Mario Wonder is a Great Game to Try, and I’ll Tell You Why!

Have you seen the new Mario Bros Wonder game, but aren’t too sure if it will be worth playing?  

The Game's Front Cover, Image Courtesy of Nintendo

The new Mario Bros Wonder had fans asking a few questions when the first ad for it started showing up with Mario as an elephant that at first glance looked like something you might call a “cursed image”. It also looks intriguing as it’s something different from the usual fire power-up. There have been a few more power-ups added to this new game besides the one with the most spotlight on it though one of which allows you to defeat enemies by trapping them in bubbles. All of these have made it pretty interesting to play and gives the game a new look. 

Character Menu, Image Courtesy of Game8

What’s also interesting is the new lineup of characters available to play as, which now includes Peach, though she’s been in a few games before, Daisy, which makes this game the first Mario Bros platformer adventure game she’s shown up in as a playable character, plus Toadette, Nabbit, and a couple of colourful Yoshi’s. Along with the original lineup from the Wii version of Mario, Luigi, and the Blue and Yellow Toads.  

The story starts with Mario and his friends visiting a caterpillar, Prince Florian of the Flower Kingdom all of them are standing around a floating Wonder Flower when Bowser comes flying by in a Koopa clown car and steals the flower turning him into a ship and allowing him to spread chaos throughout the kingdom.  

Mario Wonder Beginning Cut Scene, Image Courtesy of BeardBear

Gameplay From a Level in the Second World, Image Courtesy of Paranoia’s Dungeon

Throughout the levels, Prince Florian sits on your head so when you collect different badges, he can wear they come with different abilities, some of them allow you to jump off of multiple walls to reach higher-up places and others let you use a parachute that looks like a giant Mario hat. Some characters not associated with wearing hats have their design on each hat that corresponds with the usual colours and symbols they wear. The level map is different from other Mario adventure platformer games as it’s a mix-up of other maps from Mario 3D World and Mario Bros Wii in the beginning level, the game makes you complete levels in a certain order then in the next world on the map you can walk around, and choose which levels you want to complete next.  

Gameplay From One of the Beginning Levels, Image Courtesy of JustOneGamr

In this game, you’ll encounter certain levels that are guarded by a Piranha Plant wrapped around them. In order to progress and access these levels you need to collect different amounts of Wonder Seeds that you’ll collect throughout the past levels, you play to get rid of the Piranha Plants to then be able to play that unguarded level. In each level, you’ll automatically collect one Wonder Seed after completion but at about halfway through the level you’ll encounter a second Wonder Seed. Some are easy to find, and others are harder to seek out but once you go to grab the seed, it will transform the level a bit and the level goes a bit haywire and out of control. Throughout these secret parts of the levels, you need to reach the Wonder Seed again before the timer runs out and turns the level back to normal.  

Another cool part of this game is the talking flowers you’ll encounter through each level. Some give you tips on what you need to do when you run past them, and others give funny commentary. Along with dancing and singing Piranha Plants in certain levels this game brings new and funny elements and will have you playing each level wondering what wacky characters you’ll see next.   

Mario Wonder is a great game for those new to this franchise and for long-time fans with easter eggs throughout the game bringing back new and old characters from past games with new powerups that separate this game from the rest of the Mario Bros games and is definitely worth giving a try for something new. 

---

Hello, my name is Isabella. I’ve been playing video games since I was a kid, I first got into video games when I watched my mom play TMNT and Super Mario Sunshine on GameCube when I was younger. 

I still play games when I have time though I tend to play only on consoles, the types of games I enjoy are survival horror, arcade-style, fighting games, social simulators, platformers, racing, detective narrative driven, and party games. I try to learn about different kinds of styles and genres of games, though mostly I tend to lean more towards Nintendo-made games, for example, many from the Mario franchise.

Gunbrella is a Fantasy Novel Disguised as a Game

Image coutesy of Devolver digital

I've got a problem. A metroidvania problem. I need more. Ever since I've played Hollow Knight, I've been searching for a game that would fulfill my need for exploration in a vast world. When I heard about a new metroidvania called Gunbrella I was very excited to try it out.

Well unfortunately, Gunbrella didn’t satisfy and I don’t quite know what to make of it.

It’s not a metroidvania

Even though Gunbrella is advertised as a metoidvania, I would classify it more as an adventure game. A staple of metroidvanias is non-linear exploration but the whole map feels like a long path that you're not allowed to leave. The way you move around the world is with a train that connects multiple isolated areas. Most of these areas have you going either to the left or the right with forking paths few and far between.

For a genre that is meant to focus on exploration, Gunbrella has very few opportunities to do so. The game also has several side quests that suffer from the linear design. Most of the quests are easy to complete because you never need to go out of your way to finish them and some of these quests are mandatory to beat the game which defeats the whole point of a side quest.

One of the main appeals of a metroidvania is the acquisition of new powers and abilities, but with Gunbrella there isn't much of that. At the start of the game, you get your gunbrella and that’s it aside from the various alternate ammo types. However, these items are limited and can be purchased at any shop at the earliest opportunity. I haven’t finished the game yet but the only permanent upgrade I've received was a special bullet that can kill one specific enemy.

There are, however, gun and health upgrades that feel more metroidy but finding something that lets your gun do slightly more damage isn't that exciting.

The gameplay is ok, but it's just ok

Despite my disappointment, there are some good things about this game. The combat and platforming systems are pretty fun though underutilized. I absolutely love using the gunbrella to fly all over the place and obliterate enemies. However, it’s a real shame that there are very few combat encounters to play with as you’ll be spending most of your time in towns or talking to other characters.

At least the story is good

The one thing that I have no problems with is the story because It’s pretty good. Since the game is mainly story-focused, it works more as an adventure game than anything. The game takes place in a 1930s type fantasy world and is about a woodsman who comes home one day to find his wife murdered and the only clue left at the scene of the crime is the titular gunbrella. And with that, you’re thrust into a story of revenge with monsters, cults, and dwindling natural resources.

As mentioned earlier, I haven't finished the game yet, but the story so far has been excellent as well as immersive. I’ve enjoyed going around the world investigating leads, sneaking around, and interacting with characters.

