DeVuego

99Seconds takes the qualities of successful Smartphone titles and applies them to DSiWare; cheap, unique, easy-but-challenging and addictive experiences outside of a game cartridge or disc.

In an attempt to mitigate preconceived annoyances found within the point-and-click genre, A Rite from the Stars ends up feeling relatively barebones when compared to its contemporaries. There's a strong sense of identity and the non-linear approach to progression adds a degree of novelty to each playthrough, but there's a distinct lack of an identifiable difficulty curve, alongside some rather hit or miss puzzles. A Rite from the Stars is worth playing through at least once, if only to appreciate how rich Makoan culture is, but it fails to improve upon the point-and-click genre in any substantial way.

After Us stands as a thought-provoking testament to human responsibility, but it leaves untouched the broader canvas of nature's relentless force. Recognizing both sides of this environmental equation would have offered a more comprehensive perspective on the intricate dance between humanity and the natural world, underscoring the urgent need for responsible stewardship of our planet. The gameplay is serviceable and the game's length won't leave anyone asking for more, but the real showstopper is its gorgeous visuals and ambiance.

Aragami: Nightfall is a great addition to the main game, as it provides four new chapters to play through, with two new characters. Their mission is simple: to free the Shadow Empress from the clutches of the Kaiho, striking down any captain in their way. While the story is simple, it also fails to add new context to the greater story of the main game, and this seems more like an excuse to jump back into the action and sneak through stages. This is, of course, not a bad thing, as it plays quite well, with the animations providing such a beautiful overall look. For fans of the original looking to jump back in, this is a fun detour that adds new abilities and locations into the mix, without trying to redefine the original point.

In Asphalt 9: Legends splashy visuals come first, collecting unlockables comes second, and skill proves to be a distant third. Having said that, it's tons of fun, at least, if not in search of realism, and despite the lack of decent variety, not to mention the fact that it's an always-online product. Moreover, this can definitely be enjoyed in its original, free form, or by simply spending a bunch of pounds to purchase the Starter Pack if you need to save yourself from more than 10 to 20 hours worth of grinding, but beyond that, the game won't really force you to do anything more besides from playing it.

For an action-adventure title, inaccurate hit-boxes and level-design that's even slightly off can be a deal-breaker. Rather than get dragged down by its deficiencies, Blasphemous rises above to create a uniquely engaging experience. Exploring the dire realm of Cvstodia is a treat in itself. The lore is intriguing, and the few characters you meet weave compelling narratives. Still, there remains an unshakeable thought that this game is a beautiful painting, but with an askew frame. Then again, maybe it's because of the imperfections that players start to question everything around them. Whatever the case, you'll definitely want to give this a look.

Call of the Sea can be described as: a forgettable adventure, sprinkled with fun, but easy puzzles. The exposition-heavy "narration" of the main heroine ruins the atmosphere of this journey, which isn't that strong to begin with, especially for a story dealing with eldritch terrors from beyond. The only reason to play this are the puzzles, although they too fail to keep you invested, as you won't really care about reaching the end, especially if a fan of Lovecraft, which will instantly turn the plot into an extremely predictable one. It has its moments, sure, and the visuals are beautiful, but this is generally a mediocre experience.

A rough early game and poor first impression hide a true gem filled with clever level designs. It would be a true pity to judge Candy Rangers by its first hour of gameplay, but due to how brutal the first hour is with required hidden collectibles and a steep learning curve, anyone but a full-blooded masochist would not be blamed for putting it down before getting to the good part. However, if there is one message that should be remembered from this review, it is this: the good part is coming soon, and it is truly worth the rough journey there. Give Candy Rangers a try; it is one of the more innovative games in its genre, and once mastered, the foreign controls will become second nature.

