Reviewed on Xbox Series X

Minecraft, a game that is known worldwide for its creativity and exploration has again expanded into a new genre. This time taking players into the depth of a more competitive and combative version in Minecraft Legends.

Minecraft Legends is a story driven action/strategy game that will take the player on an adventure against a new foe, the Piglin, as they plan to take over the Overworld and all it contains.

In this game the player takes on the role of their Overworld’s hero-to-be as they are called on by the Caretakers of the Overworld to defend it at all costs. This is no easy feat as the player creates troops and defensive structures to assist in the war with the Piglins. In true Minecraft style, the player requires many of the resources from across the Overworld to craft and create, this time it is both troops and structures, the majority of which are well known within the Minecraft universe.

The difference being that this time around the player does not mine and craft their way to victory, they have companions to do the work for them that come in the form of Allay’s. These Allay can be instructed to mine and build while letting the player plan their attack or defence just as any hero would do. The Allay are controlled by the player through song and these melodies can be mixed and matched to the task bar via the player’s in-game songbook. By playing the right melody the Allay can collect resources or build defensive structures, troop spawn points as well as construct player upgrades. These upgrades are constructed at the Well of Fates located within the centre of the world. This location operates as a safe space within the world and is home to the Caretakers, the creatures who will guide the player throughout their journey.  These upgrades can improve abilities, storage, defences, the Allay and more to help the player accomplish victory. Do not forget to head back to the Well from time to time and construct upgrades as they are important later into the game.

With all of the differences this game brings, it is still a world that is pure Minecraft. A procedurally generated world that brings all the resources and enemies that Minecraft players know and love. The difference being that this time around the world is united against a common enemy, and the enemies of the previous games will become your greatest allies. Use them to your advantage. Need a wall gone? Find a creeper. Don’t want to get close? A skeleton will take out that long range target.

Minecraft Legends isn’t just about becoming the legend of your own world though, it’s also about working with, or against other team of players. The game offers options in co-op, competitive or solo to do that and they are:

Campaign – a co-op battle of 1 to 4 players in a procedurally generated world that has the player/s defending the occupants of the world. The world runs on a day/night cycle and the enemies evolve and advance over time, attacking friendly villages and constructing their own bases for players to attack.

Multiplayer – an online PvP battle between 2 teams of up to 4 players, putting players and tactics against each other to see who comes out victorious.

Lost Legends and Myths – There is currently only one event in here so it is unknown what this may expand into. Currently it is a wave-based defence as waves of Piglin are thrown at the player which increases in difficulty as they all try to destroy the players home base. Completion of this challenge brings with it a reward at the end.

With what the player will be doing out of the way, it’s now onto the world itself and it looks beautiful. In true blocky Minecraft style, it is full of colour and life, comes with a procedurally generated weather affected landscape, and easily recognisable resources, wildlife and characters throughout the land that any Minecraft fan will recognise. It’s a world that can be explored as much as the player wishes, while dealing with the Piglin threat, and I wouldn’t blame the player for doing just that. It is Minecraft, with an upgrade, and the graphics won’t disappoint. The sounds of the world are on par with the graphics which is great as melodies play a key part in this world. From the sounds of your Allay-commanding Lute, through to the grunt of the Piglins, nothing seems out of placeand the background music is set in true Minecraft style.

As the player adventures through the good-looking world, they will utilise a familiar, but different control scheme compared to the original game. It is familiar in that your Minecraft item bar at the bottom returns, but with tasks listed across that are used to instruct the Allay. The player also has 4 task bars to choose from by using the D-pad, with one for mining, construction, ally spawn points and upgrades. By selecting the corresponding task on the task bar the hero plays a tune and then an Allay goes to work. Left trigger to highlight the location, right trigger to build. Combat is the other side of the control scheme and can be as simple or as hard as the player wants it to be. Once the player has spawned their troops, or finds them out in the open world they can be gathered by pressing X. The troops will follow you around and attack these enemies with you.

The player can also send their troops in the direction they are traveling by pressing Yand those troops will attack anything in their path. Subsequently the player can leave their troops in one place by holding X when the preference is to operate solo. It can be as simple as that if you want it to be. If strategy is the player’sthing, the advanced controls can see the player command part or all of the troops to fight on different fronts. Right Trigger brings up the advanced directive options and you can control troops from there. The basics of this are shown throughout the game’s introduction and sees the player have a more refined control of the troops and what they do.

