100% completion. I'd not be surprised if it were bugged, since I've navigated the map several times, and checked my work against a speedrun on YouTube. I might just be blind, though!

Edit: Exiting the save & reopening it forced it to show the correct completion, and redoing a single puzzle triggered the final achievement!

A delightfully chaotic experience with incredibly tight gameplay fundamentals bringing it all together. Metal: Hellsinger might not be the longest game out there, but there's an good amount of variety to be found if you're into experimenting with runs & chasing high scores.

The presentation of the story is wonderfully executed, and the aesthetic & attention to detail throughout the game is superb. There's just certain little touches, like the torches on the main screen pulsing to the music, and the Unknown throwing up the devil horns before flying away as you exit the game, that just really drill home the love & care the developers gave this project. There's plenty of subtle references to metal releases in the dialogue/achievements which are a really nice touch as well.

Most importantly, the music! I'll be the first to admit I've only got a minor interest in metal, but it really does help but elevate the game significantly, and gives it some really brilliant moments when the music kicks in at just the right time. The way the track layers up the higher your multiplier gets is inspired, and it's very easy to get into a zen-like flow state as the vocals kick in, shooting & slaughtering away to the beat as you do.

Overall, if you're a one & done kind of player, the 4-5 hours Metal: Hellsinger offers might seem a bit rough at full price. However, if you really enjoy chasing high leaderboard rankings & addictive rhythm FPS gameplay, you'll find more than your fair share of demonic pleasure here. On sale, it's a no brainer for anyone with even a passing interest in the genre and/or setting, as it is such a unique game with a huge amount of love & attention poured into it.

It was more than ten years between my first time through the Mass Effect trilogy and my experience with the Legendary Edition, yet it managed to hit just as hard now as it did back then, if not harder! As a series, it's responsible for some of the highest points in RPG history, and while it's also responsible for some of the genres lowest points, it's hard not to fall in love with the galaxy that BioWare came up with.

The remastered visuals hold up incredible well, and ultrawide/HDR support is both seamless & wonderfully executed. Having all the DLC included means even if you're a returning veteran of the series, there might be a fair bit of content here you haven't seen before.

If you're new to Mass Effect or simply considering a replay, you're in for an absolute treat with this bundle. At full price, it's a solid deal, but at its regular 92% off sale price? It's an absolute steal, and a must for RPG fans.

Yuzosoft titles have always been a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, so how does Parquet compare?

Starting with the positives, all the hallmarks of a Yuzusoft title are on full display. The visuals are spectacular, the overall experience is incredibly well polished, and the OST is both pleasant & well produced. It's not a surprise at this point, but it's great to see their presentation continue to be among the best of the best.

The lead characters are also some of the best in a Yuzusoft title, and the premise of the story is interesting, & ultimately fulfilling with some reasonable highs throughout. However, its shorter nature & a few incredibly predictable twists make for an narrative that feels a little bit forgettable at times, though the characters are strong enough to carry the experience.

Overall, it's a title that does more right than wrong, ticking all the boxes you'd expect from a Yuzusoft title, while sadly coming up a bit short narratively compared to their longer reads. Still a worthwhile read, but far from a great one.

Hou+ finally brings the original WTC story up to parity in the West, but it's not what I'd consider essential reading for anyone other than the most die-hard fans.

Higurashi Bus Stop is perhaps the most compelling feature of the package. It's a short 2-3 hour story that predates Onikakushi as a genesis point for the entire franchise. Some of the character names are familiar, but the story itself is considered non-canon for a reason. Still, it's really interesting to see the ideas that birthed the franchise, seeing which ones made it, & which ones didn't. For fans of Higurashi, it's a very interesting read.

Outbreak & Kamikashimashi are arcs like any other, without the rise before the fall setting the scene & getting you invested like one of the original chapters. Being thrown in at the deep end led me to being a bit less invested in the story as a whole, but I did enjoy the finale, so I do consider it worth reading. Still, it's lacking the overall development of the OG arcs, so temper your expectations going in.

(I just skipped through Mehagashi for the achievements, but if the idea of a fanservice arc tickles your fancy, well, enjoy).

The expanded staff room/dialogue from Ryukishi is undoubtedly the most touching content in Hou+. It's interesting to get an insight into what motivated him starting out, the lengths he went to to deliver WTC chapters at the breakneck pace he did back then, and what he hopes to achieve going forward. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it'll finally be returning to & finishing Ciconia, but I have my doubts that'll happen any time soon.

Overall, it's a solid package with some interesting material, but if you're happy with the ending of your own Higurashi journey then don't feel like you must read this one. If you're a die-hard fan however then there's some real insightful stuff here that you won't want to miss.