As Graveyard Keeper returns with a Last Journey Edition and Cavity Busters, Bumballon and Ayre and the Crystal Comet all find homes on new platforms, we check out all four titles in our latest port roundup.
Graveyard Keeper: Last Journey Edition review (PS4)
The Last Journey Edition of Graveyard Keeper brings together the base game and all its DLCs in one package, conveniently bringing together all of the current content for the game that originally launched on Steam back in 2018 and picked up a massive amount of ‘very positive’ user reviews there. This edition includes Breaking Dead, Stranger Sins, Game of Crone and Better Save Soul, providing players with hours of additional content and new features.
One of the best things about this edition is that it offers an all-in-one experience for newcomers to the game. Players who have never played the game before can dive straight into the complete package and enjoy all the content it has to offer. For fans of the original game, the DLCs offer a fresh and exciting experience, with new quests, items, and mechanics to explore, though sadly there’s no easy upgrade path for existing owners on console systems.
Therein lies part of the conundrum with this release as well. Despite the wealth of new content, which includes both new mechanics and new story content that offers dozens of hours of extra gameplay, the Last Journey Edition can be overwhelming and complex for newcomers. Ironically, that’s the best suited target group here, unless you’re coming from some experience with the game on another system and want to jump aboard with all the DLC finally available.
Speaking of which, the DLC that developer Lazy Bear Games has produced is quite good, with Stranger Sins being our favorite as it deepens the worldbuilding for the base game considerably. And yes, as with the other DLCs, it doesn’t shy away from the pop culture references made in the title, which is certainly a highlight when you look at this package as a whole.
Cavity Busters review (PS4)
Cavity Busters is a self-proclaimed ‘toothpunk bullet hell roguelite’ that offers fast-paced gameplay and a unique setting. Originally developed by SpaceMyFriend, it’s being launched on consoles through JanduSoft now. The game features a variety of weapons, enemies, and power-ups that aim to keep the action fresh and exciting. Combined with its vibrant art style and catchy soundtrack, it makes Cavity Busters a visually and aurally pleasing experience for fans of indie games.
Players take control of Gummy The Soft, a fallen hero who must chomp his way through tough enemies and face the dreaded Pearly Knights. With 280 upgrades that can either aid or hinder your run, and diseases that can enhance your agility and control over your tooth, Cavity Busters offers a challenging and rewarding skill-based combat system. The game features boss fights with multiple phases and attacks, and hundreds of handcrafted rooms that change every time you die.
You can use your agility and stickiness to run on walls and escape bullet hells, and even jump high into the air to get a better view or dodge an impossible amount of bullets. Collect diseases along the way, which come with powerful effects but also come at a price. Do you risk contracting diarrhea for the speed and urgency it creates in you, or leave the disease behind and increase the difficulty? And when facing the Pearly Knights, be prepared for a tooth-and-tooth fight to guard their little rectangle room.
For those who hate rogue-lites or prefer a more chill experience, Cavity Busters offers options to make the game more forgiving, but however you play this it’s going to be frenetic and fun, with tons of humor. A few difficulty spikes hurt the experience and things can get repetitive because of it, but the quirky art style and novel setting make up for a lot.
Bumballon review (PS4)
Bumballon, which developer Angelo Gamedev first released on Steam together with Ratalaika, is an action-adventure game that offers a mix of colorful graphics, challenging gameplay, and retro nostalgia. The game follows the journey of Bumballon as he attempts to save Princess Moon and the Ballon’s kingdom by overcoming various obstacles and enemies.
One of the game’s striking features is its animated graphics, which are charming to look at with their cartoon-like aesthetic. With seven different worlds to explore and 35 levels to complete, players will find plenty of content to keep them engaged. Bumballon also offers a variety of unlockable skins, allowing players to customize their gameplay experience. The game’s achievements are also fun, though as per the Ratalaika norm they’re not very challenging.
However, the game’s difficulty can still be frustrating at times, especially if you’re not just going for trophies but want to push on. Some players may find that they need to die multiple times to learn how to overcome certain obstacles, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game, while certain game mechanics may feel repetitive as well, as they involve a lot of jumping and dodging in a sequence.
Overall, Bumballon is a solid adventure game that offers a good mix of challenges and rewards. While it may not be for everyone, fans of retro-style games and graphics will find plenty to enjoy here.
Ayre and the Crystal Comet review (PS4)
Ayre and the Crystal Comet is the console port of games by Gordon Little that previously launched on Steam back in 2020. Eastasiasoft is now giving it a wider release on consoles, giving players an open-world adventure game that lets them soar through the skies on their own dragon. But although you get to explore a vast world filled with valleys, rivers, mountains, and forests, it also falls short of expectations.
On the positive side, however, Ayre’s dragon-flight mechanic is well-designed, and the scenery is visually striking with its minimalist 3D approach. The non-violent gameplay encourages exploration and discovery, making it a great option for players looking for a low-stress adventure.
However, the game never really grabs you. The storyline that’s there is lackluster, and the pacing feels sluggish at times. And while the world is visually appealing, it can sometimes feel empty, devoid of much detail and color. Moreover, the gameplay mechanics can become repetitive quickly, and the game’s focus on collecting gems soon starts to feel like a grind.
In conclusion, while Ayre and the Crystal Comet has its moments, it fails to live up to its potential as an engaging open-world adventure game. The game’s strengths lie in its dragon-flight mechanic and non-violent gameplay, but its lackluster storyline, sluggish pacing, and repetitive gameplay make it difficult to recommend to all but the most dedicated fans of the genre.
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