Minecraft has always been a family friendly game, and this one is no different. The enemies are vicious, and cute, the look is true to the Minecraft style, and the chatter is humorous and G rated, making this a game that the whole family can enjoy. The only difference now being that the controls bring with them a slightly different control scheme, with defensive placement and strategy become key to defeating the tougher challenges. Not saying that the younger kids won’t enjoy this at all, just that there is a more challenging side to the game should the player wish to take it on. The inability to play couch co-op in this game, which you can in Minecraft and Minecraft Dungeons, is a bit of a loss for this one though. Some of my great, and earliest gaming memories with my kids have been created in Minecraft on the couch together, but only being able to play online will stop this from happening for many families of young kids. There may be too much going on on-screen but I still miss it.

Multiplayer was unable to be tested as part of this preview though as time zones and opportunities were not within the schedule of this reviewer. There were positive signs and discussion around the PvP aspects of this game and it is something that this reviewer will jump into as soon as possible.

Minecraft Legends is a game that grabs the world of Minecraft and moves it onto another genre to capture a new audience, and I feel that it does that quite well. The game brings a constantly evolving world, new friends and enemies,and a new challenge to keep it fresh. My biggest annoyance is with the lack of couch co-op as Minecraft is better with the kids, but this won’t stop me from playing it at all. For a Minecraft fan, there’s a lot of familiarity, for a strategy fan, there’s a lot to love and for everyone else there’s Xbox Game Pass. This game is definitely worth jumping into, especially if you like playing games.

Verdict:

+ Enjoyable new direction for Minecraft

+ Basic and advanced controls for players of all skill levels

+ Minecraft style that we know and love

+ Variety  of solo, co-op and versus modes

 – Lack of couch co-op

 – May be a little  too much happening at once for younger players

Score: 8/10

* This review was written by Xbox Gamer Dad, a friend and associate of Games of DAYNE. While Xbox Gamer Dad puts the finishing touches on a brand new website, we’ve released this review here so that you don’t have to wait! *

* A digital code for Minecraft Legends was kindly provided to Xbox Gamer Dad for the purpose of this review. Minecraft Legends launches April 18 and is included with Xbox Game Pass *

Minecraft Legends launches April 18 and will be available with Xbox Game Pass.

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The post REVIEW – Minecraft Legends (by Xbox Gamer Dad) first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Reviewed on Xbox Series X

+ Creative architecture

+ Flawless sound design

+ Interpretive story is a clever narrative take

– Uninteresting puzzles

– Tedious backtracking

The post REVIEW – Scorn first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Weird, wonderful and with obvious nods to indie powerhouses Inside and Limbo, developer Jumpship’s Somerville is a physics-based puzzle adventure game that leans into science fiction to tell a tale of hope, loss, and reunion. Played from the perspective of a silent protagonist husband/father separated from his wife and son at the dawn of an alien invasion, Somerville wastes little time integrating players with its otherworldly journey rooted in family.

Simple puzzles, visual storytelling, and the basic sentiment of family drive Somerville forward into a unique, sci-fi journey that is available for all with Xbox Game Pass.

Somerville tells its story without a single line of dialogue yet manages to get its point across in its brief three-to-four-hour runtime. Family is at its heart, placing players in the role of a husband/father in a desperate quest to be reunited with his wife and son. Escorted by the family dog at times, chased by mysterious alien creatures and aerial threats at others, Somerville keeps the player from feeling too alone or isolated throughout the harrowing ordeal.

The playful world-bending, vibrant use of colour and general striking art design communicate tone and emotion effectively, sparingly complimented by a beautiful score to punctuate the weight of specific moments. A variety of alternate endings can be experienced via a very good chapter select function that lets players change their path almost instantly.

Progression is linear though Somerville’s alien invaded world offers a handful of areas tucked away containing a little something for the Achievement hunters out there. Environmental puzzles are positioned at key points to have the player earn their progression by combining the special abilities our nameless protagonist picks up along the way with a variety of light sources to manipulate alien matter to open the way forward.

The alien matter envelopes objects in the environment that can only be eradicated by transforming light sources. Additionally, a stylised cubic, blue liquid substance can eventually be transformed into solid matter with an additional ability. Understanding which scenario requires which of the two abilities to manipulate becomes second nature very quickly and ultimately leads to a relatively simple, trouble-less puzzle experience.

