Recent reviews by JAYNLSN

Stunning art direction and character design. Couldn't wait to see what the game would throw at me next. It's quite short, but there was never a dull moment.

From the clever interactions to the otherworldly animations and moody music, Genesis Noir is a delightful experience. Highly recommended; could not put it down. It's very playable with a controller, which is much appreciated because this visual treat is best enjoyed on the finest screen available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cv8JdlQOx4
Even the horniest teenage boys won't have the patience for Supreme League of Patriots. The humor is painfully juvenile, turning every little thing into a sexual, racist, sexist, or homoerotic innuendo. Many of the jokes center around taking potshots at the dim-witted protagonist, Kyle. These insults are rarely funny, but they're delivered with a British accent, so they've got to be witty. Right? I'd like to sympathize with Kyle, but he is maddeningly slow. I'm not just talking about his intelligence either. The poor buffoon trudges about the game like a brain-dead troll, and talks nearly as fast too. Every attempt this game makes at being quick-witted is sabotaged by the broken dialogue system. A short pause between each line disrupts the conversational flow and makes every interaction tedious. Speaking of things that are broken, the inventory system is completely nonsensical. Belongings are interacted with via the inventory button on the top of the screen, but to equip something you have to use the inventory found by hovering near the bottom of the screen. I was initially attracted to SLOP because of its beautiful screenshots. It is a very pretty game... when it's not in motion. Animations are stiff, and characters who are supposed to be stationary tend to shift about awkwardly, like they'd rather be somewhere else. Hey, I understand. I'd rather be somewhere else too.

I may have liked The Last Tinker more if I had gone in with the correct expectations. This was supposed to be a platformer in the vein of Banjo Kazooie, but it is nothing like that game. There isn't even a dedicated jump button! Gameplay centers mostly around the primitive fighting mechanics which become tiresome very quickly. I want to love this game. It's absolutely gorgeous, it's just not very fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ4OCe6wNY8
Edge is an action-puzzle game revolving around the constrained maneuverability of a three-dimensional cube. The goal is simply to traverse minimalist, isometric levels by tumbling end over end in any of four directions. The cube has a distinct weight to it that makes movement a meticulous balancing act. This is made even more precarious when delicately clinging to moving platforms. I was first introduced to Edge on the Android platform, and I liked it until I played the PC version. Now I love it. Rolling the cube with a joystick feels so much more natural than touch controls and accommodates the high level precision that the game requires. Even with the improved controls, there were moments that required such exact timing that I was sure it was impossible. Yet I continued to come back for more. While some of the early stages are too easy, Edge is overall a well balanced game. Frequent check points help alleviate some of the more stressful segments. This is a rewarding, unique, and gorgeous game that I highly recommend. The Steam release also includes Edge Extended, so there is plenty of content to keep you busy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av-WvO8hMp8
I can’t quite figure out who the audience for Hamlet is. It’s hard to imagine any kid having the patience to solve the game’s puzzles, yet the simple interface and visual style suggest that it was not intended for adults. Maybe kids are just smarter than me, but I was completely lost and confused as I clicked on every little object, hoping to unearth some clues. The puzzles are supposed to be logical, but often the logic behind them is pretty twisted and obscure. This leads to long bouts of aimless clicking. The trial and error discovery involved in Hamlet is somewhat reminiscent of the Broderbund Living Books series. The major difference being that the Living Books were actually kind of fun. Perhaps the unique visual style is enough to mesmerize the intended audience. It is admittedly a very cute game, but don’t be fooled by the charming presentation. Hamlet is an aggravating experience, especially when it requires rapid, consecutive clicking. Save yourself the headache and pass on this one.

If you’ve had your fill of twin-stick shooters, Ultratron isn’t likely to win you over. It doesn’t deviate far from the standard formula, but it’s so well done that I’m not complaining. I absolutely adore Puppy Games’s design aesthetic, and the gameplay is simple and fun. You know the drill, one joystick moves your character while the other shoots. Avoid projectiles, destroy all robots, upgrade, repeat. Along with upgrading your robot’s own abilities, you can purchase and enhance several “pets” that will automatically fire at nearby enemies. It takes quite a few upgrades for the pets to feel useful, but I loved the way they were implemented. Each one tags along behind you in a line that acts as a secondary shield. If one of them is hit, it is dropped in place where it will wait patiently for your return. Balancing upgrades can be tricky. I realized a little too late that I had pumped all my money into the wrong upgrades, because the boring-sounding ones ended up being more useful than I anticipated. The game is fairly forgiving, though, and it’s unlikely that you’ll upgrade yourself into a corner. Ultratron is a great addition to any shooter fan’s collection.

With the proper input method, Dungeon Hearts might not be a bad experience. The game is played by matching three like-colored objects to build attacks that are used against a random selection of monsters. Sliding objects around the playing field is cumbersome and often unresponsive with mouse controls. I can’t play more than a few rounds before my wrist starts begging for relief. Chaining together attacks is especially difficult. I was constantly scrambling to clear out poison blocks with no time to consider any sort of strategy. It is rather rewarding to pull off a massive combo, but all of mine were complete accidents. The RPG elements in Dungeon Hearts are all fluff. I like the idea of incorporating an upgrade system into this type of puzzle game, but it wasn’t implemented in a very effective or interesting manner. You gain experience points by playing a mini game between battles, and your characters automatically level up to be stronger and have more special moves. I would have felt like I had greater influence over the game if there had been a simple skills tree. Dungeon Hearts isn’t terrible, it just doesn’t seem to belong on PC.

The first Sonic & All-Stars Racing would have been the perfect kart racer if it weren’t for the omission of multiplayer on PC. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed brings local and online multiplayer to Steam, but some of the magic has been lost. I fault the new multi-terrain direction Sega has taken the series for that. I don’t understand the need to take kart racing to the sea and skies. Controlling a speed boat or a plane is never quite as satisfying or responsive as controlling a car. Drifting is especially awkward when flying, but it can’t be avoided if you want to catch up with the horrendously unfair rubber-banding AI. A-class races are tough. You really have to know the courses to land first place, which can be hard to do considering many of them change with every lap. I like the idea of a course that morphs over time, but this usually means the whole thing catches fire or falls apart, leaving you air-bound for the final lap. As much as the new additions bother me, this is still a solid racing experience. The more car-oriented courses are a blast, the weapons are well balanced, and the graphics are as gorgeous as ever. I’m really happy to see this series revived because it’s just as good, if not a little better than that other popular mascot racer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DI6gBgm9UA
I hate stealth games. Lurking in the shadows and tiptoeing around enemies is not my idea of a good time. So I was greatly relieved to find that Stealth Bastard is not really a stealth game at all. It is first and foremost a puzzle platformer with a dash of stealth to round it all out. You play as a clone whose purpose is to make his way through a series of deadly mazes using only your sharp intellect and quick reflexes. With nothing to defend yourself, you must rely on environmental objects to solve each stage. This often involves repositioning objects to provide the best cover from prying security cameras and patrol bots. I love the role that light plays in the game. Well positioned shadows are key, and I always felt so proud of myself for figuring out a puzzle. Especially given the game’s constant mockery. Even the compliments are back-handed, and this is part of the fun of Stealth Bastard. Every section introduces a new obstacle that significantly alters the formula, so the game never feels repetitive. My only complaint is that some areas are so dark that it took me a long time to notice crucial portions of the level. Otherwise Stealth Bastard is a fun, gorgeous game with a catchy soundtrack to boot.