REVIEW: Train Valley: Console Edition - On PC and Consoles

Review by Jon Donnis

Although Train Valley has been available on PC for quite a while, the developers have finally released the game on consoles.

The concept is simple. You play on a single screen map and start with a couple of train stations. (You can zoom in and out). The problem is that there is no track. That is your job, connect the Stations, so that the trains can travel from one point to another. But of course, things aren't that easy. For a start you have a strict budget, and you have to pay taxes every in-game year.

When laying tracks across empty areas, they cost just $1000 per piece of track laid, but if there is a tree in the way then the cost doubles, oh and if there is a house in the way that price goes up. The bigger the obstacle the more it costs, so the clever builder will avoid obstacles. And that creates it's own set of problems.

As you play the game and time passes, more train stations will appear. Everything is colour coded, and it needs to be, because now trains will need to go to specific stations, so you not only need to make sure the tracks are laid correctly, but you also have to control switches.

Luckily you can choose when and which train leaves which station, but the longer you wait, the less money you will make from the journey completing, and wait too long, and the train will just set off.

Throw in AI controlled super trains, which will cross your paths, as well as my favourite, random planes bombing your tracks in the Germany level, and you have quite the challenge in front of you if you wish to complete a level.

The levels themselves are done as part of a book, each page represents a different country and time period. As you complete a level you will be rewarded stamps in your book, and if you complete the added level challenges you will get more stamps. Challenges usually include setting off an additional number of trains, extra to those set by the level. Avoiding crashes, completing the level without pausing, making sure no trains arrive at the wrong station and so on.

And to complete a "season" you will also have to play a final level with no challenges as such other than to survive without going bankrupt, as more stations and trains appear over time.

The 5 "seasons" include, Europe (1830–1980), America (1840–1960), USSR (1880–1980), Japan (1900–2020) and Germany (1830-2020).

While playing these "seasons" they will feature real life events like the Gold Rush of 1849, the construction of the Florida Overseas Railroad, World War II, the Cold War, the launch of the first manned space flight Vostok 1, the fall of the Berlin Wall etc.

There are different modes you can play, mainly story mode and sandbox mode. 

For train fans there are over 30 different trains to see, from early steam-powered locomotives to modern high-speed trains, as well as 18 different kinds of "car" from old-time passenger cars to hoppers and cisterns and to military-use tank and gun platforms.

I am not a big train fan, but this is a great game. It has a simple concept, is super easy to get into and learn, and surprisingly addictive, especially the need to complete the objectives on a level and got those valuable 3 stamps.

Now I have played the PC version, so I can't comment on the console releases, but I am assured they are direct ports and even include the bonus Germany DLC from the PC version.

The Good

Simple, addictive gameplay that got me hooked pretty quickly. Don't be fooled by the simple graphics either, this is a deep game that will grab your attention and refuse to let go.

The Bad

Give me more levels! Is it a bad thing to want more of the same? I think there is more "juice" to have in the original Train Valley release.

Overall

I really am surprised how much I enjoyed this game. It just delivers on what it promises. Which is so rare these days. 

An almost perfect simple arcade style Train game. I really can't say more than that.

I score Train Valley a near perfect 9/10. It only misses out on the 10 because I completed the game, and want more!

Out now on PC and Consoles

Xbox - https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/train-valley-console-edition/9n2k5fd2mg9d

Playstation - https://store.playstation.com/en-qa/concept/10004754

Nintendo Switch - https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/train-valley-console-edition-switch/

REVIEW: Lost in Play on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

Lost in Play is one of those games you know you are going to love, even after only playing it for 10 minutes. And that is exactly how I felt after a short time after loading it up on my Nintendo Switch Lite.

Similar in style to classic point and click games, this uses a slightly different type of interface to interact with onscreen objects than just pointing and clicking, playing more like an interactive 2D cartoon, you play as a brother and sister Toto and Gal, as they explore their dreams, befriend magical creatures, and of course solve lots of puzzles along the way.