In conclusion, while Gunbrella isn't a very good game in terms of gameplay it has a very nice story that’s worth checking out. I’d recommend this game if you’re a new or inexperienced gamer or if you're just looking for a story. If you’re a longtime gamer, you’re better off reading a book.

---

I’m Nicholas, an aspiring author who’s too busy playing games instead of actually writing something. I love fast-paced boomer shooters, really long metroidvanias, and hardcore action platformers. My list of favourites includes Ultrakill, Hollow Knight, Deep Rock Galactic, and Blasphemous. If you're tired of big-budget AAA games letting you down and want to dive into the world of weird obscure indie games, I’m your guy.

A Fantastical Place (Hogwarts Legacy Review)

Hogwarts Legacy is by far one of my favourite games that I have played this year. I remember when it was first announced, and I lost my mind. We have never seen an RPG Harry Potter game since the Play Station games. When I had the money, the first thing I did was pre-order the game at the end of February. When the game came out for the last-gen XBOX, I was playing this game for days on end. 

Overview

Hogwarts Legacy is about a 5th year student who goes to Hogwarts and discovers a secret about ancient magic. There are many foes and an unexpected twist of Goblins being the main villain of this game.  Of course, there were dark wizards, but to have a goblin be the main villain took me by surprise. I remember playing the game and I was astounded by the fact there were two deaths in 10 minutes. I also remember getting full-body chills as the title card came onto the screen. The way they introduced this game was brilliant.  

My Favourite Quests

Secrets of The Restricted Section was one of my favourites as it felt like I was in one of the Harry Potter movies as you sneak around the Library with Simon to get into the restricted section. Having to use the disillusionment spell to sneak past the Prefects and the Librarian was a little stressful, but I really enjoyed it.  

Jackdaw’s Rest was another favorite of mine. Despite the terrifying thought of giant spiders and everything I hate about spiders; I did enjoy this quest a lot. It had that horror element of uneasiness that made this quest quite interesting to play, especially when you’re trying to help this ghost who was foolish enough to travel to a spider’s den to find something so you as the player help him.  

The High Keep is another favorite. When I first played this quest, the only thing on my mind was to save the Hippogriffs. The objective is to expose Rookwood’s plans with Natsai. During this quest, you are to save two Hippogriffs, one of which is Highwing, a Hippogriff you meet earlier in the game. After rescuing them, you are to fly the Hippogriffs back to Hogwarts. After that you get the Hippogriff mount which allows you to ride Highwing to different destinations. I have been flying Highwing everywhere ever since I saved her. It was a bucket load of nostalgia when I rode Highwing over Hogwarts Lake. I was tearing up. 

Niamh Fitzgerald’s Trial was my other favorite quest. This was the most unique trial in this game as everything is in black and white and looks like it’s been drawn down with charcoal. In this trial you are to use all three Deathly Hallows to escape Death. This quest was nerve wrecking, but I also really enjoyed it because it referenced something from the original books and movies, and because of its uniqueness to the rest of the trial quests.  

Pros

• Hours of game play

• Expansive Map

• Easy controls

• Every single detail added to Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and everywhere else on the map

Cons

• Things glitch sometimes so I can’t complete treasure vaults sometimes

• I have fallen through the map riding the Hippogriff Mount before

• The game lags if I’m going too fast

• I will sometimes get lost in Hogwarts trying to find my way around

With hours of game play, if you love RPG and adventure games, then Hogwarts Legacy is the game for you.  

---

Hello! My name is Kaela and I’m 20 years old. I have been playing video games for as long as I can remember. I remember my dad playing video games such as Halo or Mortal Combat IX around the age of 7. To this day I’m still playing video games. I love games ranging from horror, fantasy, RPG, open-world, dystopian, platformer games, and racing games. I hope you enjoy the blogs that are to come.

Bringing the Adventure!

Have you ever played on a switch or DS? If you haven’t, now is the time to try it. There are many games on the switch and DS that are fun to play, but tod ay I am going to review Super Mario Odyssey game.

Overview

This game brings new life to the Super Mario bro’s franchise. Odyssey does a great job of keeping some of the original things like music and mechanics for the characters. While bringing new characters and new costumes to the screen. To add to that, the game features 16 new worlds for you to try! All with unique challenges for tons of fun.

Goal:

 The mission is still the same in Odyssey. Mario must save princess peach from Bowser. The only difference is that this time he intends to marry her. What we come to learn is that bowser went to the Hat Kingdom and took a tiara for Peach. That already spells trouble for the princess. I like how they changed it up a bit though because without it most players would know the story and it would become stale. Odyssey did well in avoiding that.

Characters:

 As I mentioned, there are several new characters in the game. One of those being Cappy. Who is Cappy?  Well, Cappy is a hat. I was waiting for something to happen with his hat because it is signature of Mario.  Cappy has powers now. Some of his powers are spinning in place, Mario can run and Cappy springs him higher, and he can capture enemies. That adds a fun new twist for sure! This game does not have Bowser Jr, or Koopa’s. instead, it has four Broodals who are evil wedding planners.

 Controls:

 Mario still has most of his normal mechanics in Odyssey, such as he can still jump, run, triple jump, wall climb, and more. But unlike other games he can’t punch. Meaning he doesn’t get the fire suit and the game doesn’t have mushrooms. Mario cannot shrink or grow like in previous years. Instead, he has health points and you can get up to six in total.

Levels:

As you go beat a boss, you can not only move on to the next level but now you can choose to do puzzles like a side mission. Some of those vary from easy to very hard and you will be running around the world in tons of different places. Through lava, poison, among others. All to get something called a Power Moon. They allow you to move on to the next challenge but here’s the catch. If you don’t have enough power moons and you don’t give them to the Odyssey, you will have to move around trying to collect them. They can be hidden in plain sight, under some objects or you have look for them in a challenge. When everything is said and done you should have enough to do in Mario Odyssey.

My final thoughts are that if you have enjoyed previous Mario games, you will enjoy this one. It is a mix between and old for all ages and there’s something for everyone in Odyssey.

