REVIEW: Voyager on PC (Steam)

Review by Jon Donnis

I have to admit, I am a fan of simple gameplay and minimalist games, but only if they are actually any good. I was contacted by the developer of Voyager, a game which describes itself as a little relaxing minimalist game. So, does it tick the right boxes? Let's take a look.

The game is pretty simple; each level starts with the sun in the middle, and you control a simple rocket (Voyager). With just one button, you control the thrust of the engine. Your job is to discover the planets that orbit around the sun.

The game itself contains barely any in-game instructions, and what I told you just now is probably more knowledge than what you will start playing with. But once you do start, there is a rather clever little game here. Now, I have to admit that at first, I assumed that you just press launch on the rocket once and then just watch it fly around the little galaxy, with gravity being the main propulsion. Once you have launched, I later figured out that you can actually keep the power going and even direct the thrust using your cursor, which in turn makes the whole experience much more fun and a little easier. As you fly around, battling the gravitational pull of the sun, you will eventually land on a planet. Once you do, it becomes visible in the galaxy, and you can then use that as a new launchpad. In the top right of the screen is a little map which indicates how many planets there are to discover and roughly how far away they are from the sun.

There is also, confusingly, a little record player next to that map, which for a while I thought was something to do with the gameplay. That record player will play some nice relaxing songs.

After you have found all of the planets in a level, you will move onto the next level. As you play, you will notice that you leave behind a track of the flight of your rocket, along with the orbit of the planets. This creates some pretty unique orbital artwork on the screen.

There are 8 levels to play, each one is a bit harder than the last. And you will get through them relatively quickly. Once you have completed them all, you unlock a star chart which allows you to choose to play any level again. If you do not complete the game, every time you start the game up again, you have to start from level 1 again. Once completed, you unlock an "Endless Mode," which I am not quite sure the point of. As you just play level one again, and once you find the planets, nothing happens; you just keep flying around. I assume endless mode just means the level doesn't finish, and you can just keep making patterns in the galaxy. It seems a bit pointless to me, and I would have preferred something a bit different, maybe a randomly generated level that keeps changing once planets are found.

The Good:

Simple, clear graphics.

A great original chillout soundtrack.

A lovely idea for a game that will entertain you.

Small download size too and will run on any laptop/PC.

The Bad:

No tutorial.

No controls menu.

A lack of instruction does hurt things, but then I guess the game is supposed to be minimalist, but sometimes you do need a bit of instruction.

Needs more levels, or a random level generator.

Overall:

I like the game, once you figure things out it is fun, and there is some skill involved to progress. It can get a bit frustrating at time when you know roughly where a planet is, but you keep missing it, that in turn takes away the relaxing element of the game. But it does mean the game is a challenge and I like that.

I score Voyager on PC (Steam) a decent 8/10. The experience might by short, but for less than a pound, it is worth it.

Out now on Steam at

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2119210/VOYAGER/

Our Statement on Limited Run Games

 

By Jon Donnis

As many of you will know, the video game industry has become rather toxic in recent years, especially towards women, so when I saw that Limited Run Games, a company founded in 2015 by Josh Fairhurst and Douglas Bogart and run out of Apex, North Carolina, had fired a woman due to a "thoughtcrime", I was disappointed, if not surprised.

I wont name who was fired, as she is already receiving enough abuse as it is. So what was the crime she committed that was so abhorrent, that she was fired from her job, her career left in tatters, and her reputation destroyed? Well, she followed a few people on Twitter that the bosses at Limited Run Games did not approve of.

Yes folks, that's it. She never tweeted anything offensive, she never upset anyone. She literally did nothing wrong. Yet because she followed a Gay Asian Journalist, who exposes political violence and also an account run by a woman, that brings attention to pedophiles and sexual offenders, she was fired.

It seems strange to fire someone who follows such people, who are clearly doing good work in the world of journalism, and you can make up your own mind as to why Limited Run Games would be against such people. 

The very people these two accounts expose often go through the follower lists of these journalists, and try to find anyone who is either high profile, or has their work information in their bio. They then gather tens of activists to create as much noise as possible, they tell lies, they make accusations, and the end result is that the innocent person, who just takes an interest in said journalist, has their lives ruined, by the cowards who employ them, who in their own desperation to seem "woke" and "inclusive" will fire people simply for a thoughtcrime.

