REVIEW: RAYZE on PC (Steam)

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

RAYZE is one of the first games I am familiar with that comes under the "Aim Racer" genre. Put simply an Aim Racer game is a simplified game when by you select points on the screen with your left mouse button, and upon clicking on a target point you will move towards that point, as you move towards that point you will need to click on another target to move towards that, the ultimate aim to reach an end point of the level.

In RAYZE things are complicated by the fact that a successful hit of a target accelerates you, and a miss slows you down, hit a wall due to you not clicking on a target quick enough, and you die, level over, you have to start again. Find yourself going too fast and you can right click the mouse button and that also slows you down. Look for yellow areas to left click on to accelerate. (First speed you will reach is 120, and adds 60 for each new target you click on) Right button to slow down, and pressing the scroll wheel will restart the level. You can also adjust the sensitivity of the mouse too, which you will need to do, to find a speed of movement you are comfortable with.

It is a simple, yet addictive concept.

You play in first person viewpoint, there are 6 sectors, and each sector has 5 levels. Complete levels in order to unlock the next sector.

The game itself attracts you completely the levels, but you will soon find that everything becomes a challenge to get the fastest score, there are leaderboards for friends only, or for global scores. Trying to get as close to the top is an attractive prospect, if only for your ego, and the more you play a level the better you will get, often there are multiple ways to find the end of the level, and keeping your speed up, and knowing where to click next becomes easier the more you play. So, you will want to replay levels over and over until you consider that you have done the best run possible.

There is a cool electronic soundtrack by names like Lukhash and Buffout Boy, and others. And you can change the music playing, loop tracks and so on. There is even a YouTube safe mode, so you can choose copyright free tracks should you wish to stream your gameplay.

The Good

Aim Racing games are a new concept (to me anyway) and RAYZE seems to get things right. The soundtrack is great, the game play is easy to pick up, and the more you play, the better you get. Meaning that although frustrating at times, you KNOW you can finish the level, you just need to learn where and when to click, and how fast you can go.

The Bad

The graphics although bright and colourful might give some players headaches. I would have loved this concept to exist but playing in recognisable areas, or even down streets or house estates, just something different.

Overall

As Aim Racers go, this one is the best I have ever played. It is also the only one I have ever played, so it has one hell of an advantage.

Enjoyable game, that I keep wanting to play to beat my own scores. I score RAYZE as solid 8/10

Out Now on PC (Steam)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1689190/RAYZE/

REVIEW: Energy Cycle Edge on Nintendo Switch

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

Some years ago, a simple puzzle game was released called Energy Cycle, well Energy Cycle Edge is a sequel to that game, if you played the original, then this new version will feel instantly familiar. The concept is the same as the original. You have different coloured "cells", when you activate one it changes colour, along with all adjacent cells in the same line as the one you activated. The aim is to make all cells on the screen the same colour, sounds easy right? WRONG. Think of how you would solve a Rubiks Cube, now instead of just having 9 blocks on one side to worry about, you have many more. Just when you think you have Energy Cycle Edge mastered, you will face a more complicated puzzle.

Not only will you have a number of cells to activate on one side, things go fully three dimensional in Energy Cycle Edge, and you can change to a different side. Again, think of a Rubiks Cube and you get the idea.

There are 44 levels to master, and a few graphical tweaks you can make, so that the game looks more like Energy Cycle if you prefer that style.

The gameplay is simple, but also tough at the same time. It really will take some brain power. If you like puzzle games, then this might be one you should check out.

The Good

Great soundtrack, and easy to learn gameplay, that will leave you frustrated but also challenged.

The Bad

The concept is simple, and perhaps a few more modes could have been added. If you do master the technique, then there isn't much more to do.

Personally, I am a long way from mastering it, and this game remains a challenge to me.

Overall

This is a tough puzzle game, that fans of the original, and the genre in general will enjoy.

I score Energy Cycle Edge is tough 8/10

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

Out now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Energy-Cycle-Edge-1474580.html

REVIEW: Happenlance on PC (Steam)

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk

Happenlance is a pole-vaulting, jousting, climbing, fighting game. 

When you first start to play Happenlance, your first thought will be that this is just another climbing game, using your jousting lance to pole vault yourself and get as high as possible, and yes that is a major part of the game, but as you complete levels you will realise that there is much more to the game than just reaching as high as possible.

As well as climbing mountains, and buildings, you will also face traps that need to be avoided, seemingly impossible climbs that will need you to pick up or throw objects like boxes or balls, which you can then use as a base to fling yourself up high. You will also come across enemies trying to shoot arrows at you, a nice firm stab with your pole will take care of them. You can even defend yourself from the flying arrows by using your pole to knock them out of the air.