Somerville’s simplistic puzzles and gameplay compliment each other well and keep the solutions immediately nearby. A singular moment stumped me during my initial playthrough, though only for a minute or two. Death in Somerville doesn’t feel punishing, taking players back to the most recent checkpoint to try again. Given the generous implementation of the checkpoints, this is rarely more than a few seconds ago, allowing players to keep the pace and momentum without having to retread lengthy sequences of the adventure.

Objects that can be interacted with such as obstacles that need to be moved, doors that can be opened or levers to use for example are highlighted by unmissable orange colouring. This helps keeps things simple for casual players but also eliminates some of the brain power more experienced players may like to exert in games within this genre.

Janky controls and occasionally unresponsive inputs plague the control scheme and some frustrating camera angles prevent the gameplay from feeling as smooth as it could be.

The art direction in Somerville offers playfully contrasting tones with its gritty world and vibrant alien matter and constructs, particularly with the beams of light during the handful of chase sequences. It’s charming and ominous, constantly instilling a sense of hopelessness for the world at large, a stark contrast to the hope held out by our protagonist that longs to be reunited with his wife and son. The visual storytelling is cleverly executed and clearly conveyed, a surprising approach for a narrative driven adventure that pays off.

Sound design is simple and effective, particularly where the alien threat is concerned and the haunting score adds layers of emotion when it’s present. It’s a shame most of the game is silent on the score front as when it’s there it commands attention and really drives up the emotional stakes.

Somerville is a short escape into a sci-fi world dominated by a hopeless sense of abandon and decay, brightened by the hope of family and a larger purpose of the small cast of characters that bring the whole package together. Developed in favour of a linear, casual approach to the puzzle-platforming genre, Somerville feels a little more straightforward than may be expected but still manages to deliver an interesting experience that’s worth exploring.

+ Effective visual storytelling

+ Interesting family-driven story

+ Striking art design

+ Cool mechanics

– Puzzles are a little simplistic

– Short with limited replay value

– Clunky control and occasionally unresponsive inputs

Developed by: Jumpship

Published by: Jumpship

Release Date: November 15 2022

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X|S and PC

Available on Xbox Game Pass!

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All digital imagery was captured by Games of DAYNE in-game on Xbox Series X

The post REVIEW – Somerville first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Twelve Minutes is an interactive thriller with a star-studded cast trapped in an intriguing time-loop mechanic. A husband finds himself trapped in a repeating twelve-minute time loop that restarts regardless if he lives or dies. Unable to escape it, the player must guide him to uncover new clues, conversations, and information regarding the background of his wife and himself, retaining this information with every ‘loop’.

A thrilling narrative throws twists at every turn and its most shocking revelation is kept until the end, one that is certain to have people talking about it for a long time. Whether you enjoy it or not, Twelve Minutes is an experience you will remember.

It’s important to note right off the bat that the gameplay in Twelve Minutes takes place in twelve-minute loops in real time. In that window players must interact with things within the living room/kitchen open area, bathroom, bedroom, and closet to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the happily married couple. These rooms never change. The objects and points of interest that can be interacted with never change. Everything the player will need is here already and not only does that make future playthroughs significantly faster, it also speeds up the progression with each loop that passes.

There were wild numbers of 6-8 hours thrown around in the media for a playthrough but my first at launch took less than two hours to complete the game and all but one of the missable endings. Having replayed the game dozens of times in search of one last missing ending, a player that knows what they’re doing can be done in just over an hour but first-time players that are logically minded and take note of the significance of the dialogue will likely sit around the two-hour mark.

The idea of each loop is to learn a pivotal piece of information that can be used in future loops to uncover additional vital clues. With a little over a dozen interactable objects and new dialogue opening when new things are discovered the search area, for lack of a better term, is very small. Failing to pay attention to dialogue however could send a player mad searching for things they don’t have the answer too. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take note of dialogue from the three core characters in Twelve Minutes – husband, the wife, and the cop. The story can start out in a familiar fashion but can take wild and unexpected turns based on things like dialogue had in previous loops that can change the characters’ moods and reactions for instance.

The puzzles the player must solve by connecting information or using objects on other things are clever but not overly complicated. For example, if something needs unscrewed, a knife, spoon or even a key are logical tools to try. Once a particular puzzle has been solved it’s likely to be used again in future loops. While this may sound repetitive, given the brief length of the thrilling story it is all over before that has a chance to settle in. As for repeated dialogue, that can be fast forwarded once heard for the first time. For a game focused on reliving the same twelve minutes over and over it does a fine job of evading the monotony of repetition.

