LevelsAndGear

So, here's the deal. I've been seeing Supercat Survivors pop up on several Youtube gaming creators lists of "Survivors like you must play!" or similarly themed vids, and I dig Survivors games, I dig cats, and Brotato is one of my favorite games - so I of course decided to check this out. First off - If you look at the Steam reviews of Supercat Survivors, you'll see people leaving reviews like, "It's a reskinned **** IT'S MUCH WORSE THAN THAT. They literally use the same stat names, some of the items and weapons are carried over EXACTLY, just given different names. It's not a reskin. It's a cheap knock off. It's not just a reskinned Brotato. It's a buggy, frustrating reskinned Brotato. On the off chance you're reading this not knowing the Brotato formula, it's an arena shooter/survivor game, where you have a class that has different abilities, and you choose from a variety of weapons to survive an Arena for X amount of rounds. You have a shop and drops in the levels to give you random items to power yourself up, and you eventually get a boss, and win the game. There are multiple difficulty levels, a lot of classes and build options, and other game modes to keep you coming in. Honestly, it's basically a puzzle game - as the challenge comes from finding the items and builds that work with the class you chose, and then making it happen. This comes to my first major gripe, that's not SPECIFICALLY about Supercat, but the genre as a whole. In order to unlock ALL the items possible, for many of these games (Brotato and Supercat included) - You have to beat the game with EVERY Class. Which takes roughly 30 minutes per char if you know what you are doing, and with 40ish chars in each game, well you do the math. That's what you have to do just to unlock all the items in the game so that you can start PLAYING THE GAME. This is too much time to commit to a title that's supposed to be an arcade game and casual friendly. Now, if the game is GOOD, and you enjoy playing it, and plan to play it and challenge yourself after the fact, one could argue it's worth going through this rigamarole (IE - BROTATO) - But if the game is mediocre, or SLIGHTLY worse than the best game in the genre, you are wasting way too much time to actually be able to play the game in full, which I FREAKING DID. Now - Here's my quick list of why this is worse than Brotato gameplay wise: The controls aren't as smooth. You can't manually aim. The arena is too small and repetitive. The enemies aren't visually interesting. The bosses lack variety. The hit boxes are awful, making Melee weapons particularly unfun to use. The weapons don't do enough to differentiate themselves when you're using then. The action is a little too fast, the arena is crowded, making it very difficult to know what's actually happening. Oh yea, you HAVE to use a mouse to be able to see everything and get tooltips. The weapons and effects just don't feel satisfying. And THIS IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN BROTATO!!!! Oh, and BUGS. Bosses get stuck and stop moving. The game crashes. Just scrolling through menus, there are items you literally can't move side to side to, you have to go around and up to select them. Some of the gametextisactuallywithoutspaceslikethismakingithardtoread. Some items don't work correctly and don't calculate stats and bonuses well. So basically, the coder said, "Brotato is popular, how do I do that and make money?" and defaulted to cats, because, internet. IT'S NOT ALL BAD KIDS - There ARE actually a couple things I like, and a couple improvements over the Brotato forumla. The main one is that there are different game modes, and seasonal content. There are high scores for a couple different modes though even then, a high score in a game like this basically means watching someone else figure out the best class/combo and then praying to RNJesus that you get the items needed to make it work. HOWEVER, there is a new mode called Fusion which allows you to play two classes together, which is fun and cool. The monsters that carry items are visually easy to see in this game as opposed to Brotato. Some of the items and systems are simplified, and some items that are useless in Brotato are NOT in Supercat. These are good things. So, if you are drawn to this game, and have not played Brotato, PLAY BROTATO. If you are sick of Brotato, at least play a knock off that is trying to be different (Gunbot Diplomacy, for example). DO NOT REWARD THIS KNOCK OFF. I am literally not even sure how they haven't been sued. And content creators, STOP PROMOTING THIS GARBAGE. Just like the game itself, I have spent way more time on this review than I planned. Is it ALL bad? No. Is it good? No. Is it a blatant ripoff and should not be rewarded with your time and money? Yes.

"Slime Coming is a pixel-art, cartoon-style light rogue-like, survivor-like game that uses fully automatic attacks and is simple to play." I won't waste my time (or yours) by making this review long. Slime Coming is perhaps the worst game I've ever played. I was drawn in by the cutish graphics, hoping for a Brotato with 8 bit retro graphics. I was sorely disappointed. Slime coming is not just bad, it's offensively bad. It's a Brotato clone that's buggy, vague, boring, and repetitive. While I hate picking on small independent game makers, the fact that money is charged for something this shoddy is an afront. Just say no.