In trying to distance itself a little bit from the formula that 2D Metroidvanias have now stuck to for the past 15 years, Mirror of Fate succeeded in most areas but falls a little bit too short in others. The new, more action-oriented kind of gameplay is a pleasant experience, but lack of variety of weapons and super powers makes it a less versatile experience. Had the game been a bit longer, which we cannot help but wish it was, it would have felt too repetitive. Exploration is still there in decent quantity, yet the lack of secret "off the map" rooms to find by yourself make the experience a bit too straightforward for its own good, despite 3D graphics lending themselves pretty well to render destructible things hiding interesting secrets within the castle. Finally, while the story certainly is interesting in its own right, the Lords of Shadow sub series stabs long time fans in the back by throwing away all of the plot points established by the 25-year-old series. What remains is a great looking game that controls well and is still very much worth experiencing, but is still more easily recommended to newcomers and people who can forget what the series has established so far - at least for the time Mirror of Fate will last them - and look past the minor hiccoughs in the execution. The demo available, unfortunately, doesn't really give off an accurate representation of what playing the full game - unlocking new powers as progress is made and exploring progressively - feels like.

EnjoyUp has listened well to the criticism aimed at the original title and delivered an excellent follow-up in Chronos Twins DX. It's another great addition to the slowly re-growing 2D platformer market, but its dual timeline hook is what separates it from the crowd. With two characters to control at once emphasising caution just as much as action, Chronos Twins DX should serve to satisfy anybody in need of a unique, challenging title to tax them on Wii.

Cosmic Family is certainly not for the average gamer, but it does prove to be an interesting title for the younger demographic, with simple puzzles on offer and a family friendly design. Priced at just £19.99, the game may well be quite a tempting prospect for those looking to treat their small children.

Considering just how many variations of games can be played in darts, the modes on offer in Darts Up is pretty shameful, with no saving of scores aside from Arcade online rankings, no replay value of any kind, and a rushed and subpar presentation overall. More fun was had in Shenmue's mini-games.

Dead Synchronicity tries to stand out from the crowd with its aesthetic style and succeeds in almost every area, despite starting off somewhat slow, confusing, and even a slight bit frustrating. With a stellar voice cast to drive home the weight of the macabre story at hand, a delightfully dark setting, and a slew of impressive puzzles further into the journey, any initial concerns over navigation confusion and a shorter than expected length given the price-tag are overcome, resulting in what is actually a superbly fresh take on the genre that deserves the attention of any traditional point-and-click adventure fan.

There is a simplicity to Deiland: Pocket Planet that may be too basic both in terms of how actions are done, and how little there is to explore on the tiny planet for some, but it is perfect as a before bed or generally relaxing game for others with easy to pick up game mechanics and clear objectives for each quest.

Dynasty Feud has everything it needs to be one of the most original takes on the arena fighter genre yet, which makes it all the more disappointing when it somehow manages to drop the ball in nearly every regard. The roster is whimsical and each team of five is fleshed out with their own quirks, but the combat itself feels wholly unbalanced. A slight delay to characters' actions and a lack of fluid mobility makes battles stiff and unnatural, combined with too many stage hazards to count. Deciding exactly where the next combatant in the roster spawns after a death is simply too easy to take advantage of and too difficult to counter. There's a fantastic game hiding inside of Dynasty Feud, but it's going to take a lot of digging before it fully comes out.

FullBlast is hard to fault entirely in one particular of its many aspects. It doesn't do much wrong: it controls well, the music is nice enough, the visuals, while not impressive, do look clean. It gets the action going, yet it fails to capture the attention because it's too repetitive and not engaging enough. It's neither good nor bad, it just feels dull. Nothing outstanding distinguishes one level from the next, and the lack of anything truly surprising or groundbreaking means that it feels more like work than entertainment to get through all the levels and see the ending. Online leaderboards, while they are a good addition (and are seriously lacking in the brilliant re-releases of old classics on Nintendo platforms), won't be its saving grace. The boring repetitiveness of the action, music, and scenery is likely to put off the most purist of fans, who will likely prefer to whip out an old classic rather than sticking around for too long in this newer title. Lack of content, replayability, and engaging factors hold back what could have otherwise been a much better home console experience, and proves that copy-pasting a mobile game onto a home console is not a good idea.