---

Hi, my name is Paige and I have been playing games since I was about 10 years old or younger. Some of the games I am playing currently are NHL and MLB the show. Other games I have played in the past include the Walking Dead, Nascar, Ghost of Tsushima, and Call of Duty. I hope you enjoy reading my blog!

A Pick for Star Wars Fans!

One of the game’s front covers

Star Wars has been a popular franchise ever since the trilogy was released. For the decades that followed, fans have heavily loved and criticized the series and its additions. Game wise, almost 100 Star Wars games have been made since the movies’ release, including Star Wars: The Old Republic, also known as SWTOR.

SWTOR is a MMORPG adventure genre game that was first released in 2011. While the game takes place within the Star Wars universe, many argue if the game and its prequels are truly canon to the overall franchise universe since the game has nothing to do with the main movies. 

Whether it is canon or not, the game gives players the chance to create their own unique characters with a mostly wide selection (other than body types and gender), and go on quests that span over several worlds in a galaxy far, far away…

As of recently, the developers have expanded on the fighting styles for each class, allowing players to have new abilities and weapons. When someone first creates a character, they may choose whether they’d want to align with The Galactic Republic or The Sith Empire. 

From there, they may choose one of the four story lines (there being eight in total): For the Republic there is the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, or Trooper, while for the Empire there is the Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter, and Imperial Agent. Each side has four fighting styles for the melee classes and eight fighting styles for the ranged classes. 

SWTOR is free to download and play, but only for the main storylines and the first few expansions. While subscribers get a lot of good bonuses, SWTOR is still fun to play for those who do not wish to pay money. Each storyline is very long, and it may take months for players to finish each one. While I haven’t completed each storyline, I can say without a doubt that each one provides its own unique and thrilling adventures.

Additionally, there are various side quests the player can choose to complete if they wish to gain more experience and lore to the game’s universe. Unfortunately, many side quests are also available to the other classes (depending on if the player chose Republic or Empire), so it gets tiring to complete the same quests without much difference. The player can choose not to follow the side quests, but they may face the fact that they don’t level up enough if they just follow their main quests. 

I’ve been playing this game for years, so I may be a tad biased when I say I really enjoy it. Don’t ask how I haven’t finished all the storylines even though I've been playing for years, I have weird priorities! 

While SWTOR is one of my favourite games, it doesn't mean that it doesn’t have flaws. There are certainly some parts I have issues with, starting with its open-world aspect. It isn’t the exploring that is the issue, The worlds are all vastly different and super cool to explore. Almost everywhere there are tons of enemies that makes completing each quest seem draining, especially when they respawn and you have to fight them over and over again because there is no other way around them. I understand that there has to be a lot of enemies in the multiplayer areas, but even in the personal story zones the enemies are everywhere.

Just because I enjoy SWTOR doesn’t mean that it’s the same for other Star Wars fans. While I enjoy the Star Wars franchise, I’m not the biggest fan who knows every single detail about every movie, show, game, etc. In fact, I haven’t even seen all of the movies or shows yet, let alone come close to playing even an eighth of the games. Regardless, someone doesn’t have to be a huge Star Wars fan to enjoy SWTOR.

---

My two cats hazel and charlie :]

Hello! My name is Adam/Comet, and I’ve been playing games since I was a child :] I remember my parents telling me that around the age of 4, I was already setting up and playing a Care Bears puzzle-type game on my own (not well, but I tried).

I don’t play many games nowadays, but every once and a while I enjoy playing adventure RPGs, survival games, and social simulators. I mostly enjoy games where I can tap into my creativity whether to become a specific character, or create worlds! 😄 So, If you’d like to find fantasy/sci-fi roleplay games, survival games, or a relaxing simulator, I’ve got a few to recommend!

Obsessed with Cleaning? Try “A Little to the Left!”

THE OPENING PAGE OF THE GAME

Tidying up can be exhausting, but not if it’s an online game! If you enjoy cleaning, making things look perfect, completing puzzles, and cats, you will certainly enjoy the Steam game A Little to the Left!

A Little to the Left is a relaxing simulator and level-based game where you go around your house tidying up, organizing, and dealing with your cat’s shenanigans! Each stage is unique, allowing for a fun experience without feeling as if you’re doing the same things over and over again. Additionally, for those who enjoy finding different ways to complete a task, several levels have two or more ways to sort items!

oNE OF THE WAYS TO SORT TOMATO CANS: ALL FRONT FACING

ANOTHER WAY TO SORT THE CANS: DIFFERENT SIDES TO SEE THE ENTIRE LABEL

It isn’t only the cleaning that is satisfying! The art style is adorable and gives off a hand-drawn vibe; along with the calming, yet fun music that will leave the player wanting more!

PUTTING THE CAT’S TOYS AWAY :]

THE CAT MAKING A MESS OF THE JUST SORTED PASTA NOODLES

X-mas lEVEL FROM THE GAME’S ARCHIVES (PART OF BASE GAME)

For those that are looking for more gameplay, A Little to the Left comes with an archive of event levels that can be played at any time! And for those looking for even more content, there is the Cupboards and Drawers DLC that comes with several more levels of organizing various cupboards and drawers! While I have not yet tried the DLC, the reviews on steam remain very positive, with users raving about how satisfying the new content is.

One of the only downsides users have, is the price of the game compared to the amount of content received. A Little to the Left currently sits on Steam for the price of $19.99 (CAD) without purchasing the DLC at the same time. For the base game, there are 4 chapters that each have around 13-20 levels. Also, there are daily tasks that give you a level each day at random to complete, so users can occasionally return to satisfy their cleaning itch!

Kitty playing with the moon :D

While some stages are short and simple, others take longer, with more complicated steps. On top of that, some levels allow the player to place items anywhere on the screen, making it a lot more puzzling to figure out how things should be arranged! In all, the game includes about 4-5 hours of gameplay, or even more if the user decides to come back to complete daily tasks or chooses to collect all the achievements!