This game is based on the imagination of children, something that as adults we lose, but can still remember those crazy adventures we had as kids, when we didn't have computer games or endless screens to look at, instead we had to use our imagination.

"Between reality and fantasy, the siblings explore the enchanted forest of a horned beast, start a rebellion in a goblin village, and help a team of frogs free a sword from a stone."

On the Switch version of the game, as you approach objects an onscreen icon will alert you to if you can interact with it. You will need to pick things up, add to your inventory, and if needed they will automatically combine to help you further your progress. So, although it looks very much like a point and click game, the interface is simplified, which makes interaction easier, but the game itself still needs you to work out the solutions to puzzles. Luckily there is a handy visual hint you can activate if you get stuck.

As well as the general puzzles that help you progress through an area, there are also mini games, and stand-alone on-screen puzzles that need to be solved. These can range from simple sliding puzzles, to picture puzzles, as well as all manner of mini games and challenges. There is a lot of variety with the puzzles, and you will never feel as if you are doing the same thing over and over.

"Challenge a pirate seagull to a game of clicking crabs, serve magical tea to a royal toad, and collect pieces to build a flying machine."

I am a fan of point and click games, but one of my frustrations with such games is when you do get stuck, you are endlessly clicking everywhere on the screen trying to find something you have missed, going backwards and forwards from location to location, or if you need to combine items but you are not sure which, so you just play trial and error until you get it right. Lost in Play eliminates all of these frustrations, without taking anything away from the gameplay or the experience. And this is something that will please many gamers, especially the casual gamer. I wonder if the hardcore point and click gamers will dislike the simplified system?

The Good

This is a really good game, the 2D animated cartoon like graphics are beautiful, everything plays really smoothly, the puzzles have a good learning curve, and at no point did I want to throw my Switch at the wall. This is a really well-made game, with well thought out puzzles.

The Bad

Humour is child based, so for those looking for something with more of an edge, you might be disappointed.

Overall

A really lovely little game that will entertain people of all ages. I am so glad I was asked to review this game; it truly is a gem.

I score Lost in Play a near perfect 9.5/10

Out now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Lost-in-Play-2245945.html

REVIEW: Spinny's Journey on PC (Steam)

Review by Jon Donnis

Although it's been out for a while, I was asked to check out Spinny's Journey on PC.

You play as "Spinny" an alien explorer the size of a peanut, who has come to visit earth. Due to his small size, and the small size of his spacecraft, he finds himself attacked by a sparrow, which leaves him with just his emergency propellers to go find the lost parts of his ship so he can rebuild it.

General gameplay has you trying to navigate maze like levels with the spinning propellers, bit like a spinning matchstick. You have to dodge traps and navigate the course, all the while using the spin of your propellers to your advantage to pass through the course. This is much harder than it first sounds.

With over 50 challenging levels to master, including the classic 3 stars rating system. (don't hit anything, pass the level as quick as you can), there is enough to keep any puzzle fan busy for a while.

Everything is hand drawn and looks great.

The Good

I enjoy a challenging puzzle game, and although it is basically a clone of classic Kururin/KuruKuru type games, it has its own story.

The Bad

The controls are tough to master. Like really tough. Like smash your head repeatedly against the wall in frustration tough. Not impossible, but close to.

Overall

At £5 it is a bit expensive for what it is, but price aside it is a fun little puzzle game.

I score Spinny's Journey on PC (Steam) a fair 7/10

Out Now on PC Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1465410/Spinnys_Journey/

REVIEW: Tower of Fantasy (Mobile Version)

Review by Jon Donnis

I was lucky enough to be invited to take part in the closed beta test of open-world RPG Tower of Fantasy, and now the game has been officially released I thought I would share my thoughts.

"Set hundreds of years in the future on the distant planet of Aida, the shared open-world MMORPG, anime-infused sci-fi adventure Tower of Fantasy from developer Hotta Studio and publisher Level Infinite, is now available on PC and mobile platforms globally. Players will be able to experience an anime-inspired post-apocalyptic sci-fi art style, freeform character development, and exciting combat through thrilling battles and exciting open-world exploration.

