jackhnatejko

Pleasantly surprised by this colourful platformer. I got it for free when Curve had it on promo offer back in May '23. Game performed flawlessly on the Steam Deck, is really well done, its gameplay is coherent and the art style wonderful. Puzzles are generally easy and only ramp up in difficulty towards the end, the last two or three are quite mind boggling, but all in all, Hue's puzzles are rather on the easy side. What's great about it is that it's relatively short, it's nice to be able to complete something and be satiated without having to spend 50 hours of my life. Additionally - some of the puzzles are actually reflex based, which keeps you engaged and on your toes every now and then. It's a charming game, worth the asking price and given that puzzles are colour based, it has a decent colour-blind mode too.

The art style is definitely a highlight here, as it adds so much flavour to the whole game and without it being so distinct, this would have been a bland attempt. Reminds me of some of the cartoons I used to watch as a kid, hence my fondness of it, that creeps into this review. Some of the comedic undertones work really well and Axel and Pixel's dynamic is the cherry on top and it doesn't overstay its welcome. The minigames are weak, and aren't particularly rich in mechanics or interesting - just serviceable. I would rather have another segment of point and clicking to fill in gaps, rather than the minigames. To me this game represents a certain era in X360 history and by extension my gaming history as well. Pixel was almost a carbon copy of a my dog that I used to have at the time, so I was always very fond of this game due to this reason. I'm biased here, but I genuinely enjoyed 100%ing this short adventure.

It's good, old Medievil - but graphically cranked up! Everything that you remember fondly from the original is here - the humor, crazy writing, even crazier characters. It is a walk down memory lane, but one that's quite pleasant. I knew what I was in for, and was not disappointed. It plays surprisingly faithfully, so faithfully in fact that a lot of glitches and camera issues are still present in this remake (for better or worse). Personally didn't bother me as much but if you're expecting incredibly polished game this isn't it. It's still good - but "only" good. Sir Daniel Fortesque is back from the dead - but aside from graphical enhancements this plays like an original game. Decide for yourself if this is good enough for you.

It is a low-stress exploration title that prioritizes atmosphere and discovery over combat or bloat. If you find yourself growing tired of massive, overwhelming open worlds, this bite-size journey through the planet of Cigalo is the perfect palate cleanser. It’s an "on the road" adventure that feels deeply personal, evocative, and—above all else—respectful of your time. Expect a bite sized exploration. The world design is spot-on. It’s a small-scale open world where every region feels handcrafted and aesthetically intentional. Whether you are scavenging for parts on foot or navigating the terrain in your van, the sense of scale is consistently satisfying. It’s small enough to never feel overwhelming, yet the architectural design and vistas give it a sense of grandeur. The abandoned Geopen Quarry region in particular – it was such a standout moment for me because it perfectly highlights that "sense of scale"— the contrast between your little van and those gargantuan, rusting machines is striking. The design here is breathtaking, with massive trucks piled atop one another to create narrow, imposing passages. It really emphasizes the contrast between your small van and the massive, industrial history of the planet. By removing combat, the game allows the focus to remain entirely on location scavenging and world-building. While the narrative serves its purpose, the real joy is found in the quiet moments of discovery and the thematic search for community. It works equally well for a quick 20-minute session or a long evening of roaming. It’s a rare game that feels both substantial and light at the same time. And then the van… which is more than just a tool; it feels like an extension of the protagonist, Sauge. I loved the addition of cosmetic items earned through missions—they serve as a great visual marker of your journey and growth. While the van can feel a bit "heavy" during jumps, the driving is generally a blast and serves as the perfect vessel for scavenging. The soundtrack by Antynomy is the emotional heartbeat of the game. The theme song, Pensée Dérobée, is a stunning piece of work that perfectly captures the "stolen thoughts" and the search for belonging. I highly recommend giving the soundtrack a listen before playing; it sets the tone for the entire journey. It provides a melancholic, beautiful audio landscape that makes even the simpler moments feel significant. Though getting through some of the story beats felt like a bit of a chore, the act of scavenging and uncovering hidden locations always made up for it. Ultimately, the ending lands with real emotional weight, tying the themes of community and history together beautifully. It is definitely an exploration over narrative type of game. Caravan SandWitch is a perfect antidote for gamers weary of bloated open-worlds. It provided that specific "open-world comfort" I was looking for at the time—a world that is large enough to feel grand but small enough to be intimate. It prioritizes the joy of discovery over the stress of combat. While the story can feel a bit like "filler" at times during the middle stretch, the emotional payoff and the sheer beauty of exploring the planet of Cigalo make it an essential experience to connoisseurs of small open-worlds.This is a gorgeous, heartfelt journey that proves less is often more. For anyone looking for a no-combat, high-atmosphere exploration game with an incredible soundtrack, Caravan SandWitch is essential. If you are tired of massive maps and endless combat, play this. It is a soulful, atmospheric "on the road" adventure that heals the spirit. Give the theme song a listen, hop in the van, and just explore.