As someone with anxiety, and obsessed with organizing (at times), I really enjoyed playing through A Little to the Left! In fact, for my first time playing, I ended up completing it in one sitting because of how satisfying it was to finish each level! Other than the tidying aspect, I had even more fun whenever the cat made an appearance or playfully swatted away what I had just cleaned. Since I have and love cats, the cute little kitty certainly made my experience a lot better! I was also reminded of my own cats, who sometimes like to push things off tables and hide in boxes too.

I can really tell that the developers put a lot of love into this game! I am excited to eventually try out their DLC, and any new gameplay they add in the future! If you’re interested in trying out a cute and calming organizing simulator, A Little to the Left is definitely worth trying!

Cat appearing from a box after completing the level :>

---

a picture of my TWO CATS HAZEL AND CHARLIE :D

Hello! My name is Adam/Comet, and I’ve been playing games since I was a child :] I remember my parents telling me that around the age of 4, I was already setting up and playing a Care Bears puzzle-type game on my own (not well, but I tried).

I don’t play many games nowadays, but every once and a while I enjoy playing adventure RPGs, survival games, and social simulators. I mostly enjoy games where I can tap into my creativity whether to become a specific character, or create worlds! 😄 So, If you’d like to find fantasy/sci-fi roleplay games, survival games, or a relaxing simulator, I’ve got a few to recommend!

Faith, the Game so Scary it’ll Make you Mortis

MAGE COURTESY OF new blood

What’s your favourite scary game? For the longest time, I didn’t have one, that is, until I gave Faith: The Unholy Trinity a chance. With most horror games these days being kid-friendly walking simulators, this amazing game has easily become one of my all-time favourites. Halloween may be over but horror isn’t. 

The story

Like a lot of horror games, the story of Faith is told out of order through a bunch of scattered lore notes. While this does sound like it would make the lore a pain to understand, most of the notes act as supplementary material and aren't needed to get a basic understanding of what's going on.

Without spoilers, Faith is the story about John Ward, a priest who returns to the sight of an incomplete exorcism in order to finish what he started but discovers that this is only part of something bigger. And once you get past the pixelated, rotoscoped surface, you come across a story that is equal parts horrifying and hopeful.

The scares 

You wouldn't expect something that looks like it was made on the Atari to be scary, but Faith delivers. Unlike a lot of horror games, Faith rarely relies on jumpscares and instead creates a tense atmosphere, which keeps the player on their toes with its game mechanics and sound design. 

Throughout the game, you never truly feel safe. There are usually demons just around the corner ready to turn John into a pile of red and blue mush. And while John is far from helpless, no two demons behave the same, and you'll never know what to expect especially on a blind playthrough. 

The music is also fantastic at creating an oppressive atmosphere by combining music with noise that can convince the player into thinking there is something after them. 

The gameplay 

iMAGE COURTESY OF airdorf games

Faith flips the script of horror protagonists being completely vulnerable by giving John the ability to ward off demons with his cross. While this does give you the confidence to face whatever hell has to throw at you, John is still pretty vulnerable; he's slow as hell and he’ll always die in one hit.

The developers do an excellent job of making you feel safe when you use your cross, making it extremely terrifying in the rare instances where it's ineffective or taken away.

The style  

Taking all of that into consideration, Faith isn't complete without its iconic visual style. The whole game was made to look and feel like it was actually made in the time period it’s set in. Although some aspects of the games are too technologically complex for something that came out in the 80s, it still looks like a real Atari game right down to the simplified controls that mimic the Atari’s one joystick and one button.

What really sets Faith apart, however, are its rotoscoped cutscenes. For those unfamiliar: rotoscoping is when an animator traces over live-action footage to create realistic animation and it gives the game a unique visual style that also makes it easy for fans to replicate.

In conclusion 

Faith: The Unholy Trinity is a terrifying masterpiece that shows you just how scary demons can be. It has simple controls that can be used in complex situations, and it does all this while looking fantastic. This is as much as I’m willing to talk about without spoiling the experience too much. So, if you're at all interested in this the trinity can be purchased on Steam right now. 

Just remember, Gary loves you.  

iMAGE COURTESY OF airdorf games

---

I’m Nicholas, an aspiring author who’s too busy playing games instead of actually writing something. I love fast-paced boomer shooters, really long metroidvanias, and hardcore action platformers. My list of favourites includes Ultrakill, Hollow Knight, Deep Rock Galactic, and Blasphemous. If you're tired of big-budget AAA games letting you down and want to dive into the world of weird obscure indie games, I’m your guy.

Luigi's Mansion

Looking for an older Nintendo game with Luigi as a main character? Then Luigi’s Mansion might be the one you’re looking for.  

Luigi’s Mansion is the first out of a current trilogy though some may have only heard of the two newest games or have only played the newest ones due to how recently they came out. 

front cover of the games case. image courtesy of wikipedia.

gameplay from the first boss battle, image courtesy of the game hoard.

Luigi’s Mansion was released in 2001 on GameCube but more recently has been added to the 3DS. Each of the ghosts in the game has their own personality, design, and story behind each of them, even the minor ghosts have their own unique design and personality. The first game starts with Luigi receiving a letter that he won a mansion in a lottery, and a note from Mario letting Luigi know he’s heading to the mansion first to meet him there, but Luigi soon finds out that letter to be false with the mansion full of ghosts, a professor named E. Gadd attempting to capture the ghosts, and his brother missing.  

Now Luigi must go through the mansion to find his brother Mario while capturing ghosts along the way with the help of Professor E. Gadd’s invention, the Poltergust  3000, which looks similar to a vacuum.  

gameplay from THE beginning of the game, courtesy of moby games.

Fun fact when Nintendo created the GameCube system, they designed the controllers around the game Luigi’s Mansion as they wanted to have each button on the remote do something specific in the game. During this process, they forgot about the A button, which is the biggest button on the controller, and before releasing both they created a feature so when you pressed the A button it would make Luigi call out for Mario which was a great idea and helped with the eerie atmosphere of the game. This Mario call-out button was later added to both of the newer Luigi’s Mansion games as a call back to the original. 