Brought to life by James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley and Willem Dafoe, the unnamed husband, wife, and cop respectively deliver solid performances, as could be expected by performers of their calibre. Twelve Minutes throws these three characters in a wild combination of situations that allow incredible emotional range in their performances that encompass romance, fear, excitement, and shock. Without these top shelf performances, the nameless characters could easily have buckled under the weight of their narrative arcs and leave the player to witness forgettable characters in unforgettable situations.

A point and click title with this level of production quality is a first, with Twelve Minutes utilising an extremely simplistic set of gameplay mechanics in an almost claustrophobic explorable area that manages to stand out. For such a small game it tells a big story, with deep characters, clever twists and turns and a shocking revelation that stay with the player long after the credits have rolled. With multiple endings to experience that are influenced by the player’s decisions, interactions and dialogue at key moments, the replay value is incredible. And as additional playthroughs will only take an hour before being able to set up these new endings, it’s short enough to replay several times without tedium setting in.

Twelve Minutes is an incredible experience. A simple genre, a complex mystery and excellent production value all come together much like its layered narrative to provide an emotional impact on a level that I personally haven’t witnessed in a video game. As I’ve mentioned, love it or hate it, you will remember Twelve Minutes.

+ Top notch cast and voice acting

+ Incredibly layered mystery

+ Deep and ever-evolving narrative

+ Fun time loop mechanic

+ Beautiful score

+ Perfect length

– Controls a little clunky and unresponsive at times

+/- Shock value of the ending

Without spoiling the ending, the nature of it is without doubt intended for shock value. Regardless of whether the player picks up on clues along the way, seeing it unfold is memorable for the right or wrong reasons as per the player’s interpretation and feelings towards it.

Developed by: Luis Antonio

Published by: Annapurna Interactive

Release Date: August 19 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X|S and PC

* Twelve Minutes is available in Xbox Game Pass *

 * Players looking to unlock all of the Achievements can find my 100% walkthrough made for Achievement Land HERE. This will get you all of the Achievements in less than 2 hours *

– Additional Links –

For more of my reviews, click HERE.

To see this review and other multi-platform content from my associates at BG4G, click HERE.

For this and additional reviews, latest news, trailers and more from the rest of the team at Xbox Gamer Dad and One More Game, click HERE.

To see all the latest news and reviews from the team at Game News Aus, including this review, click HERE.

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All digital photography was captured in-game on Xbox Series X by Games of DAYNE

The post Twelve Minutes Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Developed and published by Paper Cult the cartoonishly violent Bloodroots is a wild beat ’em up ride that follows the player, as Mr. Wolf, embarking on a murderous rampage with an interesting drip-fed story that does its best to ‘justify’ it.

Death is simply one hit away, for the player and their enemies, and with a wide array of weapons and seemingly harmless objects like vegetables to be used as life-ending tools of insta-destruction, the rampage is a blast. Full of platforming elements and area clearance objectives, Bloodroots is pretty bloody good.

Three acts comprised of five missions and a boss battle are the format of Bloodroots‘ story, showing Mr. Wolf’s pursuit of the three bosses he seeks to destroy. A revenge story is the perfect set-up to justify the wild and wacky arsenal of weapons at the players disposal. Swords, axes, tables, carrots, fireworks and chain guns are just a very, very small example of the arsenal that can be used to take down every enemy in a single strike. Experimentation with these is a lot of fun and encourages the sampling of every single new object encountered.

To make things even more fun, as each level is broken into areas that need cleared before being able to progress, the final kill in an area results in a cinematic execution that is only as ridiculous as the weapon in hand. These are amusing, violent and over the top, really selling the tone of Bloodroots that Paper Cult have wonderfully established.

Each act takes place in a unique location and each mission inside the act is set in it’s own little section, preventing a sense of familiarity or repetition in the environment from setting in. The environments are beautiful designed, gorgeous landscapes to be painted over with the blood of the enemies. Every enemy defeated leaves a splashing trail of blood that makes for some lusciously red terrain. The playful art design may have a childish and cartoonish charm but the trail of destruction left behind by the player is certainly not an experience to be viewed by children.