IF NOT "BROTATO", WHY "BROTATO" SHAPED?! Do you LOVE Brotato? I mean it. Do you LOVE Brotato? If not, A: Close this page and play Brotato somewhere, then come back. B: Play Brotato until you are tired of Brotato, then come back to this review. If you answered YES to "Do you LOVE Brotato?" have I got a game for you. Gunbot Diplomacy is a different Brotato, slightly worse in just about every respect, but a solid game that I ended up enjoying and playing way more than I expected I would. But if you've played the HECK out of Brotato and just want something slightly different/the thrill of unlocking different stuff and finding other combos, you could do a lot worse than Gunbot Diplomacy. If you've made it this far, you know the drill - GD is a top-down shoot 'em up roguelite where you kill things, collect currency, and get random upgrades. It's got far less characters, enemies and bosses, though a surprisingly large amount of upgrades. The main difference is a hex shaped upgrade combo system, which is good news and bad news. It gives you some more options and variety, but makes shifting to a new build or strategy late game nearly impossible because you're already locked in to so many tied together upgrades. There's also a lot of confusion as to what works with what, what DOES what, and what effects are actually happening - as the game can be a bit visually a clusterf, and the tooltips aren't always super clear. There's MAJOR balance issues (a couple of the upgrades are way way way way more powerful than others), but if you can avoid just picking the OP stuff, you can have some fun with combos and other varieties of items, just seeing what works and what works together. I'm not going to complicate things. If you love Brotato, and want a little more Brotato but slightly different, Gunbot Diplomacy is for you. If not, you're better served by Brotato.

Two Minute Review: Gato Robato doesn't try to fool you. It makes an interesting aesthetic choice, and gives you Metroid with monochrome early 80's style DOS graphics, with a cat in a mech suit as the main protagonist. The moves are taken directly out of Metroid for the most part (Gun, missiles, spin jump) with an added dash (and no roller ball, though the cat character itself basically performs the same function). The background graphics are similar, and the enemies invoke Metroid vibes. The gameplay and controls are satisfying, the map system is solid, and the story is engaging enough. It's a short romp, with just about 5 hours of casual gameplay, and that's the right amount. The generous checkpoint system prevents major frustration. My complaints: 1. The difficulty is a bit inconsistent - there's a couple puzzles/early encounters that are almost TOO challenging, and a couple of the end game encounters feel too easy. and there's an unlockable hidden behind a mechanic that the game never actually tells you about which I find irksome. 2. The music is probably the weakest component of the game. I still hum Metroid songs 35+ years later, and the music in this title was disappointing. 3. The monochrome decision is interesting. Yes you can change colors, but for a game designed with attention to detail and care, and Metroid itself you know, being in full color, I am not quite sure why they made this choice. Yes, it stands out, but I think the game would have been better with a full color palette. It's not a REAL complaint, but I don't love UI "improvements" (like alternate colors) as in game unlockables. But, I had fun playing it, and for fans of the genre with an itch for something short with that retro vibe, you could do much much worse. 7/10.

Two Minute Review: As a huge Tower Defense fan, I somehow had missed playing Kingdom Rush, one of the most popular titles in the genre's history. Originally released in 2011 as a browser game, Kingdom Rush got a Android release in 2013, and a PC version a year later. The game differs from many other titles in the genre by being more "active", as the game offers two special abilities (Meteor Storm and Reinforcements) as well as a Hero that you manage on the maps. The abilities are fun to use and can make or break your success, and meanwhile - the stable of heroes (up to 13 at the time of this writing) are all fun to play with cool abilities they employ. The base game features about 25 missions which have three different challenges, and there are a huge variety of enemies that show up throughout the campaign. The graphics are pleasant and somewhat cartoony, giving off heavy Castle Crashers vibes. Two other things stand out with Kingdom Rush to me - One is the difficulty level options. You can play on the easiest difficulty level and still "complete" the game and get all upgrades. The other 2 difficulty levels are simply to challenge yourself, which I actually think is a positive thing - especially since the harder difficulties can be VERY hard, and not exactly casual friendly. The other thing is a big demerit in my eyes - There is no way to "speed up" the action, which is time consuming and frustrating. To beat all 25 levels on all 3 challenges took about 30 hours of gameplay, which to me is too much - and certainly discourages experimenting and trying out the harder difficulty levels. Many other games in the genre have this option, and it's a huge huge **** I enjoyed and had fun with Kingdom Rush, and I would suggest it to any fans of the genre. However, the speed up option, punishing difficulty level at times, and lack of a really compelling story prevent this from being a classic to me.