The eerie lighting in the game with the graphics paired with Luigi walking down dark hallways nervously humming the game’s theme song brings a spookier darker setting than the recent Luigi’s Mansion sequels as the more recent games have a brighter setting whereas this one has a darker look to it. 

gameplay cut scene after defeating a boss battle, courtesy of moby games.

gameplay of luigi running from ghosts in the hallway, image courtesy of strategy wiki.

Another cool feature of this game is when Luigi goes to unlock a new door the screen zooms into a close-up of his hand shakily putting the key in the door and unlocking it adding a sense of suspense to the scene. The atmosphere of the game is dark, but it keeps with that theme all the way through, especially with the final boss battle, which is definitely one of the most surprising and best battles of the game.  

When Luigi is in a dark room, he hasn’t cleared yet he’ll nervously hum the game’s theme song, though after he’s in a lit-up cleared room or hallway he’ll whistle in a lighter mood.  

When needing to save the game you would need to get Luigi back to the Toad at the entrance of the Mansion inside the foyer. After defeating a boss, the game will bring you back to this room so you can save the game.  

gameplay of saving the game, image courtesy of moby games.

Luigi’s Mansion is a great game to try if you like the newer games but are looking for a spookier vibe than the sequels, with the darker scenery and concept of finding items, Mario has dropped along the way, it definitely holds up through the years and is definitely worth playing if you like stories about playing as Luigi looking for Mario.  

gameplay of the pause screen, image courtesy of moby games.

---

Hello, my name is Isabella. I’ve been playing video games since I was a kid, I first got into video games when I watched my mom play TMNT and Super Mario Sunshine on GameCube when I was younger. 

 I still play games when I have time though I tend to play only on consoles, the types of games I enjoy are survival horror, arcade-style, fighting games, social simulators, platformers, racing, detective narrative driven, and party games. I try to learn about different kinds of styles and genres of games, though mostly I tend to lean more towards Nintendo-made games, for example, many from the Mario franchise.  

Call of Duty Ghosts

---

Call of Duty Ghosts was once a game for these who wanted an extreme thrill, but in the last few years has died off. Today, I am going to talk to you about the one player gameplay, playing with friends, and the Team Deathmatch mode.

If you are looking for a mode that will be solely focused on your character, then this mode is for you! It starts off with a guy and his family and the house blows up and he tells the family to leave the area but as he’s chasing them, they disappear. When I played this for the first time it took me a few tries because a fog came over the screen making it seem like a ghost was there so when you are playing this be patient. The mode gets more interesting as you progress because you enter into the army to fight the ghosts. The game has various kinds of missions for you to complete, and like any single player mode you always have the option of customizing your character. When I played this game, I would finish the whole thing and redo it on a higher difficulty to make it fun.

The second mode in Call of Duty Ghosts that I enjoyed was the multiplayer mode. If you have your friends over, they can play with you. This is underrated mode in my option because it made for hours of fun and competition. The one downside in this mode is the loading time. To go from loading screen to playing, takes a few minutes so if you want to play this don’t expect to be able to hop in right away. I liked this mode because it forces you to strategize and be able to collaborate with your team to win the game.

Team Deathmatch mode was a favourite of mine but one I had struggled with because in this mode you are in teams, and you have to see how many people you can kill before time is up. It creates a great adrenaline rush because you are in a time crunch, but I don’t think the mode does enough with the AI teammates and the bots on the other team. Your teammates don’t help you and the AI on the other team is often too powerful they could hit you in one shot when it would take several times for you to get them down. Plus, their aim is perfect, while yours is off which results in you being on the losing end.

While I think that Call of duty ghosts is a great game, it lacks in several areas. That being said, when this game came out, we didn’t have the technology we do today and that has a factor in it as well. I think if they fixed some bug issues with the loading screens, focusing more on letting the player make choices in single player, and making the AI bots more on a human level, I think the game would become better and attract more people to play it.

---

Hi, my name is Paige and I have been playing games since I was about 10 years old or younger. Some of the games I am playing currently are NHL and MLB the show. Other games I have played in the past include the Walking Dead, Nascar, Ghost of Tsushima, and Call of Duty. I hope you enjoy reading my blog!

Two Sides of One Coin (Hades Review)

Hades is a unique roguelike that has a unique animation and art style. This is a good game for you to play if you like Greek mythology and roguelike dungeon games. While fighting your way to the overworld, you are a prince who resents being who he is and has issues with his father, hence the name of the game.  

Overview

As the son of Hades, who resents being who they are, they make an attempt to escape to the Overworld. This game does not take only one time to escape. It takes many tries to escape to the Underworld and defeat Hades. I first discovered this game from a YouTuber I watched. His name is Jacksepticeye. I was watching him stream a game on Twitch and when I found out what it was, I fell in love with it immediately. That’s when I decided to play the game myself and I fell in love with the game even more.  

The Bosses

There are many bosses in this game. In Tartarus, there are three bosses that will randomize each time you get to the final chamber. These three bosses are the Fury sisters, Alecto, Tisiphone, and Megaera. They are relatively easy to defeat if you know how to avoid their attacks.  

In Asphodel, the boss is the three-headed bone hydra. There are three different bone hydras that you can encounter that have different attacks. This boss is a little more difficult to defeat but can be easily passable if you know what you’re doing.  

In Elysium, there are two bosses you have to battle at the same time. They are Theseus and Asterius (The Minotaur). Fighting both at full health is extremely difficult and that is why I find meeting Asterius halfway and battling him before the main fight is the best way to approach the start of this boss battle.  

In Styx, there are no boss battles, but if you’re unlucky you will come across the Rat King who is one of the most annoying bosses in the game as his acid attacks deal quite a lot of damage to you.  

The final boss you have to defeat is Hades. He is one of the most difficult bosses in the game. You need to be tactical to defeat him, otherwise, you will take heavy damage and be defeated by Hades.

The Infernal Arms

The first weapon is Stygius or the Stygian Blade. This is the default weapon of the game. I personally like this one the most as it’s close combat. I prefer to strike while dashing as it deals lots of damage. Like every weapon, the Stygian Blade has hidden aspects you can unlock later in the game with Titan Blood. This weapon once belonged to Poseidon.

