timmykimmel

It looks so cute that you want to love it, and the music is no less beautiful - but the pretense disappears in no time at all: By the second race at the latest, the CPU opponents are pure background accompaniment and not challenging in any way - and there are no missions whatsoever, only single races. If you can find friends on the sofa who are enthusiastic about this for more than 3 races, you really do have friends to support you.

As usual with FrostyPop, the design is far above what you are used to in the casual sector. Unfortunately, this does not hide the fact that the game lacks any depth. That is also too little for a 'casual' game. No multiplayer, no career, hardly any variety.

The 'just one more try' feeling is present in Conduct Deluxe, but it gives way to frustration too quickly. In contrast to similar traffic light/switching games, this one is simply extremely hectic. The goal is reached by switching off the brain and reducing the reaction time to an absolute minimum. Due to the rapid speed of the game, it quickly becomes a real challenge to bring the desired train to a halt and to catch the right vehicle again and again within seconds, at the right moment. To never miss it at just the right moment with the mouse cursor. And that happens all the time. With touchscreen the game can still be controlled fairly, with the mouse it is, sorry, almost uncontrollable. The Nintendo Switch-edition can also be controlled with the controller and be slowed down for situations, so you really control the train you want to control. This variant is missing in the PC release, though. Thus, the negative impression prevails.

I don't put too much stock in graphics, you have to consider the year of release anyway. But: Strange driving experience, barely controllable.

You just want to like the game with its style when you get in, but you struggle to stick it out once you've been through it for a while. The interruptions from chapter to chapter are huge and almost silent, the tasks very repetitive, and other than finding switches, there's just too little happening overall. I'm a good third of the way through the campaign and 18% of the players have reached the achievement of the last section. In the end, that is simply a clear result. And it doesn't turn out well.

You just want to like the game with its style when you get in, but you struggle to stick it out once you've been through it for a while. The interruptions from chapter to chapter are huge and almost silent, the tasks very repetitive, and other than finding switches, there's just too little happening overall. I'm a good third of the way through the campaign and 18% of the players have reached the achievement of the last section. In the end, that is simply a clear result. And it doesn't turn out well.

The idea is charming, the game is extensive - but still somehow uncharitable. The graphics are not up to date, the levels lack a well thought-out difficulty development. The concept is almost 1:1 'Freshly Frosted', but with a different theme and no structure. The fact that you can't end the game via controller then again shows as simply as pervasively that even when porting the game the will was somehow there, but nothing was quite thought through to the end.

There is quite a bit of Train Valley in 3D in this - and it is well implemented. The campaign is challenging and varied. It is very easy to handle, even on TV with an Xbox controller thanks to the well thought-out controls. The strongly Japanese design seems a bit out of place and even confusing in view of the futuristic setting. Since you get to know many new elements quite quickly, there is quite a lot of text that sometimes overwhelms you - it's a pity that there is no audio output.

The reviews of the game tend to get caught up in the aspect of graphical presentation - and there can hardly be two opinions that the game impresses at this point. After an hour of playing, however, the visual impression is simply obscured by the fact that the controls drive me so crazy that I'm now relatively sure I'll strangle a stuffed animal because of it. You can perhaps still argue about the mouse and keyboard controls, but if such an Xbox controller has a dozen buttons - why the hell don't you assign them? A for lift, A hold down for fasten? I don't understand how they even came up with this implementation of the controls - and the constant automatic resetting of the camera position is no less annoying. None of this is configurable. Soon, the control via touchscreen will come as an update, at which point I hope for a positive surprise. With controls that are as great as in 'Tiny Lands', I would think about 8/10 here. So the frustration eats away at the eye candy. On top of that, the level design is also very nice, but just not gripping. This one is okay, but the gameplay experience just doesn't keep up with puzzle games on the market in the 2020s.

Solid racer with good steering wheel support. Not too complex, you can get into it well without advanced knowledge and you are challenged. If you're looking for fun track racing, you won't go wrong here, even if the graphics could have been better and there is no cockpit view.

Those who liked "Marble Blast Ultra" or "Switchball" can definitely grab this one blindly. Those who haven't played anything like this before should consider whether he or she has a steady hand. The controls are flawless, but precision is needed here. Many, beautifully designed levels.

The idea is undoubtedly great, but the implementation just has too many quirks in too many places. The effects occur too haphazardly and the controls are too unnatural in the pure first-person perspective.

This game is very inaccurate: a butcher shop for pandas makes no sense. 4 Achievements for completing the tutorial and high score of 2 (!) players playing this game at the same time according to SteamCharts. Sometimes numbers say more than words.