One Minute Review: Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ (2013) PAC-MAN DX+ is a maze runner high score chaser, originally released on consoles in 2010, and later on PC and Mobile devices - The DX+ version released in 2013, offering DLC with extra maps and skins,and rendering previous versions of the title obsolete.This game focuses on speed and precision, as you try to rack up points, beat the clock, and munch the most ghosts possible - depending on game mode. The player is given bombs to knock away ghosts and a very generous "slow down" system when you're about to be eaten, allowing you to keep the action going. The presentation is great, and there's customization options to keep things **** nitpicks don't invovle the gameplay: the interface is a bit clunky by today's standards, and for a high score chaser, the leaderboards are loaded with fake scores, which is always frustrating. It's a fun arcade game with solid mechanics and plenty of that "one more run" addictiveness - serious Pac Fans will love it, casuals may find it a little repetitive after a couple hours - regardless, you'll get your monies worth.

One Minute Review: Left 4 Dead 2 5/10 Left 4 Dead 2 is a first person Co-Op shooter, released back in 2009. An ancestor of current popular games Helldivers 2 and Deep Rock Galactic, L4D and this sequel were trailblazers, however - the game now shows its age - But It didn't grab me even when it was new.Light on story, L4D2 has up to 4 Friends, escaping various Zombie infested settings. Each of the 14 campaigns have 4 stages usually culminating in a special battle (such as waiting for a helicopter, or powering up an elevator). The atmosphere is great, and the characters are likable - but the zombie is in the details. Despite a large variety of weapons, the combat never really feels very **** BIG problem however is the lack of variety in the enemies. The gameplay loop gets repetitive. Playing single player is especially frustrating as the AI is so bad, it made completing a couple of campaigns almost impossible. There IS fun the first few times you play, and there are multiple game modes including survival and very popular versus modes, but it's impossible to suggest L4D2 with better alternatives available today.

One Minute Review - Aqua Kitty: Milk Mine Defender, originally released for consoles back in 2013, has received a couple major updates over the years - culminating with Aqua Kitty UDX, releasing for all major consoles and PC. Aqua Kitty is a Arcade style 2d-shooter, in the classic Defender mold - done with 16 bit graphics and the adorable backdrop **** of cats trying to acquire precious milk. UDX now sports 3 different modes, Classic, Arcade, and Dreadnaught - which is a boss style gauntlet, providing hours of gameplay and packing the low cost title with value. There's some good variety and challenge to be had with the various modes as well, inlcuding an endless mode. It's great in shorts burst, longer play sessions if you want to chase some high scores, or if you have a fellow cat lover on the couch with you for some Co-Op action.AKUDX is one of the best games of its ilk available, period. Its presentation, gameplay, graphics and music are all fantastic, and the extra added modes over the years give you even more of an excuse to blast your underwater foes.

One Minute Review - Aqua Kitty: Milk Mine Defender, originally released for consoles back in 2013, has received a couple major updates over the years - culminating with Aqua Kitty UDX, releasing for all major consoles and PC. Aqua Kitty is a Arcade style 2d-shooter, in the classic Defender mold - done with 16 bit graphics and the adorable backdrop **** of cats trying to acquire precious milk. UDX now sports 3 different modes, Classic, Arcade, and Dreadnaught - which is a boss style gauntlet, providing hours of gameplay and packing the low cost title with value. There's some good variety and challenge to be had with the various modes as well, inlcuding an endless mode. It's great in shorts burst, longer play sessions if you want to chase some high scores, or if you have a fellow cat lover on the couch with you for some Co-Op action.AKUDX is one of the best games of its ilk available, period. Its presentation, gameplay, graphics and music are all fantastic, and the extra added modes over the years give you even more of an excuse to blast your underwater foes.