The second weapon is Vartha or the Eternal Spear. This weapon can be unlocked with 4 Chthonic Keys. I also like this weapon as it’s close range and gives me a chance to dash around and slay the enemies around me quickly. This weapon once belonged to Hades.

The third weapon is Aegis or the Shield of Chaos. This can be unlocked with 3 Chthonic Keys. I like this weapon when in close combat. I love how you can bounce the shield off multiple enemies like you’re a hellish version of Captain America. This weapon once belonged to Athena and Zeus.

The fourth weapon is Coronatch or the Heart-Seeking Bow. This can be unlocked with 1 Chthonic Key. I don’t like this weapon much as it’s long distance range. I often panic when there are too many enemies around me when I have the bow with me. This weapon once belonged to Hera.

The fifth weapon is Malphon or the Twin Fists of Malphon. This can be unlocked with 8 Chthonic Keys. I like this weapon a lot as it really packs a punch. It deals lots of damage in a short amount of time as long as you dodge out of enemies way in time. This weapon once belonged to Demeter.

The sixth weapon is Exagryph or the Adamant Rail. This can be unlocked with 8 Chthonic Keys. I haven’t used this weapon much as I prefer using the other weapons. The reason I hardly use this weapon is because it’s basically a gun and I feel like it throws off the theme of the other weapons. This weapon once belonged to Hestia.

Pros

• Unique story

• Controls are easy to learn

• There is hours of content in the game

• You get the true ending after escaping 10 times

• The randomisation of bosses keeps you on your toes

• The story

• The unique art style and animation

• The soundtracks

• You can defy death 3-4 times

Cons

• The game is repetitive at times

• It can be frustrating to escape at times

• Bosses like Theseus and Asterius are tedious and difficult opponents

• Hades is a nightmare to defeat

• The Rat King is an annoying opponent to defeat as he sprays acid from the pores in his body and the vermin that accompany spray acid and poison out of their pores which can be deadly if you’re not careful

• Too much of the same enemy can be irritating

As the 2020 Game of The Year, this is a great game with hours of explored content. No matter how many times it takes you to escape there will always be something new to discover.  

---

Hello! My name is Kaela and I’m 20 years old. I have been playing video games for as long as I can remember. I remember my dad playing video games such as Halo or Mortal Combat IX around the age of 7. To this day I’m still playing video games. I love games ranging from horror, fantasy, RPG, open-world, dystopian, platformer games, and racing games. I hope you enjoy the blogs that are to come.

Three Upcoming FPS Games you Should Look out for

Steam demos are great, you get a little bite-sized game for free that you don’t have to commit to. As someone who is addicted to demos, I can verify that it’s a great way to decide whether or not you want to buy something. We’ll be here forever if I'm allowed to share all my demos, so I’m going to narrow down my recommendations to just 3 FPSs that show a lot of promise.

Anger Foot

Image courtesy of Devolver digital

This adrenaline rush of a game has been dubbed 3D Hotline Miami by those who have played it and it's not hard to see why. In Anger Foot, you play as a frog? zombie? With the most ripped legs, you’ve ever seen. His name: Anger Foot (obviously). His goal: rescue his favourite pair of shoes from a bizarre assortment of anthropomorphic gangsters and thugs.

Your greatest weapon in this game are your feet. You can kick enemies directly or send doors and other objects flying at them. You're also able to pick up any guns dropped by your foes for some extra firepower.

In order to succeed, you'll need to have a good memory. Just like In Hotline Miami you’re pretty squishy so you'll usually die in one or two hits and there are no checkpoints so don’t expect to start out as a rampaging monster on your first try. But once you’ve memorized the level, you'll blast through the level while the hard bass soundtrack pumps away as if it’s one continuous song.

One downside of this game is it can be very short if you know what you’re doing, but then again this is a demo so who knows how long the game will be. Thanks to the trailer that recently dropped at Realms Deep, we know this game is set to release next year so that’s plenty of time to check it out for yourself.

Shady Knight

Image courtesy of Steam

So Shady Knight isn’t technically a first-person shooter. It's more of a first-person slicer or something along those lines. There is not much story as of right now, but this game makes up for it in almost every other department.

Shady Night has some of the most satisfying movement mechanics I've seen in a while. You’ve got your standard ledge grabbing, sliding, and handy grappling hook, but also unique features like being able to super jump off of physics objects or enemies and dash in any direction to gab weapons which you can throw and then grab to get to places you're not supposed to be.

The game's combat is also phenomenal and on par with Ultrakill in that respect, with fans often drawing comparisons between the two games. You can slide kick an enemy into the air, slam him into the ground with your grappling hook, then steal his weapon by literally flying up to grab it and then come crashing back down. There are a few annoying quirks that the combat has, like not being able to grab enemies mid-air or while holding a weapon. Fortunately, a new trailer shown at Realms Deep in September had some gameplay footage that showed most of the quirks being fixed.

So, if you like fast-paced combat and platforming, be sure to try the demo before the game is released next year.

Captain Wayne - Vacation Desperation

Image courtesy of Ciaran Games LLC

Here's one for you boomer shooter fans out there. Captain Wayne may be a “GZ Doom” mod, but it’s got a whole lot of personality. You take control of a sailor with a shotgun for an arm who's on a quest to kill a bunch of land-lubing mercenaries who stole his beloved boat.

In terms of gameplay, it’s just your standard Doom clone with all the extra features provided by “GZ Doom” along with a few unique creations like Wayne's canon or thunder punch weapons. If you’re a Doom fan, then you'll have seen stuff like this before, but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it; it’s perfect just the way it is.

What this game does better however is its presentation. This whole game is brimming with personality with its cartoony art style, hilarious character dialogue, and unique soundtrack (the whole OST is on YouTube so feel free to check it out). Even though there is just one level in the demo right now, it's crammed full of little details that make the game world feel real. Unlike the other games I've talked about, Captain Wayne has no set release date, so we’ll just have to keep an eye out for when it's ready.

---

I’m Nicholas, an aspiring author who’s too busy playing games instead of actually writing something. I love fast-paced boomer shooters, really long metroidvanias, and hardcore action platformers. My list of favourites includes Ultrakill, Hollow Knight, Deep Rock Galactic, and Blasphemous. If you're tired of big-budget AAA games letting you down and want to dive into the world of weird obscure indie games, I’m your guy.