Missions are scored based on the likes of number of enemies killed, the time taken to complete it, number of deaths and whether a secret wolf hidden in each mission has been discovered or not. Completing certain missions with scores also awards a unique hat that can be equipped, essentially a skin, that provides perks or abilities.

In between each mission the player is returned to a campsite which acts as the hub world. Here they are able to switch their current hat, talk to the ghosts at the campfire, select missions to replay or continue the adventure. Let’s talk about them ghosts. As the player exacts revenge on each boss they return to the campfire area and can be talked to. It’s a fun concept that works well in the grander scheme of the story.

The levels are cleverly designed and full of environmental hazards such as fire, spikes, moving objects and of course dozens of enemies that want to insta-kill the player. Some levels favour verticality and have cannons or jumping pads to reach higher plateaus, adding a welcome variety to the visual design and typical traversal which consists of jumping or using certain weapons such as swords to dash across wide gaps.

The boss battles are fun and epic, throwing various smaller enemies at the player to keep things chaotic. It is important to mention that if the player is struggling to survive with the one-hit kill situation they can toggle an Invincible Mode to allow the game to be enjoyed for the story and experience without the difficulty. Additionally, the player can also toggle an area clear, both that and the Invincible Mode can be found in Options, to instantly clear the area of all enemies and allow progression. While some will view this as cheating, I think it is smart to accept these features as accessibility tools for casual players that want to experience Bloodroots without the pressures of perfect runs.

Bloodroots is suspiciously enjoyable with its ridiculous arsenal of ‘weapons’, cool execution animations, beautiful art design and fun platforming. The ability to revisit previously completed missions and unlock all of the hats and their associated perks adds some replayability. Playing the story legitimately took just over three hours but with the accessibility-friendly Invincible Mode it can be completed in a little over an hour. As this title is a part of Xbox Game Pass I highly recommend checking it out. It’s a bloody treat.

+ Beautiful visuals

+ Cartoonish violence

+ Ridiculous weapon variety

+ Accessibility options (Invicibility and area clearing)

+ Challenging insta-kill dynamic

 – Too short

 – Ending is a little predictable

Developed by: Paper Cult

Published by: Paper Cult

Release Date: July 15 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch and PC – Bloodroots is available in Xbox Game Pass

– Additional Links –

For more of my reviews, click HERE.

To see this review and other multi-platform content from my associates at BG4G, click HERE.

For this and additional reviews, latest news, trailers and more from the rest of the team at Xbox Gamer Dad and One More Game, click HERE.

To see all the latest news and reviews from the team at Game News Aus, including this review, click HERE.

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All digital photography was captured in-game on Xbox Series X by Games of DAYNE

The post Bloodroots Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Last Stop is a unique supernatural adventure from the playable perspective of three protagonists. Each character has their own story that spans seven chapters that gradually sees their lives overlap and interconnect, even though they don’t know it.

A charming art design, playful score and assortment of themes come together for a surprisingly good experience that doesn’t quite wrap things up as well as it sets them up.

The seven chapter story takes around five hours to play through and, with the exception of the last chapter, has a sub-chapter for each of the three characters. What immediately establishes Last Stop as a unique narrative is that each character’s story feels completely different thematically. The following is a brief breakdown of the three storylines and the characters they relate to;

“Paper Dolls” focuses on John as the playable character, a middle-aged solo parent to eight year old daughter Molly. John’s story unfolds as he and Jack, a neighbour half his age, find themselves switched into each other’s bodies. Not only do they have to learn to like each other they must learn to live as each other and raise Molly. John’s story is funny, the most heart-warming and overall entertaining.

“Domestic Affairs” stars Meena, a government agent embroiled in tension-laden situations at work and in her home life with her husband and son. Meena’s story is dramatic, serious and mysterious.

“Stranger Danger” features teenage Donna and her friends kidnapping a man and finding themselves in the middle of something seriously strange. This story arc features the least interesting cast of characters outside of the mysterious ‘handsome man’ but easily contains the most interesting in regards to the supernatural elements.

There is an uneven flow to the interweaving character arcs each chapter. While all three character’s stories must be played in order to progress, they can be played in any order. The contrasting themes of each arc limits the pacing overall while each have their own pros and cons as far as their individual progression.

John’s is light and constantly manages to draw a smile while remaining interesting. The serious nature of Meena’s feels the most out of place though it’s Donna’s that fails to be engaging on any level with the singular exception of the mysterious ‘handsome man’, who he is and what he wants. Donna, her friends and family fail to feel interesting at every turn which is a genuine shame considering the supernatural intrigue more prevalent in her arc than the others.