By no means is Funk of Titans a bad game, but it's not the kind of game that will be remembered for much beyond its absurd story and ridiculous mini-game. Funk of Titans is decidedly average, but it is fun to play in small doses. Completing each level without taking a hit while getting the Pegasus head and collecting the one hundred gold vinyl records in each stage can be a great way to kill small amounts of time here and there, but the repetitive nature of the levels and simplicity of the gameplay preclude longer sessions. The frame rate stuttering causes frustration and death, but it is generally unnoticeable in the main stages, leaving fewer reasons to play the already-tedious mini-game. The nagging desire to "One Hundred Percent" Funk of Titans might persist until the task is accomplished, although not because it is a difficult challenge to be overcome: because it is an absurdly easy one that causes a bit of shame for not being completed.

Hunt the Night wants to stand beside the gothic greats it so clearly worships, and visually it often succeeds. That said, its haunting pixel art and oppressive atmosphere can’t hide its many rough edges, as beneath the beautiful darkness lies combat that’s stiff and exhausting instead of satisfying, exploration that rarely excites, and technical issues that constantly chip away at immersion. The creation of Moonlight Games is not without merit, but for every moment that captures the spirit of its inspirations, two more remind the player of why these became classics in the first place.

Ice Cream Surfer is a reasonably fun little timewaster, and at a time where shoot 'em ups are fewer and further between, some diehard shooter fans might feel like this is worth a punt. A far cry from the great 2D shooters of the past, though, it offers surprisingly little, it can be frustratingly cheap, it doesn't run without flaws despite it coming nowhere close to challenging the hardware, and unforgivably it lacks any substantial form of recording high scores. It's a budget title, but there's far better things on the eShop to spend that fiver on.

Immortal Redneck's first few hours are a delightful cage match between you and the chaos within. After a few hours, though, it feels like the same old, same old. Tension is replaced with apathy, as things feel like a hamster wheel churning out the same bits and pieces. It is best experienced for its moments, and not its whole, as those moments are exhilarating and intense. As a whole, though, it fails to retain any lasting attention, and amounts to something that is fun, but ultimately disappointing.

In short, if a developer wants to design a methodically-paced game that relies on the player's aptitude for problem-solving, then they should also present an option to easily retry difficult sections. Iro Hero already has its own identity, so there's no need to stray further from the pack by implementing so many strange design-decisions. Having to sit through several minutes of "filler" just for another crack at the real obstacle is not fun or challenging. This shmup is only recommended for those out there willing to put up with a lot of tedium.

Is This Seat Taken? is a charming logic puzzle game that can be beaten in just a few hours. The entirety of its playtime is enjoyable, with a touching little story and great difficulty curve that builds up to some real challenge towards the end. With no real penalty for taking it slow, though, the game can still be beaten and the story experienced even by non-puzzle fans.

Lethal Honor: Order of the Apocalypse stands out in the market in more ways than one. It has a beautiful art style that is not just a pretty artistic choice, but it is breathed throughout the entire game. It dares to be really dark, and most importantly, has some extremely solid hack and slash gameplay to go with the rogue-lite elements. However, "lite" is sadly the best way to describe the rogue elements. This, mixed with the steep difficulty increase after the tutorial, makes this a title that is difficult to recommend to the vast majority of gamers. However, for hardcore fans of the genre, there is probably nothing better to spend the money on this season, despite harsh competition!

Megamagic is surprisingly deep and enjoyable after its noticeably slow start. The gameplay itself only improves as more diverse spells and playstyles become available, and the story is engaging enough to keep you invested in it through the roughly ten hours it'll take to complete. There are some spots where the maps and gameplay could have been tightened up a bit, and the story could have used a little more dialogue and exposition overall. Despite its shortcomings, it's an impressive adventure that RTS fans definitely won't want to miss, and the story is captivating enough that a sequel would be welcomed.

This is right up there with Super Metroid in terms of sheer class, taking the spirit of Metroid II: Return of Samus and transforming it so wondrously for the modern day that it is barely recognisable, with a plethora of brand-new extras thrown in. Metroid: Samus Returns is no mere remake of a Game Boy classic; it is a love letter to the Metroid series, and a thorough reimagining of the core concept, adding in some favourite elements from later releases, and new content that fits hand in glove. Lay any concerns down, as this is top notch entertainment through and through.