MLB The Show

---

Do you want to be the next best baseball star in the MLB? If so, you should pick up MLB 23 to start your legendary career! This video game series has long brought viewers endless hours of what it feels like to be a player in the MLB with several different game modes including Road to the show, franchise mode, Dimond dynasty, and March to October and many other offline modes that I will get into in this review.

Experience:

First, it doesn’t matter what experience level you have because you can practice batting, pitching, and fielding even before you start playing. This will allow you to get an understanding for the game and the controls before you hop into a game mode. I really like this because the biggest difference I noticed from MLB 22 to 23 is that the pitching is more realistic in terms of how much time you must see the ball. It can be a big adjustment.

Franchise mode:

 The first part of this review will be on franchise mode. When you play MLB, the user has so much control over the mode. Franchise mode is a wonderful place to start in MLB. The user can pick the team to control the lineups, and the outside things like signing players. Having this allows the user to feel like they are managing a real MLB team. A few downsides to this are that the game doesn’t allow you to see the background stuff. Like if you were to be setting up the lineups, how does that happen? What’s the process that happens in real life? In future games of the games, it would be nice to see the game expand.

Road to the show:

Another mode is road to the show. There are several reasons to love this mode and reasons to dislike it. Be a pro is focused on the character and how your player’s career shapes out. The good part about this mode is again that the user has much of the control, but the main complaint is that the player doesn’t have much personality that is shown in the game and the player doesn’t have a voice. Mostly what we see is the coach talking to the player or the agent talking to them, but without a voice, it is less interactive. This is a great mode to play if you want to focus simply on one player and not a whole game,

Dimond Dynasty:

The next part I want to focus on is Dimond Dynasty. This mode is probably one of the most fun to play because it allows you to play in challenges to get player cards where you can draft and build your own team to create the most dominate force on the field. When you win challenges, the user is rewarded with player cards to build the team. Some even as high as 99 overall. The fun part isn’t just getting the players it’s beating the challenges because after a certain number of games, the user faces “a boss” that can be the hardest level.

Finally, the last point is talking about March to October. This is a mode I haven’t played much of, but it is still great. In this mode you play as one player, and your job is to play in late game moments to get your team to the post season. This can create a feeling of thrill and maybe make you feel like you must preform to get to the end. Similarly, this mode may feel more like Road to the show in terms of controlling one person, so it is limiting in that way.

Overall, I think MLB 23 is a great game and provides people of any age the ability to not only learn but play the game too.

Looking for Something New to Try?

Thinking of trying a new game but not sure where to start?  

Today I’m reviewing a game from a big indie franchise called Five Nights at Freddy’s Security Breach. This is the first game of the franchise where the player is able to walk around the building without being stuck in an office with a limited number of buttons to use while focusing on the amount of power left to keep doors shut. In this game, the player has a lot more to do, like solving puzzles and looking for certain objects throughout the different floors and rooms. The genre is a mix of adventure, survival horror and action. It’s a fairly new game that does have some glitches though for the most part it is great for beginners new to these games.  

image courtesy of ign

The game starts with Gregory, the main protagonist who you play, when he tells Freddy that he’s hiding from the security officer Vanessa. Throughout the game the player with the help of Freddy needs to avoid getting caught by the other animatronics and security staff while looking for an exit out of the Pizza Plex he’s trapped in for the next six hours when the Pizza Plex unlocks the doors to open for the next day. 

image courtesy of gameinformer

This game is available to play on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox One. The design is different from the past games as it moves away from the classic try to stay alive until 6 a.m. while sitting in a security office formula. In this game, you roam around the Pizza Plex looking for a way out while avoiding the animatronics who are constantly on alert throughout the levels. Aesthetically this game contrasts with the others in the franchise as the past games have used dark and classic scary designs and atmospheres while in this game it shows a brightly lit building with neon colours that resemble a classic 80s look.  

 Another thing that’s interesting but isn’t used very much is how at the end of the game there’s a point where you learn it could end there but you could continue with the risk of no longer having the option to save until the game ends, allowing you to learn the various endings to the game. In the gameplay there have been some glitches such as there being two Freddys, finding out what’s behind doors before you reach those levels when Freddys stands near them, and if you’re moving while pressing the button to call Freddy he tends to run right past the player.  

Another part of the game is figuring out the lore of it which is a big thing with this franchise. Along the way, the player has chances to find collectibles in presents and messages from the staff and customers in duffle bags scattered throughout the game to help piece together some more of the background information.  

Image courtesy of steel wool studios

Five Nights at Freddy’s Security Breach is a great game for those looking for something new and different from their usual games, with the bright aesthetics contrasting the scary survival horror theme of the game and finding out more of the sinister story behind the Pizza Plex this is definitely a game worth playing if you like puzzles and horror.  

Hello, my name is Isabella. I’ve been playing video games since I was a kid, I first got into video games when I watched my mom play TMNT and Super Mario Sunshine on GameCube when I was younger. 

 I still play games when I have time though I tend to play only on consoles, the types of games I enjoy are survival horror, arcade-style, fighting games, social simulators, platformers, racing, detective narrative driven, and party games. I try to learn about different kinds of styles and genres of games, though mostly I tend to lean more towards Nintendo-made games, for example, many from the Mario franchise.  

One of the Best Mario Games Around!

Do you like Mario games? Did you have a Nintendo DS growing up? If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, then it's time to take the Nintendo DS back out from the closet (or buy one) to try out Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story!

Front cover of the game's case. Image obtained from Wikipedia.

Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story was a game released for the DS by Nintendo in 2009, and was developed by AlphaDream. Even though the game was not created by Nintendo, it is still a very amusing game to play, and you can still tell that a lot of love was put into it! Although the game was remade for the 3DS, which includes some upgrades to the game along with a different art style, the original is just as fun to play! 

When I first played this game as a child, it blew my mind with the game design, characters, and overall storytelling that I had not seen in any previous Mario games. And even as I finished the game, I would eventually come back to play it all over again, because it was that good!