Cute, but boring. Ideas and story are nice, gameplay-wise it ****. You sometimes get through the levels faster than the narrator has told the particular part of the story, so you wait at the exit to avoid interrupting him. This is not the only aspect that shows that the game simply lacks proper challenges. Technical deficits are equally disturbing: The game runs exclusively in 18:9, so on most screens the letterbox frames are part of the game. No frameless window mode, no mouse support, etc. etc. Most of this is not dramatic, but in total the unclean implementation is disturbing.

If you look around the game a bit, it becomes clear that so much detail work has gone into the game that it ultimately seems all the sadder that no one was hired anyone for the graphic gamedesign who is a professional. Surprisingly varied for a tower defense, without being disturbed by annoying game elements - but simply... unbelievably ugly - even though I really hate to say that.

As a train traveller, I should really already be asking myself what I actually expected to find here. The passion of so many people to indulge in the hustle and bustle of city traffic with the tin can has always seemed rather irrational to me, but in a country where a car isn't simply a 'car' but a 'Volkswagen', I'm more of an alien as a bicycle rider. Be that as it may - because of the enthusiasm for 'Re-Volt' and 'Trackmania', I didn't flinch for long - and the authors have really watched 'Speed' a few too many times. The game is crazy hectic, but the idea to develop such an ironic game concept out of the so often horrible driving physics of arcade racers, this is kind of charming. Only, in contrast to the virtual trip to the Nürburgring, I find that parking on the screen doesn't bring more joy than in a German city center. Respawn every 20 seconds, mines and heating rods at every corner, standstill is death - a game flow can't arise. If you still like it, please do. We learn early on that features are still being worked on diligently. I might have shown mercy in Early Access, but if this is the release, I simply can't recommend it.

As a train traveller, I should really already be asking myself what I actually expected to find here. The passion of so many people to indulge in the hustle and bustle of city traffic with the tin can has always seemed rather irrational to me, but in a country where a car isn't simply a 'car' but a 'Volkswagen', I'm more of an alien as a bicycle rider. Be that as it may - because of the enthusiasm for 'Re-Volt' and 'Trackmania', I didn't flinch for long - and the authors have really watched 'Speed' a few too many times. The game is crazy hectic, but the idea to develop such an ironic game concept out of the so often horrible driving physics of arcade racers, this is kind of charming. Only, in contrast to the virtual trip to the Nürburgring, I find that parking on the screen doesn't bring more joy than in a German city center. Respawn every 20 seconds, mines and heating rods at every corner, standstill is death - a game flow can't arise. If you still like it, please do. We learn early on that features are still being worked on diligently. I might have shown mercy in Early Access, but if this is the release, I simply can't recommend it.

If it were a new development, I would give the game 8/10 right off the bat. The tracks are far more lovingly designed than you're used to in the genre, and the puzzles are varied and challenging. That it's a good buy is quickly out of the question for me. The *but* results from the trappings: the music is downright annoying, the lettering looks like it was designed with the first create-your-own-PC-game set for students, and even the resolution is not customizable. If you're willing to get involved with an engine from Xbox 360 times, you'll find a polished, strong puzzle platformer here.

The detailed reviews may be taken over by others (and they did so with enthusiasm), but I put it aside after half an hour. Charming game idea, graphically okay, it started out annoying (no translation, starts *every time* in windowed mode) and then just frustrated too quickly, since when you were in danger you had to react very quickly to get out of the situation alive. I missed the relaxing factor of other 2D platformers. I can understand why the game has good reviews on the whole - but for me there is simply a huge offer in the genre - where other representatives simply captivate me more from the start.

Came as one of the few games on the market by hook or by crook for the Xbox Series release overly bugged. Today, 2 years later, it no longer crashes the console, can be started on the computer without cryptic error messages and steering wheel support is also given - brilliant, as you would expect from Codemasters. I'll take the deduction for the frustration at the beginning out of my rating as best I can. The details, as well as the driving physics, are absolutely up-to-date and great - nevertheless, in terms of gameplay, this game suffers from the fact that it wants to be a strong arcade racer with the legacy of simulation. The events seem rather lovelessly strung together, the podcast as accompaniment is simply annoying and I can't stand so many colors beyond 'Trailblazers', where it belongs. Nice as a casual racing game, it's definitely a good one to pick up on sale. However, I don't feel anything of the fever that DiRT 3 & Showdown triggered in me.

Clever game concept - reminiscent of crossword puzzles, as you can slowly work your way up to the harder tasks by completing the easier ones. Just without the stress of general knowledge and instead with a bit more intuitive gameplay. Concept seems to be taken from Pictopix, but with nice graphics.

Hate to admit it: It's cute but boring. Love puzzles, hate trial & error - given up after less than half an hour.

I'll be happy to give 'Roll a Ball With Your Friends' a serious review once it's seriously finished. Not even the 'Back to title' button in a match works, so you are endlessly trapped.