By making Last Stop an episodic-type affair, including a previous episode recap for each character, the constant cliff-hangers work effectively in making you want more. As the story approaches its end in the build-up to the final chapter, Last Stop takes a potentially wrong turn as the character driven story we had become accustomed to takes a backseat to a narrative direction that comes from nowhere.

The supernatural aspects of Last Stop are cleverly yet subtly interwoven into the story for six chapters before switching lanes to an admittedly interesting but unnecessary destination that undermines the character-driven story that preceded it. The ideas explored in the final chapter aren’t unwelcome but rather they’re just a little unexpected and would have worked a little better if this conclusion was built towards in a more gradual manner. It almost feels like two different games because of this one chapter, and while each are interesting in their own right the finale just feels out of place.

Played from the third person perspective Last Stop is essentially walking around, making dialogue choices and some basic interactions, activities and puzzles to solve. Fun mini-games such as throwing, repairing broken plates and bowls and investigating a house made for some cool gameplay moments.

The camera unfortunately is an absolute nightmare. Scene changes, particularly where the player goes from walking towards the screen to another direction, can cause some issues. Transitions from gameplay and cinematics and vise versa are also problematic in that it is not always clear when one has ended and the other has begun. For instance, a cinematic of characters walking suddenly changes to gameplay and you just stop. A minor inconvenience but a very regularly occurring one.

The score is cleverly tailored to each character’s story and reflects the tones and themes relevant to them. John’s is often light and upbeat, Meena’s is melodramatic and tense while Donna’s is often eerie. It is handled very well and makes each story feel unique and individual. A playfully soft art direction is reminiscent of later Telltale Games titles, it feels adventurous and charming.

Last Stop is great experience and one that clocks in just under five hours. This feels like the perfect length and each character feels as though they have enough time to shine in each of their arcs. While the ending takes away from the emotional narrative that was established it does still bring each character to a satisfying ending, with each character presented with one of two choices at the end that simply changes the ending montage. Last Stop is worth the time.

+ Each character’s arc feels distinctly different

+ John’s story arc

+ Interesting supernatural elements

+ Perfect length

 – Final chapter undermines emotional build-up and feels out of place

 – Camera issues

 – Cinematic-gameplay transition and vise versa is not clear

Developed by: Variable State

Published by: Annapurna Interactive

Release Date: July 22 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch and PC

– Additional Links –

For more of my reviews, click HERE.

To see this review and other multi-platform content from my associates at BG4G, click HERE.

For this and additional reviews, latest news, trailers and more from the rest of the team at Xbox Gamer Dad and One More Game, click HERE.

To see all the latest news and reviews from the team at Game News Aus, including this review, click HERE.

Don’t forget to also follow Games of DAYNE on: Twitter, Facebook and YouTube!

All digital photography was captured in-game on Xbox Series X by Games of DAYNE

The post Last Stop Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

A world ruled by hordes of mutated dinosaurs and a unit of one to three players tasked with stopping them from bringing upon the end of humanity is the premise of Second Extinction. With an arsenal of unlockable and customisable weapons and gear to put the dinos down and optional objectives to complete in either Campaign or Free Roam, Second Extinction allows players to do as much or as little as they want on one of three difficulties before attempting to survive never-ending waves as they prepare for extraction in this first person dino-shooter. Second Extinction is currently in the Game Preview program.

Second Extinction offers a six mission campaign taking place in various parts of the fully explorable map, each taking as little as 10-20 minutes to complete on Normal or Hard and around 30 minutes on Insane if playing with at least one other player. Tackling the campaign alone can easily add another 5-10 mins on the lower pair of difficulties while Insane can take around 45 at most solo.

There are five playable characters to choose from, each with unique passive, tactical and special abilities that are worth exploring before deciding who best matches your play style. They lack depth on a character level and what little personality they have is restricted to some pretty cringe worthy dialogue more often than not.

There is very little in the way of an actual narrative, instead the missions are structured around completing a handful of objectives and extracting. Optional objectives are in abundance for those looking to extend their massacre of the prehistoric threat. The objective variety is light and wears thin pretty early unfortunately, including the likes of calling in a payload of carriers to extract eggs or servers, boosters to apply to supply containers to send back to the ship, explosives to destroy things and traps to capture raptors. Activating camps that can be used as respawn deployment areas and destroying drones to uncover more objectives on the map pretty much comprise the optional objective list.

