A Pick for Star Wars Fans!

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Game cover/wallpaper image. Shows the title of the game in top left corner while characters pose at the bottom. Larger partly transparent cut off figures by the top (typical Star Wars poster formation)

One of the game’s front covers

Star Wars meme. Top text reads "When the Old Republic is made canon again and the Sequels are made uncanon." At the bottom there is a man with text saying "Yes, after one thousand years, Star Wars is ours again."

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. 

"Choose your allegiance." on the left is "The Galactic Republic" with a bird/wings symbol and blue flames. On the right is "The Sith Empire" with a snowflake symbol and red flames.

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. 

Early image of the game. On the left is a Sith with a purple dual-bladed lightsaber who is shocking enemies on the right with purple lightning

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. 

A Jedi knight in brown robes wielding a blue lightsaber

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.

Two calico cats cuddling on a bed

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!”

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Opening page of the game: shows a broken pot with flowers and water spilt on the floor. A sinister shadow of a cat looms in the back.

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!

Tomato cans, all facing frontwards

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

Tomato cans: each facing a different way.

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!

cat toys in a basket

PUTTING THE CAT’S TOYS AWAY :]

cat paw swatting away strands of spaghetti

THE CAT MAKING A MESS OF THE JUST SORTED PASTA NOODLES

Assortment of x-mas bulbs. Some are placed into a box with specifically shaped holes while others are scattered on the outside.

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!

Cat on its back playing with the moon

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 poking out of a box

Cat appearing from a box after completing the level :>

Two cats cuddling on a bed

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!

One of the Best Mario Games Around!

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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!

Introduction

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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?