At the start of the game, you play as Mario and Luigi as they rush to a meeting to help Princess Peach find a cure for the Blorbs: a seemingly random disease that made a handful of Toads bloat so comically large that they couldn't move, blocking multiple pathways.

Gameplay from the remake

However, the meeting is interrupted by Bowser demanding to kidnap the princess (typical), to which Mario jumps in to stop him while Luigi lazily sleeps on the table, yet somehow looks super comfortable.

After the fight, Bowser, despite his large size, is launched into the forest near the Mushroom Kingdom. After eating a mushroom in hopes to crush Mario, his mouth instead turns into a vacuum and he inhales many of the “innocent” creatures of the forest, and eventually the majority of the people in the Mushroom Kingdom, including Mario, Luigi, and Peach. 

Gameplay from the beginning of the game.

Gameplay of the fight tutorial.

For those who have never heard of this game, I know what you might be thinking: “Bowser’s Inside Story? We must be getting his backstory in this game!” wrong. Instead, Mario and Luigi work together to escape Bowser's actual insides after he is tricked by the main antagonist. I know what you may be thinking now: “Wait, Bowser isn’t the main antagonist? But his name is in the title!” not in this game. Instead, the main villain is Fawful. And while he may be short in size, he makes up for in trickery.

Throughout the game, you play as Mario and Luigi as they team up to find a way to save the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser’s dreadful insides. Within Bowser’s body are many enemies he swallowed to which you take turns with Mario and Luigi to attack. Further into the game, you unlock more tools and team-based attacks where you control Mario and Luigi at the same time.

Additionally, you gain the ability to switch control to Bowser as he tries to figure out what the heck just happened, and to later take back his Kingdom from the deceitful Fawful. As you venture around as Bowser, you also get to initiate battles very similar to Mario and Luigi and later on unlock more of his abilities and team-based attacks with his troops.

Gamplay of Mario & Luigi’s battling mechanic.

Gameplay of Bowser’s Battling mechanic from the remake.

For those who enjoy causing chaos and playing the villain, they will certainly enjoy playing as Bowser. Otherwise, the player is forced to watch helplessly as Bowser isn’t deterred from causing crime or making terrible decisions for his own gain.

For those who prefer to play as the heroes, they will definitely enjoy the loving brotherly dynamic between Mario and Luigi. Within this game, Mario and Luigi have numerous heart-warming scenes; they comfort each other when scared, hug and cheer together when happy, and are greatly concerned when the other gets hurt.

Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story includes many humorous cutscenes that won't leave you bored, and instead will leave you wanting more! Definitely a game worth playing if you are in the mood for some humour and nostalgia! 

---

Hello! My name is Adam/Comet, and I’ve been playing games since I was a child :] I remember my parents telling me that around the age of 4, I was already setting up and playing a Care Bears puzzle-type game on my own (not well, but I tried).

I don’t play many games nowadays, but every once and a while I enjoy playing adventure RPGs, survival games, and social simulators. I mostly enjoy games where I can tap into my creativity whether to become a specific character, or create worlds! 😄 So, If you’d like to find fantasy/sci-fi roleplay games, survival games, or a relaxing simulator, I’ve got a few to recommend!

Fight or Flight (Alien: Isolation Review)

---

Alien: Isolation is one of the best horror games of all time. Released in 2014, this game changed the horror genre. Alien: Isolation is the first game to feature such a unique AI. The game is about Amanda Ripley fighting for survival as she searches to uncover the truth about her mother Ellen Ripley. She is headstrong and keeps fighting. She is violent, but she will protect herself if she needs to.

Overview

When I first played this game, I knew I was in for a wild ride. No horror game has ever made me feel so tense and on edge constantly, or had me feel like I was there in the situations that Amanda finds herself in. I haven’t finished the game, but so far, I’m intrigued. I’m playing on Novice difficulty, and I still find the game difficult, although it’s still fun.  

I remember when I first encountered the Xenomorph, I was terrified. I was frozen in my spot, but I was excited as it was my first game in the Alien franchise that I played. When the developers designed the AI programming of the Xenomorph, they really had it live up to its name just like how the Xenomorph first appeared in Alien (1979).

There are other antagonists on the ship aside from the Xenomorph and that can make this game even more frustrating. Hostile people who are trying to survive will try and kill you because they can’t trust the player. Working Joes will also try to kill you since their programming tends to corrupt.  

The AI

No other horror game has created an AI for the antagonist like Alien: Isolation has. The developers created the AI of the Xenomorph to be unpredictable and be able to adapt to the player’s game style. This makes the game difficult, but interesting to play. If you hide for too long, the Xenomorph will eventually find you. One moment you think the Xenomorph is gone, but then it comes back charging at you without you knowing. It’s terrifying, just how the Xenomorph should be.

Pros

• The story and characters are fleshed out

  The map is detailed and isn’t confusing

• The Xenomorph

• The way the story is told connects to the movies and comic books of the series

Cons

• Save points are far apart

• The Working Joes feel overpowered even though that’s how they are portrayed in the lore

• Traversing the ships can be confusing at times

• Playing in Novice Mode can be challenging at times

• The Xenomorph seems inescapable sometimes

• Occasionally the game crashes

No horror game can come close to how terrifying this game is. A tense and suspenseful sneak-based game that any horror or sci-fi fan will love. This game is worth playing if you have the patience to play a difficult game. 

Hello! My name is Kaela and I’m 20 years old. I have been playing video games for as long as I can remember. I remember my dad playing video games such as Halo or Mortal Combat IX around the age of 7. To this day I’m still playing video games. I love games ranging from horror, fantasy, RPG, open-world, dystopian, platformer games, and racing games. I hope you enjoy the blogs that are to come.

Introduction

Have you ever wondered about college students' opinions on particular video games? No? Well, now you don’t have to!

Welcome to the Digital Arcade Reviews! This blog is run by us, a bunch of college students, to share our thoughts on certain video games, ranging from popular picks to games you may have never even heard of!

So why don’t you head on over to our digital arcade? You may even learn something new! Or perhaps even pick a new game to play?