REVIEW: MEGALAN 11 on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

MEGALAN 11 is an exploration-puzzle game.

For the video review of Megalan 11 check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS1MyBOQ_-0

After responding to a SOS signal, you and your scientific expedition crew find yourself crash landed on a weird planet, as you explore this strange red planet, you find an old abandoned base, now you have shelter, you have to try to fix up the base so you can save yourselves, but you only have 11 days to do it.

There are 5 people in your crew, but you can only rely on yourself, explore the base, fix the equipment by collecting metal, and save yourselves.

Thats the general story and aim of the game. In reality the game revolves mainly around you exploring the base, and eventually defending it too.

You can walk up to boxes, containers etc, and after hitting them a few times, you will collect them as scrap metal. Soon you will find a backpack to help you store the metal, as well as a large container to store larger amounts in. Once you have enough metal you can use it to fix broken doors to gain access to new areas, you can fix the water pumping machine, fix the electrical generator, and so on. You will also be able to pick items up, move them to different locations, depending on the task you need to fulfil.

Find the large lift in the centre, and you will quickly realise that there are multiple levels to the base, each with its own puzzles to solve and things that need fixing. The game itself has a very minimalist feel, both in graphics and also instructions, you will need to figure out pretty much everything I have just said for yourself, there is no hand holding in this game, other than a basic on screen "to do" list. You will get frustrated at first at the slow pace of it all, but eventually you will upgrade your stamina, allowing you to move faster.

Don't forget to "cheer up" your crew mates as well, since that also acts as a way to save your progress.

As the days pass the perils will grow, and the base will be attacked, items stolen and so on, so you will probably need a few playthroughs to really get to grips with everything and be better prepared.

The Good

I liked the minimalist graphics, and after that initial feeling of "what the hell am I supposed to do", you will quickly settle down and start enjoying the game.

The Bad

Terrible name for a game, considering that a game called Mega Man exists, and has decades of brand placement everywhere, so just search for Megalan and you will end up with links to Mega Man. 

The game is very simple, and as such the challenge is limited, and at the start the frustration of not really knowing what you are supposed to do will put players off.

This is a port from PC, and as such the controls don't work great on a Switch Lite. For example you need to press and hold multiple buttons to complete tasks, and as such you can't do this with one thumb, unless you have a fat thumb, so kids with small hands will have to press multiple buttons with more than one finger, so holding the Switch while also doing this is a pain, and not at all natural. I am not sure what the controls were on PC, but this does not work very well on the Switch.

Overall

Get past the initial frustration, settle down into the gameplay, and this is a pretty decent game, very relaxing, wont tax your mind too much, and good to just play while listening to some chilled music.

An interesting little game, not ground breaking by any means, but there is enough here to keep you interested, if you can get used to the weird controls and button presses that are needed.

I score MEGALAN 11 on Nintendo Switch a safe 7/10

Released on 30^th November 2022 on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/MEGALAN-11-2302568.html

Video review below, includes looping trailer.

REVIEW: EDENGATE: The Edge of Life on Xbox

Review by Jon Donnis

EDENGATE: The Edge of Life is a new walking simulator/narrative adventure from award-winning writer Matthew Seiji Burns

Created and developed during the pandemic, the game has been designed to represent the fear and loneliness that we all suffered during Government enforced lockdowns and the isolation that we were forced to endure. With a haunting soundtrack composed by Laryssa Okada, does this game succeed in its aims? Read on to find out.

Synopsis:

"Mia, a young and promising biologist, awakes in an abandoned hospital with no memory of how she got there. With no other traces of life, Mia tries to piece together the events that brought her to the hospital and unravel the mystery of the now desolate city of Edengate. What happened to her? What happened to the world she remembers? Join Mia on her emotional journey to discover any traces of life and the terrifying events that have befallen the once vibrant city. A fusion of exploration, investigation, puzzle solving and meaningful decision making will lead you on an emotional journey and unveil the events leading to Mia's awakening."

As mentioned, this is a walking simulator/narrative adventure, in English this means that you are playing a story, and witnessing it as it happens, as opposed to how you might control a story when you play. You can approach glowing items which will trigger flashbacks, which further explain what has happened.

The game is played from an over-the-shoulder viewpoint.

You start off in the abandoned hospital, no idea where to go, or what to do, luckily this is a linear game, so as long as you keep moving forward down the only routes available, you will figure things out. There are a few decisions in there, but nothing major.

There are basic puzzles that might need to be solved, for example you enter a room, the door digitally locks behind you, you notice a note on a table, read the note, that gives you a clue to what the code is to open the door. Figure out what the clue is and how to solve it. And job done.

I don't want to say too much about the game, as to do so will spoil the story, but you will relatively quickly leave the hospital, find yourself outside, then back inside a different area and so on. A school, a train station, etc, All the way you will find little objects to look out, the glowing objects which trigger flashbacks, as well as a ghostly child that will appear and then disappear.

