Yet Another Zombie Survivors arrives at a time when the survivors-like genre has become almost as crowded as the zombie apocalypse itself. The basic ingredients are familiar: an arena, endless waves of enemies, automatically fired weapons, experience points and a steadily escalating arsenal of increasingly ridiculous abilities. Awesome Games Studio, however, has found a reasonably clever way of putting its own stamp on the formula. Rather than building a single increasingly powerful survivor, the game revolves around assembling a three-person squad whose members can complement one another through their different weapons, abilities and upgrades. It is hardly a reinvention of the genre, but that extra layer gives Yet Another Zombie Survivors enough personality to make another trip into the undead hordes worthwhile. Continue reading “Yet Another Zombie Survivors review (PS5)”
G-Rebels preview (PC/PCVR)
G-Rebels is aiming to revive a type of futuristic flight combat that has been largely absent from modern gaming, combining low-altitude dogfights, an expansive sci-fi setting and a surprisingly broad range of activities. Reakktor Studios’ Early Access release is clearly still a work in progress, but the foundations already suggest an experience with considerable potential, particularly when the Skyblade is being thrown through the crowded skies of its cyberpunk world. The addition of VR support also gives the game another intriguing dimension, although that side of the experience currently comes with some significant caveats. Continue reading “G-Rebels preview (PC/PCVR)”
Pro Jank Footy review (PS5)
Pro Jank Footy is the kind of sports game that seems to have been designed around the question of how quickly Australian Rules football can be stripped down before someone starts throwing seagulls, meat pies and random vehicles onto the pitch. Developed by Powerbomb Games and Tinker Town and published by Powerbomb Games and Umbrella Gaming, it takes the complicated fundamentals of Aussie Rules and turns them into a deliberately chaotic arcade experience. That makes it considerably more approachable than a conventional AFL simulation, particularly for anyone who doesn’t already know their marks from their behinds. There isn’t really a campaign to speak of, but there doesn’t need to be one: the appeal is in picking a bizarre team, stepping onto the oval and seeing how badly the match can fall apart. We found that approach surprisingly effective, although the lack of deeper progression means there isn’t much reason to play beyond the matches themselves once the novelty starts to wear off. Continue reading “Pro Jank Footy review (PS5)”
Indie roundup: Skatesterre, John Fox & Pets Survivors
The indie scene continues to deliver games willing to put their own spin on familiar genres, even when the results don’t always hit the mark. In this roundup, we take a look at three recently released titles across PS5, from the nostalgic arcade skating of Skatesterre and the tongue-in-cheek beat ’em up action of John Fox to the cute-but-chaotic horde survival of Pets Survivors. Each approaches its chosen formula from a different angle, with some finding more success than others, but all three offer an interesting glimpse at the ideas smaller developers are bringing to the table. Here’s what we thought of them. Continue reading “Indie roundup: Skatesterre, John Fox & Pets Survivors”
Korea. IL-2 Series review (PC/PCVR)
Korea. IL-2 Series arrives at an interesting point in the history of combat flight simulators, taking the IL-2 formula away from the familiar battlefields of World War II and into the Korean War, where piston-engine aircraft and early jets shared the same skies. That setting alone gives the game a welcome sense of identity, particularly because this period of aviation history remains surprisingly underrepresented in the genre. The contrast between machines such as the F-51D Mustang and Yak-9P and the F-86 Sabre and MiG-15 creates a particularly compelling foundation for aerial combat, as the difference between generations is felt rather than merely presented in a museum entry. The individual aircraft are relatively limited in number compared with the previous generation of IL-2, but each one has its own character and demands a different approach to combat. That focus makes the relatively small starting roster easier to appreciate, although the decision to reserve some aircraft for more expensive editions does make the package feel less generous than it might otherwise have been. Continue reading “Korea. IL-2 Series review (PC/PCVR)”