In Tower of Fantasy, dwindling resources and a lack of energy have forced mankind to leave earth and migrate to Aida, a lush and habitable alien world. There, they observed the comet Mara and discovered an unknown but powerful energy called "Omnium" contained in it. They built the Omnium Tower to capture Mara, but due to the influence of Omnium radiation, a catastrophic disaster occurred on their new homeworld."

You play as a newcomer to a small settlement, and since this is the future, we have robots, monsters and all sorts of crazy post-apocalyptic things we all love and enjoy. As you play you quickly learn who your friends are, mainly due to being pulled into battles against those monsters and robots I mentioned earlier.

Gameplay revolves around you having to complete simple tasks, to fighting enemies, to collecting items, fixing things and so on, and as you level up your character you will also get better weapons, which you can upgrade, not to mention the cool jetpack which is a lot of fun. Also after completing battles you can also teleport to set points which makes travel even easier.

So what is causing the problems, that something is called Omnium, which for some reason transforms anything living into monsters, and unless you have a suppressor equipped you can end up changing too.

I deliberately chose to play the mobile version, as it is clear to see that the PC version will be relatively easy to play, and sometimes mobile versions of games can struggle.

Controls are a bit tricky, you control movement of your character with an on screen "joystick" on the left of the screen, choosing weapons and using them is by pressing on parts of the screen on the bottom right, and then you also need to control the camera by dragging on the top right of the screen. And on a 5- or 6-inch mobile screen, this can become rather chaotic, especially in the middle of a fight, where you are trying to run, jump, attack and do all sorts, and still trying to see the screen. I can only imagine this would be much easier if using a mobile attachment to add physical controls. This game seems made for a Nintendo Switch Lite type system. But alas only mobile and PC for now.

There are plenty of story missions to complete as well as side quests to waste time on. The world is beautifully animated, and ran well on my 5-year-old phone. And there always feels like plenty to see and do.

The game feels very big, and for sure offers countless hours of gameplay.

Warning, it is quite a hefty download for a mobile game, an initial 1 gb download, plus another 7 gb once you start the game, so make sure your data is turned off and your wifi is on!

Check it out.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.levelinfinite.hotta.gp&hl=en&gl=US

and Windows

https://www.toweroffantasy-global.com/

REVIEW: Voyage on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

From Ratalaika Games and Venturous comes a new side scrolling adventure game in Voyage.

You play as two survivors on an unknown planet, with beautiful hand drawn graphics, you must keep moving forward and try to overcome whatever obstacles stand in your way so you can find your way home as well as understand about the world you are on.

Played best as a co-op game, this can also be played solo, whereby you can switch between characters where needed. A bit like "Another Sight" but your characters tend to stay much closer together.

Main gameplay involves pushing and pulling things, using each character to help the other reach places, activating "Statue Scenes" and so on. Communication is basic between the two characters, and you can switch between characters at will. If playing solo, the character you are not controlling will generally just follow you, so you may need to tell them to stay put, or to follow. You can even hug each other which is nice.

The game plays in one long continuous adventure, chapters/levels are mainly separated by the aesthetics of the scenes you are in, for example, sunlit ruins, windy grasslands, sandstorm filled desserts, swamps, misty forests, mossy forests, caves, underwater, a spaceship etc.

The game itself is more about the narrative than solving puzzles, so it is more of an experience, than something you need to think too hard about. So pretty much anyone can play this. As mentioned, the communication between the characters is basic, and in general there are no voices, no text dialog, just soothing music to listen to as you play.

The Good

A very relaxing experience, and although you will finish the game pretty quickly (a few hours), you will want to play it again just so you can pay closer attention to certain details.

The Bad

If you want more of a puzzle platform type game, then you will be disappointed.

Overall

Voyage is a pretty cool little game, a fun experience, excellent soundtrack that does pull you in, and quite an emotional experience as a whole, which is quite the feat considering the lack of dialog. A wonderful story told in a beautiful way.

I score Voyage a strong 8/10

Out now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Voyage-2248389.html