Nightmare Boy is an admirable first attempt by a two-person studio, with a compelling artistic vision backed up by wild and unexpected creativity. However, strict adherence to outdated gameplay tropes and questionable narrative pacing make this a difficult game to recommend to everyone, especially with the abundance of other high quality Metroidvanias on the market.

What should be the core appeal in Nihilumbra is less than three hours of extremely simple platforming, with an admittedly rather predictable storyline that tries too hard, presented through what might best be described as a fad in its invisible narrator. Some tough and frustrating platforming can be found if prepared to hammer through the initial easy-peasy main mode, but it never finds that middle ground of fun and balanced gameplay. Check Nihilumbra out if feeling deprived of some 2D platforming on Wii U, but it is a forgettable experience.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound brings the 2D series into the modern age with respect. A diverse range of levels constantly introduces fresh ideas to stave off repetition, and the focus on satisfying momentum-based gameplay that rewards mastering of abilities is the perfect match for ninja hack and slash platforming. Speedrun goals, collectibles and unlockable harder stages mean this is a game that will keep being returned to long after the main quest is over.

Thanks to half the game not utilizing the Godheads, that half is relegated into a standard couch experience. Even when the gimmick is brought in full force, it has a tendency to feel more obnoxious than fun. Fans of arena style titles, but not those who like a lot of depth, will probably find something of value in Oh My Godheads' digital battlefields. However, this feels more like a base game, for which the developer can build upon later. It feels surprisingly empty, and in the hallowed halls of local multiplayer, like it's just too plain and bland overall - which is sad, because the first couple of hours are actually pretty fun.

Daedalic has a strong back catalogue of really enjoyable adventure games, so if the urge strikes for some point-and-click goodness it would be better to just look through that and find anything else other than its disappointing most recent offering.

Rock Zombie is playing on nostalgia from the time when arcade halls were everywhere and arcade styled beat 'em up titles were flooding the console market - the 'Golden Age' of arcade games. Sadly, however, due to misbalanced difficulty and an overly simplistic fighting system and enemy design, the game falls flat. Even with 'permadeath,' the difficulty never feels threatening and the adrenaline never pumps like it should. It all feels cold and lifeless, just like the zombies that this game is focused on killing. It is time to put the lid back on the coffin again and hope the next try to revive this genre in the West is more successful.

Runaway: A Twist of Fate is a solid port of the original point-and-click adventure game for the PC. Levels and cut-scenes are well presented in a cel-shaded style, and the attention to detail is nicely preserved (for the most part) despite the DS’ limited screen real estate. Touch controls are intuitive and make solving puzzles (which are mostly well designed) smooth. The plot takes a little while to get going (especially if you’re new to the series), but there’s a good dose of humour to keep you going. A Twist of Fate might not be able to stand up to the kings of the genre, but if you’re an adventure game fan you could do worse than to take a look.

Smoots World Cup Tennis tries to be this whacky and hilarious arcade sports game, plastered with all manner of customisation options and silly characters that parody real life people, but the bugs, the constant replays after every point, the awful visuals and voice clips, the boring gameplay, and just the obvious lack of care to optimise for Switch make this an easy pass.

Unbearable technical problems, awful gameplay direction, complete lack of challenge, besides many others flaws, are more than enough to overcome the momentary good platforming sections that Spheroids can offer, leaving nothing but a frown expression on the players who tolerate the game until its boring end.

STAY starts as an nail-biting adventure that's hard to let go of - literally and figuratively. Soon enough, however, it will become an exercise in frustration, partly because of the slow pace of it all, but mainly due to some bad design choices, with the aggravatingly cryptic, and speed-bumpy puzzles taking the biscuit.

Genre enthusiasts, both young and old, are certain to enjoy Super Hydorah. This throwback covers all of the bases in exemplary fashion. Although there are a rather large number of stages, they're appropriately paced and creatively designed. The action never gets repetitive, nor does the difficulty ever become unbalanced. A checkpoint-based STG isn't easy to pull off, which makes this title all the more impressive. Although, anyone interested in checking out the Xbox One version should seriously consider investing in a good arcade stick. The stock controller is woefully inadequate for shmups.