You could cut it short and point out that the game is simply what we as kids in the 90's liked to while away another hour with in the TV guide: Spot the difference. Only imagine it not as a printed puzzle in the magazine, but in 2 huge snow globes to turn and discover - each with the matching music to turn it up. Sounds nice? It is. And also playable with controller and touchscreen.

After a short time, the game lacks too much variety for me to want to play it for a longer period of time. It's a nice way to pass the time while waiting at the bus stop if you have it on your mobile, but without a touchscreen on the desktop, the game really lacks the necessary attraction to stay with it.

I purchased 'Dorfromantik' quite blindly based on the visual impressions and the reviews from the early access. Sure - it is without question an eye-catcher. And the fact that you don't need 5 minutes to find your way around the game can undoubtedly be seen as a barrier-free advantage. Only then nothing more comes. As a friend of strategy games like 'Risk' and 'Carcassonne', one tingles in the fingers to explore and try out new strategies - which simply do not exist here. Move all tile types as far away from each other as possible and hope that Fortuna will help you with the order. That's it and... nothing else? In addition, it is not playable via touchscreen, which is an unusual disadvantage in board and tile games, which affects a few, but in view of Steam Deck, Surface & Co. an increasing number of players.

Great graphics, the design looks even more haptic in the game than in the trailer. Would be a great candidate for a VR-release, but it is already an eye-catcher for your game shelf. The difficulty level increases quite quickly, which is frustrating - otherwise a very good casual game.

Yes, the trailers whet your appetite and yes, graphically it really is a treat. Still, after a few rounds you'll want to return this game. Why? The driving physics are horrible, the vehicles are permanently stuck in a pile during the races and with increasing driving experience you hardly make any progress. Placements are largely decided by trying not to get stuck on edges and ramps, which is made much more difficult by the poor handling. If you do succeed, you don't get new cars, but only coins for lootboxes, where you aren't rewarded for increasing success, but regularly receive the same cars, which you can then disassemble. Even for level advancement, rewards are only partial, while attractive items depend on owning more DLC. I am not a fundamental opponent of DLCs - if the actual game is expanded with them. Here, however, you run into DLC walls from the first hour, so that you buy a game on Free 2 Play level at AAA price.

The more I love food from the freezer at home, the more I love it to be in kitchen with the virtual spoon. So 'Mad Restaurant People' is another stage on the must-play program for me. The game is definitely very difficult to master from the first task on, but the beautiful graphics motivate you to keep at it. The strong factor of chance, which plays a role here, can be frustrating. You first cut your teeth on the same task twice, while the orders from guests and visitors suddenly come as desired the third try. Although this reflects the harsh reality of the gastronomy well, the circumstance is certainly less conducive to long-term motivation. What I certainly dislike is the point-and-click-control. The game would be more exciting with a controller on the sofa. Recommendation? Hard to say. After first impression I'd say Yes for lovers of the 'genre', whereas there are better titles for beginners.

This game is simply.... logical. Those who like automation simulations (Factorio, Automachef, Opus Magnum,...) will find here an abstract as well as great simulation, whose level of complexity is continuously developing. One of those games where, after each round, you're shocked at how much time you've spent playing it again.

Pretty much nothing new. It corresponds to the cube you remember from your childhood, it is beautifully implemented graphically, 'meow' is an appropriate sound for reward. It's just nothing new at all. If you can handle it, it's the right game. By the way, it also plays well on touchscreens, even though it wasn't designed for them.

The fact that the game is cute unfortunately doesn't hide the fact that the appeal doesn't last 15 minutes.

The game has very good beginnings as a board game implementation. However, it is simply a huge step backwards compared to the previous Carcassonne-release by Exozet, which is hardly available anymore due to the expired license and is no longer playable online. The operation via the touchscreen is possible, but no 'multi-touch', i.e. zooming - which is quite elementary in Carcassonne. Controller support is now completely missing. More serious for enthusiasts, however, is the fact that there are only 5 expansions, while you can lose track of the variety in the board game. Now, one could perhaps take hope from somewhere that improvement could be in sight. But nobody knows, because the developers never answer in the forum. Conclusion: You can definitely buy it, you can play it with pleasure - but you should not expect too much.

If 'Forza Horizon' was a series from the early 2000s - this would be the game! On the plus side, the cross-platform support seems to work flawlessly - even though it's not a big title, there's a lot going on in the servers, so competition is always there. The variety of vehicles and features is also absolutely fine. Other than that, I think you really (!) have to be willing to step back a good 15 years in terms of visuals and controls. To be honest, I don't get it that well anymore, it doesn't grab me. Admittedly, I'm also not an open world fan, which certainly influences my impression and can make for a better impression on other players.