One Minute Review: Torchlight II is an ARPG, built in the Diablo mold, released in 2012. This sequel improves upon the original in almost every way, such as adding online Co-op. It's got a great visual style, the environments are colorful and interesting - and the game is simply fun to play. While light on story, TL2 has 4 different character classes with tons of interesting abilities. After the 20ish hour campaign, you can choose to keep leveling to 100 and hunt for perfect gear with the Mapworks endless mode, or restart the story in NG+. There are a few flaws - too few classes and limited stash space, as well as no respec option - For a loot driven game with so many cool skills, not being able to experiment more was an odd choice. That being said, a very active Modding community solves ALL those issues, and adds lots more to the game. The difficulty level is a bit strange: normal can feel too easy, veteran can feel too punishing. However, even now, Torchlight 2 is one of the best ARPGs available if you're looking for an alternative to the big names.

One Minute Review: Pac-Man 256 is an endless runner, quarter muncher arcade style video game, released in 2015. Originally a Mobile device title, the game would release on Consoles and PC in 2016, adding features - like 4 player coop. It's a fun take on both the runner and Pac-Man formula, with enough familiarity (mazes, dots, fruits, and ghosts) - and new stuff - (power ups, endless running)to warrant a play. The game does suffer from two major flaws: Of the dozen-plus power ups, only a few are good, with half being "starter" versions of the better ones. The grind to enhance the power ups is way too long for a game of this ilk, and by the time you you do, you may be tired of the game play loop. Power ups should have been balanced better, and the time to unlock and enhance them is far too long. Still, for fans of the Pac, there's fun to be had here. The multiplayer is fun in short bursts and while the couple of flaws prevent this from being classic, it's worth a play.

For what it is, it's great. For a buck, it's fantastic. This is a simplistic arcade high score chaser that would be great fun on party night with friends, and this would fit right in to a "one more try" lineup at an arcade or bar. Basically, it's a modern take on the old Atari Classic "Freeway" - Where your goal is to get a ball back and forth across the screen with one-button gameplay. It's a timing/vision tester. There are power ups, shiny fun visuals, and a cool song. The game also boasts 3 play modes to make sure you get more than your dollar's worth, as well as some skins for the ball. It's not going to change your life, but it's a fun way to kill a little bit of time, and is certainly made extremely well. My improvement suggestions: 1. This game is crying out for a local multiplayer mode. 2 to 4 players. Would be a great party game. 2. A few more songs for soundtrack. I admit, I like the song, but when I was going after that high score I wanted to hear something different eventually. Pros: Sharp, simple arcade style gameplay. Cons: None, really.

Retro Bowl on the Switch is a fantastic time killer for a football fan. The gameplay experience can get a little repetitive, it's the sort of game where you eventually find your own way to make challenge and fun - whatever that means to you. It's great for killing 10-20 minutes, but it's also very easy to lose an hour or more getting in one more game or pushing through the playoffs or testing out your new lineup after the draft. I played it quite a bit on my phone, and was excited to get it on the Switch, especially at a bargain basement price of $3. The game translates great. For the completely uninitiated, Retro Bowl is a modern take on Tecmo Bowl for the NES - With way more depth, as you build and maintain your team and roster. Not only do you need to crush your opponent on the field, you need to balance egos in the locker room, salary, coaches, and facilities. You only play the offensive part of the game, the game speeds through defensive possessions, and it's surprising how fun it still is to throw your first few touchdown passes or throw your 500th touchdown pass. If you hate fun, you can play the game on Extreme Difficulty for a serious challenge, but i find success at this level very repetitive and boring as your options for success are limited. While great, the game is not perfect - Here are a couple improvements I'd make: 1. Kickoff returns are fun - maybe allow a star player to block and return the ball to allow for the potential for a dramatic TD runback occasionally. 2. Running game is very difficult to execute at higher difficulty levels (Dynamic 13+) - It's very rare to be able to bust out decent runs, which would add a little more variety and make things a bit more fun. 3. Allow saving of certain Instant Replay highlights. 4. This is minor, and probably something few people would want, but I would like to see the players on the rosters of the other teams as opposed to just the general star ranking. 5. A little more transparency into what makes Defenses successful, ie - Let me know how often random checks are being made against the defensive players, or how many chances they have to actually make a stop. Pros: Fun, bite sized retro Football experience. Cons: Running game a bit too limited.

