This is the first Games-Log since the end of April. The decision at that point was made to move to more long form reviews, but I always planned to still use this feature periodically to update my readers on things I have been playing outwith reviews and also for games I can’t devote a full review to. There will probably be a few of these between now and Christmas because the sheer number of games being released is going to make it impossible to keep up.
At the moment almost all of my focus is on Spider-Man, which will be getting a full review next week on the site. Whenever I do manage to drag myself away from Insomniac’s beautiful recreation of New York City I have been on PC playing the definitive edition of PES 2019 or getting lost in Two Point Hospital. PES already has a review live on the site here, and one for Two Point is coming very shortly!
So, this particular Games-Log is more of a ‘what I have played recently’ instead of what I am currently playing. Around up or sorts. The amount of fun releases dropping almost every week on PS4 is just incredible to see. So let’s break down a few of my recent ventures.
A trophy hunter on Twitter actually tipped me off to this one. A relatively easy platinum but just a really fun game is what I was told and I’ll tell you something… he wasn’t wrong! From the gorgeous 2D art style to the slick, fast, responsive twin stick shooter gameplay; Guns, Gore & Cannoli 2 is a hidden gem! I have literally heard no-one talking about this game and it is a real shame.
I am currently only about half way through the story so I will reserve my judgement for later, but I urge everyone reading this to check out the launch trailer which I will embed right below this. If you play it and enjoy it, tell a friend! Games like this that do some much right deserve a lot more attention and sometimes it is up to us, the community, to provide it. With up to 4 player local or multiplayer co-op it is easy to get others involved. Guns, Gore & Cannoli 2 is available on the EU PSN store for £9.99 and has a separate US trophy list if you want to pick it up.
Brawlout is Smash Brothers lite for PS4. It features some indie mascots like Juan from Guacamelee, Drifter from Hyper Light Drifter and more. Graphically the game looks great and it runs as smoothly as you would hope for a game in this genre, but unfortunately things go downhill from here. The fighting is serviceable but feels a bit off compared to Smash Bros. and even the likes of Playstation All-Stars: Battle Royale which was underrated.
The hit detection could be a lot better and it’s issues like this that mean the game is unlikely be gain a big competitive online scene. If you have your friends round for a few drinks one night it is a fun game to throw but with Super Smash Brothers Ultimate on the horizon it is likely to dominate the brawler market. Brawlout is currently £15.99 on the EU PSN store should you wish to check it out.
Review: 64/100
*A review code was provided by the publisher
Next up is PSVR title Catch & Release. While this game may not be for everyone it truly does deliver on it’s premise. The graphics are beautiful and the controls are intuitive allowing you to totally immerse yourself in the VR world which is pivotal in a game like this. You can easily lose track of time just relaxing in the world that Metricminds has created. Admirably they have beefed up the array of things to do with the likes of the camera you can use to take pictures of surrounding wildlife as well as your catches. In a nice touch the camera is a Polaroid so you have to shake the picture to develop it.
Catch & Release isn’t something that is going to shift VR units but if you already have the headset and are looking for a change of pace and to just unwind, Misty Falls is the location for you. The game is currently £15.99 on the EU PSN store and I would recommend checking it out.
Review: 75/100
*A review code was provided by the publisher
The Mooseman is a game that just did not click with me. I know a few people in the industry who thought it was a really good game that told a powerful story but unfortunately I did not have the same experience. I found the controls really frustrating and unresponsive. Basic issues that you wouldn’t expect to see in a game these days like if you paused the game; when you pressed X to un-pause it would not only do that but it would perform an action in the world that could lead to you dropping to lower ledges.
Granted my frustration was higher due to me trying to get all the trophies in a single run (I couldn’t have faced a second one). Most of the trophies are the result of bizarre and sometimes nonsensical button inputs at certain points in the world and by all accounts it can sometimes take a good five minutes of solidly mashing the buttons in the general direction of what the game requires before that finally unlocks.
When I finished The Mooseman I was left wondering what the point of it all was. I then deleted it off my system and decided it wasn’t worth spending any more time on to think about. If you love trophies this is a one hour platinum with no difficulty, but definitely some frustration when commands do not work as they should. The Mooseman is available on the EU PSN store for £6.49, which is a fair price.
Review: 41/100
*A review code was provided by the publisher
Having never heard of either Bud Spencer or Terence Hill I had no idea what to expect from this game going in. I was pleasantly surprised to find a witty, 2D sidescrolling beat ’em up that was dripping with personality and charm. Bud and Terence are comedy actors that I am told many people in their forties reading this would be aware of. Locations are varied and interesting and the story while basic is serviceable.
Where the game does unfortunately fall down a little is the lack of variation in the attacks. With less than a hand full of moves you quickly find yourself wanting more from the combat, but I am happy to report that this is broken up with plenty of alternate activities such as hot-dog eating contests, chase scenes on horses and many more.
All this results in a very unique game and for that reason it is worth checking out. At launch the game was definitely overpriced but having now dropped to £15.99 I feel confident in recommending this to old school beat ’em up fans. Below is a let’s play I did of the first half an hour of the game which will give you a good indication of what to expect should you pick this up on the EU PSN store.
Review: 71/100
*A review code was provided by the publisher
Last up in Games-Log 11 is just a quick note on Super Destronaut DX. This game is basically a Space Invaders rip off, which is not meant as a negative. The game is fun and well designed but the reason I decided to mention it in here is for any trophy hunters looking for a few quick hits. The platinum can be achieved in around twenty minutes with minimal difficulty and also comes complete with SIX separate trophy lists across PS4 and Vita. At £3.29 on the EU PSN store (and that’s cross buy with Vita) you really can’t go wrong.
In terms of a review score many would likely rate this a lot higher than me. I was never a massive Space Invaders fan so I would say base your purchase on what you thought of the original game as well as if you enjoy a quick platinum trophy.
Review: 70/100
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Well that is enough for this week. Thanks for stopping by this rare edition of the Games-Log. As I said earlier in the article, with so many big titles due for release between now and the end of the year it simply won’t be possible for me to write individual reviews for all games so I will be using this as a vessel to express opinions of some of the smaller titles.
Stay tuned to Twitch where Jessica and myself will be streaming some Shadow of the Tomb Raider tomorrow night ahead of launch on Friday. As always leave a comment below with any thoughts or opinions you may have and also follow me on Twitter @VizualDze.
VdZe.