As you can imagine there is quite the backlash on Limited Run Games, and rightly so. They have now turned off comments for their posts on Twitter and Facebook, as they were getting so many replies from people, genuinely upset that the would ruin a young woman's career.

Now we are just a small website on the internet, we cant really do much more than bring attention to this. But, what we can do is refuse to cover any game that is associated with Limited Run Games going forward, we will not review them, promote them, or work with any independent games company that uses Limited Run Games.

I do not on principle agree with cancel culture, but sometimes there is no other choice, and you have to fight fire with fire. So as of this moment, as far as we are concerned, Limited Run Games are cancelled, due to them firing a woman for a thoughtcrime.

"Thoughtcrime – crimethink in Newspeak – is one of the most terrifying of Orwell’s conceits in 1984, where even thinking in opposition to the regime is a treacherous offence. 60 years after the novel was written, and 25 years after the year in which it was set, is thoughtcrime a reality? Are there certain thoughts and beliefs which should be punished? How should society deal with those who thoughts go beyond accepted political and social norms? And what does it feel like to think the unthinkable, controversial and uncomfortable?"

A sample list of some of the games we have covered, that use Limited Run Games.
BPM: Bullets Per Minute

Deliver Us The Moon

Arcade Paradise

Martha Is Dead

The Falconeer

Victor Vran

I was tempted to remove all coverage of these games in protest, but I think that would be unfair, so I have left them on the site for now. But I would encourage the makers of these games to rethink their relationship with Limited Run Games moving forward.

REVIEW: Mission 1985 on Nintendo Switch

Review by Jon Donnis

Mission 1985 is a tribute or perhaps more of a clone of classic arcade game Commando, Commando was released in the arcades in 1985, and I would spend countless 10p coins playing it almost every day, so fast forward to 2022, and to see a tribute to that game released, and I couldn't be happier.

The game itself is a 2D top-down view, run and gun. Your job is to defeat the dreaded General Hector and his army, and along the way free any hostages you find.

There are 11 levels in total, and a few of those are 3D type levels, graphically think Space Harrier. Each level is set in a different location to give plenty of variety.

General play has you shooting and throwing grenades at anyone who gets in your way. But watch out for traps, mines, holes in the ground, as well as climate related dangers. As well as shooting at enemy soldiers, there are also tanks, helicopters and planes to take out. Don't waste all of your grenades though, you will probably want to save as many as you can for the end of level boss. There are a few different weapons you can pick up and use, the best one being the flame thrower.

There is also a local multiplayer mode, no online play though.

Now it is worth noting the game is hard, like ridiculously hard, there is no easy mode, although you can adjust how many lives you start off with, a maximum of 9. The difficulty becomes a huge problem though, the game is not necessarily hard in the same way that Commando was hard. With Commando the more you played, the better you got. With Mission 1985 the problem is when you do die, you are only invincible for a second, so you can end up losing 2 or 3 lives very quickly, grenades thrown by enemies are also sometimes impossible to avoid, as soon as you see one, you move away but you are still killed. Your reaction time is simply not going to save you.

However, the boss fights are relatively easy, the problem is getting to them.

The graphics are retro style, as is the sound effects, the story is pretty basic, and the gameplay is classic arcade style

The Good

I am a fan of these types of classic games, and this does feed the addiction. The graphics bring back memories, and everything you would want and expect is there.

The Bad

Way too difficult, and although I understand that is a deliberate choice by the developers, I found the difficulty to be off putting, instead of pushing me to keep playing to get better.

Overall

If you are over 40 then this game will definitely bring back some fun times you had as a kid, but the difficulty setting is so off putting, even for a huge fan of the genre as I am.

Commando was always hard, but it was never unfair in its gameplay, this game feels unfair.

I score Mission 1985 on Nintendo Switch a 6/10. If the developers fix a few of the issues I have mentioned, as well as add an easy mode, then the game would be 7/10

Out now on Nintendo Switch

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Mission-1985-2273571.html

Top 10 Super Nintendo games of all time.