To say this game is tough might be an understatement, the controls are hard to get used to, I used a gamepad as I found that the easiest way, you control your character with the left stick, a small jump with one button, and your pole with the right stick. Alternatively, you can use keyboard controls and the mouse will control the pole. When I used the words pole vaulting, that really is how you fling yourself around. Luckily the physics aren't too realistic, and you can stick to certain surfaces, and pull yourself to safety.

You will get frustrated if you play this game, you will shout at the screen, and you will give up out of sheer annoyance at the difficulty of a level, but you will come back, and you will keep trying.

The graphics are fine for what they are, the backgrounds all look nice, the character is ok. The sounds however are terrible, if you have the volume up, your neighbour might thing you are watching something dodgy with the grunts and groans.

The Good

If challenging, climbing type games are your thing, then this will give you one hell of a challenge.

The Bad

If challenging, climbing type games are NOT your thing, then the difficulty of this game, might well put you off for good. 

Overall

Ridiculously hard, and with tricky controls, leaves me feeling frustrated and not challenged. The game does have its moments, when you finally get past that seemingly impossible obstacle, you do feel great accomplishment, but the problem is that around the corner is another seemingly impossible obstacle, and unfortunately watching others play the game on YouTube to help you figure it out, will become way too common, and even when you know what you should do, that doesn't really help you.

If you like a challenge, then give it a shot, but for me, it is just not something I could get to grips with.

I score this game a frustrating 6/10

There is a free to play demo you can download before you pay for the full game, check that out and decide for yourself.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1663410

REVIEW: Mermaid Adventures: The Frozen Time - PC (Steam)

 

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

So there is an evil octopus, and he has minions, and they are playing cruel tricks on the creatures that live in the Undersea World.

You play as a brave and beautiful mermaid called Alice, oh I cant be bothered with the story. Look it is a simple "Match 3" type puzzle game.

You play through the puzzles, that "awakens" other characters, and you save the Undersea World from the Octopus.

Every 10 levels you unlock another page of the story.

There are 80 levels, which include your classic Match 3 type puzzles, for those unaware, you draw a line with your cursor connecting 3 or more objects of the same style and they disappear, your lines do not need to be in a straight line either, you can go diagonal, up, down, left and right, as long as the objects match, the more you get the higher the score. There also some other types of puzzles, jigsaw, and hidden objects, memory match stuff. But the main game is the Match 3 type puzzles.

The problem with the game is that it is just not very good. I like that they made the effort to have a storyline, but the menus are too busy. The graphics are nice enough and the music is ok. But why you would pay money for this game when you can play similar games for free is beyond me. Not to mention that there are quite a few bugs.

The Good

Pretty graphics.

The Bad

A lot of bugs, and that you have to pay for the game.

Overall

In its current state I cannot recommend the game, I score it a poor 4/10

https://store.steampowered.com/app/798610/Mermaid_Adventures_The_Frozen_Time/

REVIEW: Journey - PS4

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

Journey is a hard to describe game, but "Indie-Adventure" seems to be the common description used. Co-developed by Thatgamecompany and Santa Monica Studio, it was originally released on PS3 back in March 2012, and then re-released in July 2015 for the PS4. It has since been ported to Windows and iOS in 2019.

You play as a mysterious robed figure, you find yourself in a huge desert, the only thing you know to do is head towards a mountain in the distance. You will see other players also on their own journey, but you can't communicate with them. As you play you will soon figure out that you need to "activate" seemingly dull pieces of cloth, into vibrant colourful ones. You will collect things that will allow you to jump, and almost fly for short periods, you will run along desert landscapes, and then find yourself almost surfing down the other side of a hill. When I say it is hard to describe, it really is.

You will explore ancient caves, as well as activate those aforementioned pieces of cloth, that will allow you to reach high up ancient structures, which in turn allow you to activate relics, that allow you to progress through the area.

Although the game is relatively short (a few hours at most), there is a feeling of wonder as you traverse through the landscapes, if anything this feels more like an emotional experience than a game. When you finally reach the mountain, it truly does give off a feeling of wonder and accomplishment.

I won't spoil the ending, and I have been careful not to give away too much, as this really is a game that you should experience.

The Good

The graphics are stunning, the soundtrack is beautiful. And if you were lucky enough to add this game to your account during Sony's "Play at Home" promotion, then you really do have a classic on your hands. I say this, as I did just that, back in July of 2020, Sony made a couple of games available for people to download and keep for free. I added the game to my account and then forgot about it, and only now have I started playing it. And I am happy I finally did, but annoyed I never played it sooner.

The Bad

The game is quite short.

Overall

Not many games can be sold on the experience it gives you to play, the emotion it provides, this is one of those games.

It has won countless awards for being great, and I will also lavish praise on the game, a true classic I score 9/10

I uploaded a few minutes of gameplay, check it out below.

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/games/journey/