I got this game on sale for 50 cents during a recent Steam Sale, and I have to say it was perhaps, the best 50 cents I've ever spent. The normal price is $3, and that's a fine price too. I've put in 2+ hours, defeating the "Level" mode, and having a few goes at the Endless "Endless" and "Wave" modes. For 3 bucks or 50 cents, 2+ hours worth of entertainment is a bargain. The game has been hailed as a Space Invaders clone, but to me - It reminds me more of a clone of the CLONES of Space Invaders, the knock offs and indie games on systems like C-64 and Atari - especially punctuated by the soundtrack (which is fantastic). It's not super challenging, (though a few of the fights are tricky), nor is it very deep - But if you enjoyed classic arcade shooters and want to enjoy a love letter to these sorts of games from the early 80's, you could certainly do a lot worse. If you understand going into it you're getting a very basic classic arcade shooter, you won't have unrealistic expectations. Personally, I find games like this (and Geometry Wars) great ways to relax and get that "zen mode" playing for 10-15 minutes - enjoying the simplicity, the music, the effects. It takes me back. Is Void Invaders going to change my life? Nope, but it provided value and fun for a short time, and that's all I could have asked for.

I've played way way more than I should and care to admit. I think this game is fun with a lot of positives, and a few negatives. The community (of course) has some issues. The matchmaking is horrendous, though Blizzard seems to make efforts to improve it. However, the combat, characters, maps and presentation are all top notch - And for the most part, especially if I have a friend, have fun playing. There are things I would suggest to improve it, but this is a fun game.

Boy do I wish they hadn't cancelled the PC version. Truthfully, I am enjoying this more than I thought I would - The freemium/ads/power ups that cost money and all that are annoying. When you ignore all of that, and just play it similar to how you'd play PVZ1, there's fun to be had for a casual phone game. I like the different worlds, and the interesting spins and twists, and the game encourages you to try and use the different plants. It has side modes (Endless/Jarbreaker) and goofy little promo games. It's a fun casual game with some flaws. I'd rather be playing this on a full screen with a mouse, but I enjoy wasting a little time occasionally with this guy.

No sir, i didn't like it. Honestly, I like the concept of this game - And I tried, (lord knows I tried) - But every time I was playing it, I wasn't having a scrap of fun. Getting attacked and looted constantly unless you babysit (or buy spend real money to buy protection) - If you're looking for a "casual" game, this isn't it. The graphics and presentation are nice, but I simply didn't have any fun.

Assault Heroes is a X-Box 360 Arcade Title which drops you (And a buddy if you have one available next to you or online) literally out of a ship into a warzone. You drive a 4 wheeled assault vehicle, and with several weapons and powerups at your disposal, set out to save the world, or something. Everything you encounter is out to get you, and if your vehicle takes enough damage you will be temporarily forced on foot where you are extremely vulnerable. These times of foot training will come in handy when you head into underground bunkers for powerups, and these are actually some of the more challenging parts of the games. Assault Heroes is vehicle based twin stick shooter, and after you fight through the hordes of soldiers, vehicles, and bunkers you’ll encounter boss fights. These fights are fairly interesting, which each encounter having a gimmick of some sort you need to figure out. Presentation wise, the game is pleasing both with sound and video, though unremarkable. One of my minor complaints involves environment destruction For some reason you are able to blow up and burn down trees with impunity, but buildings seem immune to your heavy artillery. I notice these sorts of things. I also wonder if the enemy is frustrated that two Jeeps can bring down their entire fortress. But I digress... My other major complaint involves some imbalance, in that if you are playing Co-Op you have access to Co-Op attacks, which are special powerups. One of these in particular (The Machine gun Co-Op power) is extremely overpowered and makes using the other weapons or NOT being in Co-Op mode undesirable. This makes the game even more repetitious than it already is. Playing through Assault Heroes will take 2-3 hours. There are multiple difficulty levels and achievements if you’re looking for replayability. All in all though, this is an average, but competent title. It will entertain you but not excite you.

NOTE: This review is for the X-Box 360 Indie version of this title. Aqua Ktty: Milk Mine Defender is a X-Box 360 Indie title currently available for 240 points. The style of the game is best described as a “Defender” clone updated to 8-bit graphics. Your mission is to defend cats mining milk from the bottom of the sea from a variety of robotic attackers. You have a submarine and a few power ups at your disposal. The gameplay is pretty linear, though you can do optional zones for additional gameplay and challenge. Aqua Kitty offers a decent challenge, and will take a couple hours to get through the main story mode. Also included is an Infinite mode. The presentation of this game is fantastic, the graphics are cute and well done, and the gameplay itself is good but a few gripes keep this from being great: 1. Lack of variety of power ups and enemies, which make the experience a tad repetitive 2. A little tutorial on how to get higher scores would have been appreciated, because despite getting the hang of the combo system, I still seemed to suffer against the stock High Scores. 3. A more noticeable sound when one of your miners is being abducted would have been nice, the very quiet meow can be easy to miss. Worth playing? Absolutely. Fixing the complaints above would make it a top tier indie title.