SoR was a disappointing experience. The whole thing feels like a copy of Chasing Aurora, a Wii U exclusive created by the same developer that, frankly, not many people played. Assets are blatantly reused—some slightly touched up, but others lifted entirely. I am really not a fan of this approach; it just feels lazy to release almost the same game under a different name. ​It starts with your main character—a bird—falling from the sky right into a very short and simple tutorial level. It's here that SoR fails to make a good first impression. It doesn't explain most of the mechanics very well (if at all), so you're left to figure things out for yourself. ​It's not a metroidvania—it's a 2D flying exploration game. Exploration is one of my favorite mechanics in gaming, but here it misses the mark completely. You are thrown into small areas with very little room to actually stretch your wings, both literally and figuratively. What's the point of flying if you're in a cage? Aer: Memories of Old did the same flying and exploration concept amazingly well. While it also plays out in a relatively small world, it utilizes its mechanics flawlessly. ​Enough with the metaphors. The second issue I have with this faux exploration is that the game essentially doesn't want you to explore. As soon as you venture out and try to make your own way, you'll start encountering bugs that soft-lock your progress. This is exactly what happened to me and many other players in the Evil Tree/Swamp area. The developers were aware of this issue but failed to patch it or do anything to resolve it. There are more locations like this in the game, too. I actually had to manually edit one of the game files to change my character's coordinates so I could progress without starting a new save file. No player should ever have to do that in any game. ​The backtracking is a pain, too. Right at the beginning, you unlock some sort of hub world where you need to bring back shards to start up an ancient machine. Obviously, the further you get in the game, the further you have to backtrack. There are no shortcuts unlocked along the way, and every time you grab a shard and make your way back, all the animals attack you, trying to steal it from you. Yes, it is explained narratively once you reach the ending, so I understand why it was happening, but it is such a poorly implemented mechanic that it enrages rather than engages. ​It is short—you need 4 hours max to beat it—but my oh my... it's definitely not what I expected.

Villa Gorilla have created a seemingly unworkable blend of genres and turned it into a fantastic, chill experience with awesome "water-painty" art style and relaxing OST. It excels in almost everything it does, campaign is short but engaging. It's really the side quests that did it for me - there isn't many of them mind you, but the characters you meet are worth playing for just a little longer. The puzzle are never very hard, but are well thought-out and just enjoyable to solve in general. Lack of jump button felt counter-intuitive for me at first but after an hour or so, you realise that the flippers is all you need really, to enjoy the traversal. The map could be a little bit more detailed, a tad more readable - it's not too bad, but makes backtracking a chore sometimes. Completed it in about 11 hours, that's full 100% - and I was taking my time with the game. All in all - it is a great "pinballoidvania", a blend of genres that should never work together, yet here they do. It's amazing that no one else had thought of a similar game since 2018.