February2016
Avoiding the boss
Some of the best games involve relatable experiences. Level 22 tells the story of Gary, a frequently tardy employee who just overslept yet again after a night of drinking; even if due to other factors, most of us can relate to being late for work and wanting to sneak in unnoticed. We can't necessarily relate to the need to use...
October2015
A magical concoction
What do you get when you cross Cooking Mama with a match-three puzzle game? Something arguably more fun than either of those, actually. Wizdom is the latest title from publisher Moving Player, and it benefits from a similar presentational charm its last title - Rakoo and Friends - is known for. The premise of Wizdom is simple:...
Review Rakoo & Friends (Wii U eShop)
Love is in the air
Rakoo & Friends is a strong case for the allure of beautiful presentation. From a gameplay standpoint there's nothing really special about this one, but the fact that it's a joy to watch adds greatly to the overall package. Rakoo & Friends tells the story of the eponymous critter and his quest to find true love. The game...
October2014
Review Cosmophony (Wii U eShop)
Off the beaten track
We can’t help but think that a parallel universe exists in which Cosmophony plays a central, cruel role in deciding a person’s fate. In this somewhat dystopian, yet oddly hip and cool universe where drum and bass is the norm, a technocratic regime (made up of original developer, Bento–Studio, and Wii U porting pros,...
June2014
Review Cocoro Line Defender (3DS eShop)
Doing lines
If there's one thing French studio Moving Player knows how to do beautifully, it's presentation. Its new title Cocoro: Line Defender is inspired by Japanese watercolour-style art, with bright environments and striking dark outlines reminiscent of the 2006 classic Ōkami. Sporting a traditional flute-based soundtrack and characters with...
March2014
A fish out of water
The core premise of Evofish is based ever so loosely on the fundamentals of nature and evolutionary science. As a fish in the ocean, you must snack on fish smaller than you are while also avoiding larger predators looking to eat you. Doing so successfully will enable you to grow in size and “evolve” into a species that’s...
October2013
Review Happy Circus (3DS eShop)
When an Otter's happiness means a golden jacket
It's easy for older gamers to be miserable cynics when edutainment games come around, lazily categorising them as shovelware and stating with unsubstantiated confidence that no one buys these downloads. Except, someone is buying them, as the range of these titles is slowly growing on the 3DS; more...
August2013
Review Tangram Style (3DS eShop)
Lots of tangram, not much style
The game of tangram has made the long journey from ancient China to your 21st century 3DS, and despite roughly one thousand years of technological improvement it’s still pretty much the same thing. Seven pieces of varying sizes and shapes must be crammed into a crude silhouette that may resemble a bird, a sailboat,...