The Count Lucanor is as average as it gets. The most impressive aspect is definitely the animated cut-scenes and how many different ways the story can be completed. The problem is that the whole thing is over so quickly - about as long as it takes to tell an actual fairytale. In-game pixel art fails to impress and the amateurish designs and animations undercut the story and themes as depicted in the writing and cut-scenes. Also, Metal Slug 3 is on the Nintendo Switch and runs perfectly, so there is no reason why The Count Lucanor suffers some egregious performance issues.

The Great Whale Road manages to balance its many moving parts just fine; it's just that one of those parts doesn't hold up its own weight very well. When it's about progressing the story, or keeping your village going, this game feels really good. Combat doesn't manage to hold itself up to that same standard, and fails to feel like anything other than an add-on.

“A cold-case detective thriller without genuine detecting” sounds more like a strange joke than proper description for this game. Combine that alongside poor storytelling and shoddy presentation, and it’s sad to say John Morley’s final case ends with a pitiful whimper rather than a bang.

Sadly, The Red Strings Club will fool some into thinking it follows in the footsteps of classics from WadjetEye Games purely because of its aesthetics. Do not be mistaken, though. This is not a patch on any of that company's releases, nor is it affiliated with it at all. Instead, this takes an intriguing style and theme of the world gone mad for technology, mixes in some extremely random love story between the lead duo of hacker and bartender that bears no relevance to the underlying tale, adds in a heavy dose of some of the most painful attempts at puzzles, and then perfectly tops it all off with an overly wordy script filled with too much padding.

The Spatials: Galactology is more like EA's Sim series, just set in space with a strategy experience tacked on. The surprise comes from how the strategy is actually competent. The system is likely not deep enough for hardcore strategy fans to want it solely based on this reason, though, yet for those more from the simulation genre fan club, they will find it all to be pretty fun overall. Those craving a sandbox simulator in space will feel right at home here, and the amount of crafting/decorating will be what some are definitely looking for.

They Are Billions does a lot of things great. The survival twist of a city-builder is unique, and lots of fun. Dealing with the huge waves is always as fun as it is stressful, including the huge final waves. Things that hold the game back are difficulty playing a computer game on console controls, and various UI and graphics issues as well as slowdown. This being said, it's a solid and unique RTS title.

There is no denying that Touring Karts VR is rough around the edges. It's clearly a labour of love, though, and is far more enjoyable than something not made by the big three has any right to be. With its wealth of customisation options, and immediate gratification through objectives and trophies, nobody could be expected to want more. It's a huge surprise and delight then to find fun gameplay, great music, and some real love put into each and every distinct track. If there is a VR headset gathering dust, take the punt and pick this up. The stall has been set out for future kart sims, and it's a pretty high bar to clear, even if those bears can't skate.

Twin Robots takes a fairly unique idea, some rather bland window trimming, and then pelts the player with a lot of bad decisions. This is the videogame equivalent of "Why are you punching yourself?" Worse yet, it feels unpolished, with its poor ledge collision and the robots' ability to fling boxes, and each other, just by running into them. In an already crowded sub-genre of an already crowded main genre, Twin Robots is just too short on its execution to be memorable for very long at all.

Apart from the wonderful 16-bit audio-visuals, Viviette turns out to be nothing more than a repetitive search for key-item after key-item, with a little bit of puzzle-solving thrown in, next to a simple horror tale that won't really creep you out that much.

Zombie Incident is not without a couple of annoying factors at times, and some decisions in terms of game design do seem odd. Saying that, though, the feeling it provides coming out of playing it is a good one - a rewarding sense of accomplishment. It has enough charm to outweigh most of its shortcomings. Through its new 3DS coat of paint, it is obvious why it won the competition back in 2011, and, given its low price on the eShop, it can confidently be recommended to anybody interested in the concept, or fans of old-school indie games. Give this one a shot and be assured that, whether or not the same kind of occasional frustrations are experienced, gamers are likely to get hooked and end up not regretting the small monetary investment.