I was a big fan of the original Orcs Must Die, and was very excited for the sequel. I am pleased to say, for the most part, this game does not disappoint. It streamlines the experiencing by getting rid of the "Weavers" (For which most people only used the same one) from the original title, and expanding the trap and weapon selection. You get Story Mode, Endless Mode, and for good measure they even toss in 10 Classic maps from the first game. For added value, Robot entertainment gives you a weekly challenge, which forces you to check out new strategies and traps, which I love. I have officially logged over 150 hours of this game, solo and co-op, and I feel I have a pretty good feel of it. I have 5 skulled (Best possible result) everything on Nightmare difficulty, and have played a good amount of Co-Op. I've also purchased and enjoy both DLC packs which each introduced 3 new maps and new monsters. So why only an 8? I do have a few gripes, though mostly they aren't about the gameplay itself. In no particular order: 1. Character Balance. Orcs Must Die 2 allows you to play as the hero from the first game, as well as the sorceress, the villain from the first game. This is all well and good, but certain traps are only available to each character, and the Tar Trap, which is basically the best trap in the game, is not available to the Sorceress. I like having individuality, but this balance is frustrating for Sorceress players. Which leads me to #2... 2. Leaderboards I know they are meaningless, but I like Leaderboards in a game like this to gauge how well I am doing and my strategies. There are a few flaws here. Leaderboards should have been separated by what char you are using (Apprentice or Sorceress), as well as by other criteria. For example, Endless mode only sorts by score - Sorting by Wave would be good here too. This leads me to... 3. Endless Mode The "Horde Mode" Of Orcs Must Die 2 is a fun inclusion, however it needs some tweaking. To get 5 skulls, you need to get to Wave 40. The monsters get tougher every 10 levels. This leads to a lot of monotony. They could have increased cash per monster, and cut the wave totals in half, making 20 waves what you need. Some Endless waves take 1-2 hours (or more) to complete. This is too long. Also, because the longer you go, damage dealing objects becomes useless which means that basically you HAVE to use the non damage items (Springs, Void Walls, etc) - Which reduces variety and therefore fun. 4. DLC While I am glad Robot put out 2 DLC packs shortly after the games launch, as other people have mentioned - The DLC packs feel a little light. $6 each for 3 maps and a new monster and weapon or two seems weak, compared to the content you get with the title itself. Also, I couldn't help notice that the 2nd DLC didn't include any of the creatures from the first DLC (Not even in the Endless Waves) - Which makes them feel disconnected as opposed to building on eachother. 5. Banter/Story - For whatever reason, the dialogue just isn't as entertaining and funny as it was in the first game, and there doesn't seem to be quite as much of it. 6. Co-Op is OK, but not as much fun as I had hoped. Limited each person to a small amount of traps can be awkward, and having to rely on eachother to play traps in certain places is weird. Similarly, Coin Drops in Co-Op mode should be split by both players. So, I've listed several gripes here, but don't let this fool you. This are critical ideas on how to improve a game I love. I've logged 150+ hours, and enjoy the franchise, I still think there are ways to improve. Enjoy!

A game for the playstation that was released a couple of years ago didn't get huge media attention, but now that it can be found in bargain bins across the country, you should do yourself a favor and check it out. "Abe's Oddworld Oddysee" is a game of great imagination, fun, and immense challenge. In fact, some of the game may be two challenging. The basic game style is from a side view, with rooms, and in each room Abe has to figure out how to get something done. It's a puzzle game with an action twist, with a great story and a sequel hot in stores now. The main drawback is that this game may be in some ways too difficult for young children, or even for those without quick video game reflexes. But for the rest of us, check it out. Pros:Fun, challenging, great story Cons:Slightly repetitive, almost too challenging (This review originally written: Oct 01 '99)

A good idea gone bad, unfortunately the arena combat highlights Borderlands major flaws such as: terrible AI, repetitiveness. Then, remove everything fun from the original by removing story, plot, quests,and loot - then add cheap randomizers to the encounters. All of this leads to a unfun DLC that could have been a lot better. It all seems like a piece of a larger project that somehow got hacked off and patched up. I like the idea, I hated the execution.