 

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was a wildly popular home video game console in the 1990s, and it had a vast library of games that continue to be beloved by fans today. Here is a list of the top 10 best-selling SNES games of all time:

Super Mario World - Super Mario World was a launch title for the SNES and it quickly became the console's best-selling game. The game introduced new characters, power-ups, and gameplay mechanics that were later incorporated into future Mario games.

Super Mario All-Stars - This compilation of remastered versions of the first four Super Mario Bros. games was a huge hit for the SNES. It introduced enhanced graphics and new features that made the classic games even more enjoyable to play.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - This role-playing game combined the beloved characters and world of Super Mario with a new turn-based combat system. It was a major success for the SNES and is still considered a classic RPG today.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - A Link to the Past is considered by many to be one of the best games in the Legend of Zelda series. It introduced a new version of the series' iconic overworld and added a number of new gameplay mechanics that have become staples of the franchise.

Donkey Kong Country - Donkey Kong Country was a visually impressive game for its time, with pre-rendered 3D graphics that were unlike anything seen in a platformer before. The game's platforming and mine cart levels were challenging and fun, making it a must-have for SNES owners.

Street Fighter II: The World Warrior - Street Fighter II was a groundbreaking fighting game that introduced a roster of memorable characters and special moves. Its smooth gameplay and deep mechanics made it a hit in arcades and on the SNES.

Super Metroid - Super Metroid was a highly influential action-adventure game that introduced a number of gameplay mechanics that have become staples of the genre. Its atmospheric environments and intense boss battles made it a fan favorite.

Super Punch-Out!! - Super Punch-Out!! was the sequel to the popular Punch-Out!! arcade game, and it added a number of new features and improvements to the formula. Its fast-paced gameplay and colorful cast of characters made it a hit on the SNES.

Chrono Trigger - Chrono Trigger was a critically acclaimed role-playing game that featured a unique battle system and a time-traveling plot. Its memorable characters and epic story made it a must-play for fans of the genre.

Final Fantasy III - Final Fantasy III was the first Final Fantasy game to be released on the SNES, and it introduced a number of new gameplay mechanics that have become staples of the series. Its deep combat system and compelling story made it a fan favorite.

Overall, these 10 games represent some of the best and most influential titles released on the SNES. They continue to be enjoyed by fans today and are considered classics of the video game industry.

You can buy the new Super Nintendo Mini console that includes 40 games at https://amzn.to/3WYghXk

Top 10 Sega Mega Drive games of all time.

 

The Sega Mega Drive (also known as the Sega Genesis in North America) was a popular home video game console released in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Over its lifetime, the Mega Drive received a wide variety of games, many of which have become classic titles that are still beloved by fans today. Here is a list of the top 10 Sega Mega Drive games of all time:

Sonic the Hedgehog: This fast-paced platformer starring the iconic blue hedgehog quickly became a fan favorite and is still considered one of the best games on the Mega Drive.

Streets of Rage: This side-scrolling beat-'em-up is known for its smooth gameplay, catchy music, and iconic characters.

Gunstar Heroes: This fast-paced run-and-gun shooter is known for its colorful graphics and challenging gameplay.

Phantasy Star IV: This popular role-playing game is known for its deep storytelling, complex characters, and challenging battles.

Shining Force: This tactical role-playing game is known for its intricate battles and memorable characters.

Contra: Hard Corps: This fast-paced run-and-gun shooter is known for its challenging gameplay and explosive action.

Comix Zone: This unique side-scrolling beat-'em-up is set within the panels of a comic book and features distinctive hand-drawn graphics.

Earthworm Jim: This wacky platformer follows the adventures of a heroic earthworm as he battles against strange enemies and bosses.

Altered Beast: This classic beat-'em-up is known for its mythical setting and the ability to transform into powerful creatures.

ToeJam & Earl: This unique action-adventure game follows the adventures of two alien rappers as they try to repair their spaceship and return home.

These are just a few of the many classic games that were released on the Sega Mega Drive. Whether you were a fan of platformers, role-playing games, or action games, the Mega Drive had something for everyone. Many of these games are still available to play today and are a testament to the enduring legacy of the Sega Mega Drive.

You can buy the new Sega Drive Mini console that includes 40 games at https://amzn.to/3vtxLii