DISCLAIMER: The title “Early Access” means that the product/game is still under development. As such, the content featured below is subject to change. This includes any opinions I may have at the time of writing, as Alpha and Beta builds sometimes change their core mechanics on a whim. It’s important to stress the word opinions, as I find it unethical to review something not yet released in its final form. In other words, don’t take anything you see here too seriously. You can view all of the articles of this series by clicking the “Video Games” tab, located on the top of this page.
Brawlhalla – “Brawlhalla” is loads of fun to play, though the timing does take some getting used to. Combat is pretty fast-paced, though it takes a small fraction of time for your inputs to register forcing you to accommodate for the “lag” for lack of better term. Characters also have their own unique stats (which you can physically see) as well as weapons that they’ll equip when you pick up the appropriate weapon pick up. One character might have two melee weapons, for example, while another might have a ranged and a melee weapon. While not an exact “Super Smash Bros.” clone, it’s the closest game I’ve personally seen to come close. Mammoth coins, for those of you curious, must be purchased with real money and can’t be earned in-game. Luckily, they simply allow players to purchase character/weapon skins and taunts (to the best of my knowledge)…all of which are aesthetic. All in all, “Brawlhalla” is an easy recommend. You can find it on Steam’s Early Access program for $12.99.
Albedo: Eyes from Outer Space –
Let me preface this by saying that I haven’t spent a lot of time with the game, which is retrospect is exactly what the game expects you to do. What little I did play, I didn’t really enjoy and often found myself frustrated. Without any sort of tutorial to guide me, I found myself stuck in the very first room for about twenty minutes just messing around with the various objects. Based on the trailers, I expected a FPS sci-fi game with an emphasis on the “S”…instead I discovered this game to be extremely puzzle heavy.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy puzzles, but the help system (TAB key) is absolutely useless. “I need to repair the door”…way to state the obvious! I longed for an escalating help system as featured in BTTF:TG that gave me the answers after so many hint requests. What’s the point of having a difficulty setting if your puzzles are going to be that demanding regardless? That’s not to say it won’t be fun for some who have the time to devote to solving these puzzles, but it is clearly not for me (at least, at present).
I’m giving it a positive recommend because the setting and ambiance is indeed fairly good, but I would like to see options / mechanics to help out new/casual players who don’t want to spend hours trying to solve complex puzzles. “Deadfall Adventures” incorporated multiple difficulty levels for the puzzles alone, for example. I grabbed this for cheap during a Bundle Stars sale (10 games for $4) so I’m not too miffed that I didn’t enjoy this title. You can find it on Steam’s Early Access program for $14.99.
Rising World – I was immediately impressed with the visuals as everything looked amazing and lifelike. I wasn’t able to find any lakes or water unfortunately, nor is the collision detection and AI pathing smooth just yet. Cows when hit, for example, walk a few steps, stop, turn, walk a few steps, stop, walk a few more, etc. There’s plenty to craft at the present time, though some of the items don’t seem to require materials (I’m assuming costs will be added later as more raw resources make their way into the game, but I’m guessing). All in all, a positive recommend considering the fifteen dollar price tag. You can find it on Steam’s Early Access program for $14.99.
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Gameplay Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26VC59db8Zc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9weANXLZcA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGf1oBTHQhk