Although at times it can feel like a horror story, there are no major jump scares, and things are pretty straight forward. There are no real enemies in the game. 

You will complete the game in perhaps 2-3 hours, depending on if you rush through it, or search every corner for things to interact with.

The Good

Amazing soundtrack that really does make a huge difference. The gameplay is simple, and there isn't much you can get stuck on, so you can just enjoy the narrative being told.

Voice acting is of a very high quality.

The Bad

This is a pretty short game, and unless you rush through it, there is not really a reason to replay it.

There are also some issues when moving, for example you might need to move a crate to reach an area, you move it, and clearly you can just get past, but you have to move it a little but more before you can. It is only a small thing, but in the real world, as soon as you got enough room, you would just hop over something

Overall

For me, this game delivered what I was told it would, a story about isolation, with some puzzles, and somewhat of an emotional journey.

If you are looking for excitement, then this game is probably not for you. But if you want to experience a really good story, then you should give it a go.

I enjoyed EDENGATE: The Edge of Life, and score it a lonely and isolating 7/10

Out Now on Xbox

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/edengate-the-edge-of-life/9P175WJ0DCSD

REVIEW: Wavetale on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

From Developers Thunderful comes a new 3^rd person action-adventure game called Wavetale.

Unlike anything I have played before.

Here is the synopsis:

"Surf the waters of a submerged city! Fight gigantic sea monsters, save your neighbors and uncover the secrets hidden under the surface.

Explore the open sea and the decaying archipelago of Strandville in Wavetale, a story-driven action-adventure game introducing you to fed-up fishermen, secretive hermits and maybe a pirate or two. Traverse calm waters and surging waves as Sigrid, a young girl who befriends a mysterious shadow that provides her with the power to walk on water.

Speed through the waves, swing yourself from housetops with your net, and defeat monstrous enemies to save the citizens of the islands. All with a little help from the shadows down below and your cranky grandmother."

@gamingcouchspud #Wavetale is coming to #PC and Consoles on December 7th! (Clip from #NintendoSwitch) #Xbox #PS5 ♬ original sound - Jon

My thoughts.

This game really is a joy to play. On land you can run about, jump, double jump, you can even glide, dash, and of course swing your net and use it as a weapon. You play as a young girl called Sigrid, at the start of the game you find yourself running chores for your cranky grandmother, when this weird dark tsunami washes over the world. When everything clears up, you have to follow various instructions to progress, these are things like killing off monsters, collecting energy, and getting from one location to another.

The game really excels not in the combat but in the travelling, as you glide across the sea you can power up a great jump, glide, you can even lock onto points which allow you to swing. It really is so much fun, that it is easy to forget you have things to do as you are swinging and gliding about.

Combat is basically swinging your net, as well as doing stomps and power swings.

Everything is presented in a pretty striking and unique looking style, there is some fun humour in the game, and a great sound track.

As you play you can upgrade your character, change outfits, hair styles and so on. You can catch a ride on a boat to travel at higher speeds. You will meet and talk to lots of characters, usually after saving them from the monsters that have captured them.

A lot of effort has been put into crafting an interesting story, all about "loss and reconciliation". You will keep a record of your progress in Sigrid's scrapbook, through drawings. All very well done.

The Good

I loved the art style of the graphics in this game, just looks so great. The storyline is detailed and fun, but the real winner here is the gameplay, it is just a lot of fun, simple as that. It is fun to play, it seems strange to say that out loud, as every game should have that at its core, but Wavetale succeeds here with the most basic of things.

The Bad

I tried the game on the Switch Lite and regular Switch, the game is better on the big screen. Don't get me wrong it is ok on the smaller screen, but I just found it more visually enjoyable on the larger screen. So, if you only have a Switch lite, you will be missing out slightly.

Overall

What a great little game. So much fun.

I highly recommend it.

I score Wavetale on Nintendo Switch a stonking 9/10

Released on 12/12/2022 on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Wavetale-2304595.html

REVIEW: I Am Jesus Christ: Prologue on PC (Steam)

Review by Jon Donnis

I try to avoid reviewing prologues, or free games, as I don't see much of a point, since anyone can just download them and play themselves, no need to read a review for advice. However, since this is the first game (that I am aware of) to let you play as Jesus I just had to have a go.

Note: All screengrabs are from the cinematics and not the in game stuff, you will find out why as you read on.

Inspired by the New Testament stories, this is a simulation, so not quite an action-adventure game that perhaps we would all like. Personally, I would love Ubisoft to use their Assassins Creed Engine, and make a Jesus game using that! Would be very cool. Unfortunately, this is an indie game with a small budget. You start the game as a grown Jesus, after a decent opening cinematic, telling the story of Jesus etc, you finally wake up in bed, first thing you need to do is go find your mother, Mary, Yes THAT Mary! All the big names are here you know!