Not as well written as Knoxx, but still a decent and solid DLC to wrap up Borderlands 1. The gameplay is a bit repetitive, and the quests seem to lack cohesion and point (especially the side quests) but still enjoyable.

Great DLC, with more fantastic writing. A huge improvement over the previous 2 DLC's, this is a worthy addition to the Borderlands name. The lack of Fast Travel is my primary complaint.

Yes, it's flawed - The AI is terrible, the fetch quests can be dull, etc. But the charm, backdrop, story, and undeniable fun of looting and shooting make this a great entry into the shooter genre. The depth of the characters you'll encounter alone make this game fun enough to play.

VVVVVV is a solid retro-PC styled platformer with some clever writing and some clever puzzles. The soundtrack is great, and there's a lot of replaybility if you like the mechanics, with user created levels and other options. My primary complaint is that the controls were a bit touchy for my liking, and in a game of this difficulty, that can be the difference maker. Not for everyone, as this will test the patience of gamers of less than lightning quick reflexes or puzzle solving skills - But for even the talented finger mashers, there will be a lot of trial and error.

Punch-Out!! For Wii - One Line Review! Good challenge, not too hard, great retro feel - A lot of fun, the option to play with the nuchuck/balance board is a lot of fun too - the graphics and presentation are awesome! Check it out - ****/

Swords and Soldiers (WiiWare, $10) - Brief Review. (B+) For a inexpensive, fun action game in a fun and silly package, look no further. In a game that can oddly be described as a 2D Side Scrolling Real Time Strategy Game - S&S packs in some fun for a low cost. With the three factions you get plenty of gameplay, plus challenge modes and achievements. If you have younguns, they may like the Versus modes, but for me it was a little too clickfesty - but I didn't play much with this mode. Here's the IGN review, check it out. I give it a solid B+. ****/articles/982/982994p1.html

Braid (PC/Xbox360) Brief Review! (A-) Braid is a game that appears to be a Mario style platformer. The art/depth/challenge factor of this game is extremely high, so it's like Mario for geniuses. One of the most challenging games I've ever played with a very interesting visual style and backstory, Braid is a relatively short but intense affair that will keep you playing until you solve it or want to toss your machine out the window. The main gameplay gimmick involves your ability to manipulate time, and this mechanic is used throughout the game to solve its puzzles. The impressionist art style, the highly debated story, and the incredibly soundtrack add a lot of extras. There are challenge modes and "hidden stars" for those who enjoy pain and punishment and want to get replayability. Game costs about $10 and is available on the 360 or on the PC Via Steam. Well worth it. Here's the 1UP Review on the 360 version. ****/do/gameOverview?cId=3165777

Lego Universe Early Thoughts: The game itself is a lot what I expected: It's EXTREMELY MMO-Lite. But the presentation is very fun and "cute", and the game play mechanics are fairly solid. There's a lot more focus on doing other little things like exploring than there is on straight up combat (Combat is probably the "weakest"mechanic, but extremely simple). The boards have little flags and secrets to discover, as well as story boards and mini viewfinders to find that give story and point out locations of hidden things. There are also races, and a lot of mini-games, like the car racing. I assume one of the biggest draws will be the "build your own crap" mode which is done nicely - You unlock little islands off of each land, and can build there with the pieces you find. Other players can give your land a rating,so it's easy to find the best ones to go check out which is a cool featuretoo. You unlock SCADS of bricks and little mini sets to build with, so it seems like if just letting your imagination go wild and throwing stuff together on your island is fun, you could do that for hours and hours. You even unlock basic scripting options, so you can have your island interact (or not) in certain ways, which is cool. Again, I've barely scratched the surface, but it seems incredibly deep and engaging for those who always have wanted to basically have an infinte amount of Legos at their disposal tobuild their own little town. You tame "pets" which are painfully cute, ranging from dogs and cats to Buffalo and crabs. They help you access areas you couldn't before, as well as dig up treasure. The taming mechanism is a mini game where you look at a model and choose pieces that go in it from a pile to the side. It's a different way to do it, and a couple of them were tricky. There's a sense of humor, as I've already encountered an Anchorman reference (Someone's going to a Pants Party) - and there are funny character names like "DJ Studd" And "Kant Dance". The game doesn't have a TON of content at launch, I think there are 5 lands or so, though the 6th is already in the game and a lot of characters makereference to it, so hopefully that will continue. It seems to be pretty bug free, and overall, I am enjoying it. My biggest complaint is inventory space which is a problem. You get and unlock TONS of cool gear to wear, but you can't keep hardly any of it due to limited backpack space. If you've liked any of the Lego games in the past, then you'd probably like it. It's certainy not a "deep MMO experience" (communicating with other players is infact quite difficult, as Lego tries very hard to avoid any sort of bad presscoming from "MrPointyPants" talking to little girls, but you can get around it for the people you are friends with pretty easily. For me, I am very happy with it so far and have no doubt it will give me atleast a month's worth of entertainment. Subscriptions are $10 a month afterthat, and we'll see how much they talk about adding content in the future. If you're looking to get a kid into RPG's/MMO's or just love Legos the way I do, I think it's well worth your gaming dollar. The suggested age range is 10 and up, btw - for those with kids considering playing with them.

Orcs Must Die! is a Tower Defense/3rd Person Shooter hybrid where you take on the role of The Apprentice, a stereotypical clueless Disney prince/hero type. When your master dies, you are left as the sole defender of the rift portals â

Fate of the World: Tipping Point is hard to review, as the game is very deep and complex. While very well made, I fear it will have limited appeal. FOTW:TP is a detailed Earth Sim, where as the head of a UN like group, you are tasked with solving major world problems like the economy, environment, global health, and more. You do this by assigning agents to the major regions of the world, and for each agent you have, you play cards that will enact policy into the next turn â

I usually avoid deep story driven games because my time is limited, and my memory is poor. Bioshock is a game that was suggested to me by a few friends, and had received critical praise, so I finally gave in. After an initial disaster with the Telekinesis plasmid almost made me quit, I stuck through the gameâ

If you love high scores and first person shooters, you are in luck: Xotic is here. A game that reminds me a bit of the original Rise of the Triad (Look it up, kids), Xotic takes a throwaway story and plops you on cool alien landscapes with a gun. Your goal? Iâ

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Shatter is one of those games that might slip through generations, as the Breakout/Arkanoid formula has all but disappeared from the gaming landscape. But as modern remakes of classics like Galaga, Pac Man, and Space Invaders have shown, these titles can be successfully updated while remaining their core gameplay. Available on both PS3 and PC (Through Steam), Shatter is the definitive modern Paddle/Ball game. Boasting a story mode which takes you through gorgeous stages with an incredible soundtrack, this mode does a great job of introducing you to the mechanics. Once you complete story though, youâ

I liked the idea and the concept, and this seemed to get a lot of positive reaction from critics and players alike, but I found the control scheme in Gish to be... frustrating and unforgiving. Having to time the jumps, jiggle the sticky mode, etc, seemed unnecessary. I wanted to enjoy it, but after the first few levels when most of my emotion was around the frustration around the timing of the button pushes, it just wasn't fun for me.

Going back into the time machine for this one, Darwinia is one of those games I purchased during a Steam sale, and finally got around to playing it. Itâ

No, it's not very challenging - But you're probably not playing Borderlands for the challenge. It's got easily exploitable AI - You play Borderlands for the story, the atmosphere, the humor, and to shoot incredibly cool weapons and large quantities of enemies. Zombie Island of Dr. Ned mixes up the scene, has some great pop culture references, and provides another reason to fire up Borderlands. (Note - Once they scaled this to be level appropriate, I feel it became much better, one of the huge keys.) So ZIoDN is a nice bite size chunk of Borderlands, with enough different to keep it interesting.

The best word to describe Toy Soldiers: Cold War is Fun. The sequel to the popular XBLA Toy Soldiers, this tower defense/shooter hybrid has you controlling the US Military against the Soviets in a Cold War era toy showdown. Your goal is to place and then optionally control turrets to prevent the army of plastic Russian soldiers, tanks, and planes from entering your toy box. A variety of towers including Machine Gun, Anti-Tank, Anti-Aircraft, Mortar and more â

Dungeons of Dredmor is a Roguelike that you can proudly show your friends, as it offers graphics and sound instead of ASCII characters. For the unfamiliar, itâ

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Not for the faint of heart or slow of thumb, Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony is a fantastic retro top down shooter that gets just about everything right. Starting off in your standard Beam ship, you blast through stages while learning about the new Martian Jamestown. The â