You quickly learn you need to find John the Baptist, so you can get baptised. Some back and forth to the village, speak to a few people to find out where he is, and then head off to the river to find him.

Feeling hungry? Pick some berries to eat. Pretty much the game revolves around recreating stories from The Bible. 40 days fasting in the desert, fight Satan, cure sick people, perform miracles, all the classic stuff. Including new things like charging the Holy Spirit through prayer!

I guess you complete the game one you get resurrected. Since this is the prologue, you will have to wait for the final game to get that far.

Ok, so yeah, everything sounds kind of cool, but the reality is this game is terrible. It NEEDS some holy spirit to fix the graphics for a start. They are terrible.

Voice acting is all good, the cinematics also look good, but the in-game graphics when you actually control Jesus are just poor, controls are awkward, and the whole thing is just a mess.

Poor optimized, and I suspect some bitcoin mining might be going on which is what slows the game down.

The Good

The narration, and voice acting as a whole are really good, the graphics in the cinematic bits are pretty decent.

The Bad

Everything else. It is a terrible game, you will play a bit out of curiosity, perhaps make it to John the Baptist, maybe even mess around in the desert a bit, but I highly doubt many will make it that far. This game needs a complete overhaul, from the ground up. It can't be saved.

Overall

I wish I hadn't downloaded this; it really is that bad.

I score I Am Jesus Christ: Prologue a god awful 2/10 (One point for the voice acting and one point for the cinematics.)

If you want to see for yourself, it is out now on Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1509650/I_Am_Jesus_Christ_Prologue/

NEWS: The Japanese Indie Shooter One-Two Punch Combo!

Stuttgart, Germany - December 2022 - Strictly Limited Games welcomes two new Shoot ‘em up titles in one ‘hot’ combo physical releases for the Nintendo Switch to their store. In collaboration with Hanaji Games, this is the only physical version of these two gems available.

This pack can be ordered from https://www.strictlylimitedgames.com/collections/dezatopia-mecha-ritz

Two Different Styled Shooters, One Great Collection

Mecha Ritz: Steel Rondo is a vertically scrolling ‘score’ focused shooter set in an apocalyptic mechanised world. With seven different ships to choose from, each with different attack and movement properties, this frantic paced shooter delivers deep and satisfying combat. Exciting unlockables - 14 playable mechas, branching paths, multiple endings, and much more will be unveiled as you delve deeper into the game. Quickly clearing enemies and raising your rank is key to unlocking the final stage and is just one ongoing task to complete.

In Mecha Ritz: Steel Rondo, not only does the score hunt and challenging gameplay provide plenty of replay value, but also the branching stage paths will influence the ending. Paired with the quirky story and popping graphics, you sure won’t get bored playing this one.

Dezatopia is a classic arcade styled horizontal shooter with a huge assortment of content, which offers both value and an amazing experience. 24 different stages with 21 bosses arranged in 21 routes, with intuitive and simple controls that will please both experienced and novice gamers. Unique enemies, bosses, weapons galore and interactive components are supplemented with great art and visual backdrops.

Strange and unusual creatures inhabited Earth’s underground. These unknown to humankind until Momoko, a fashion-obsessed high school girl, accidentally discovered them; but now she plans to create a new world: Dezatopia. Akane and Aoba, Momoko’s schoolmates, are hired to help achieve her directive but things don't go to plan. The backdrop story could soon become a distant memory, as the all out colourful and non stop, over the top, but compelling, fire and hail explosive onscreen action ramps up!

The craft you control has four unique, intuitive weapons which can each be fired in one direction to halt the enemy onslaught. Upgrades and items can also be purchased from a mid-flight shop, but these advantages are countered by a dynamic difficulty system that automatically adjusts to match the player’s skill level to ensure their experience, strategy, technique and luck are always tested.

Both Mecha Ritz: Steel Rondo and Dezatopia present great and amusing backdrop stories which set the scene for the action and challenges that gamers will encounter once they are ready to face the enemy forces, along with some awesome Bosses and cast that will materialise!

ABOUT THE SLG BOXED VERSIONS
The SLG Dezatopia & Mecha Ritz Limited Editions will come in two versions, each featuring a cover artwork focusing on one of the games in the collection, named Momoko and Veloce Edition as well as reversible cover artwork featuring both. Included is a colored manual for both games. The game cartridge included is the same. These are limited to 999 units each.

The Special Limited Edition will accordingly also be featured in 2 versions, with the artwork on the outer box being the same. These will be limited to 500 units each and contain the following items.

Game for Nintendo Switch
Special Limited Edition Box
Colorful Game Manual
Staff Book, approx. 80 pages containing developer insights for both games
2 CD Original Soundtrack
Double-Sided Poster, A3 Size

Mecha Ritz and Dezatopia are out now on the Nintendo eShop. Pre-Orders for the physical editions can be placed from 4th of December 2022 exclusively on StrictlyLimitedGames.com