Completing a mission requires the player/s to reach one of many extraction points, activate it and hold it down for a varying amount of time until the dropship arrives. Once the ship lands, all members of the team must board it in order to extract. Extraction is the only way to keep the loot gained throughout the mission or free roam expedition.

To maximise the rewards and possibility of obtaining the rare resources required for certain weapon upgrades, these extraction points are ideal for dragging out and slaying hundreds or thousands of dinosaurs instead of jumping on the dropship. Farming the extraction on Insane for upwards of 30 minutes is incredibly rewarding on the resource and experience front and despite the endless waves of enemies, with the right loadout and utilising the unlimited supply of ammo pickups, it’s easy to survive and leave when you’re ready or if things are getting a little too hectic.

Just as uninspired is the small variety of dinosaurs to eliminate, with only 4 unique dinosaur types with a handful of variations that can spit acid and shoot electricity for instance. There are seven variants of raptors, two types of Styracosaurus, known in-game as Bulls and two types of the Ankylosaurus, referred to in-game as Flatbacks accompany the Tyrannosaurus Rex for a total of twelve enemy types. The Flatbacks are the only enemies that don’t take damage directly due to their armour, instead they have an exposed weak spot on their belly that must be exploited in order to knock them on their side and fully expose it.

Even playing on the Insane difficulty, solo or with a team, the T-Rex even doesn’t pose much of a threat as their weak spot is on their throat, making them incredibly easy to dispose of. The lack of challenge present against this array of enemies is disappointing and the fear of defeat is all but non-existent. This results in Second Extinction feeling too easy and therefore unrewarding. As this title is in Game Preview it’s easy to see how Second Extinction can grow in terms of new enemy types, mission variety and hopefully new areas to explore.

Eliminating certain enemies and destroying things in the environment often drop resources that can be used to upgrade weapons. The weapon variety is shallow initially but new weapons are unlocked with player progression, offering the likes of a shotgun, grenade launcher, rocket launcher, carbine rifle and machine gun. Completing Contracts is another way to unlock resources and requires the player to reach Level 5 before being able to access them.

This takes just over an hour to reach and upon doing so three Contracts can be accepted at once, tasking the player with a challenge such as kill X amount of enemies without reloading with each weapon type, kill X amount of enemies that are stunned or complete a particular optional objective. Most Contracts have three tiers, upon completing the first the next unlocks. These are all incredibly simple and essentially the same but require different weapons or different dinosaurs to be killed.’

Each of the seven regions of the map have a threat level indicator that is either low, medium or high. Depending on the severity of the threat the dinosaur presence may be lesser or greater, camps to claim may or may not be occupied by dinosaurs and insertion or extraction points may not be available until they are repaired. Regions with high threat levels also have Emergence Events which seem so far limited to Overmutation, an area that contains large eggs that need to be destroyed that is occupied by a large amount of raptors. Presumably more variety will come over time but for now this is the only one I’ve come across in my experience.

Second Extinction is visually competent. The environment looks decent and the enemy designs are cool and interesting. The score is dramatic at the right times and the sound effects are satisfying, especially the roar of a T-Rex.

Second Extinction is pretty rough around the edges in terms of its gameplay, mission variety and enemy diversity but because it’s still in Game Preview there is plenty of room for it to grow and adapt to player feedback. Disconnection, problems inviting or joining friends were regular occurrences in my experience but none more so than the alarming amount of times myself or my teammate crashed to the Xbox dashboard. This was extremely frequent, demotivating and sucked any semblance of joy out of the experience. Connectivity issues aside, there is certainly some fun to be had for friends that enjoy mindlessly slaying dinosaurs in a very Left 4 Dead type format. Players looking for a little more substance will be left jurassically disappointed.

+ Hordes of dinosaurs

+ Effective sound design

– Lacks challenge

– Limited enemy variety and mission objectives

– Disconnections and crashes

– Not particularly fun

Developed by: Systemic Reaction

Published by: Systemic Reaction

Release Date: April 28 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X/S and PC

* Second Extinction is available with Xbox Game Pass * 

– Additional Links –

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All digital photography was captured in-game on Xbox Series X by Games of DAYNE.

The post Second Extinction Review (Game Preview) first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Detective Francis McQueen of the Darkside Division takes point in this supernatural click-fest. Packed with six investigations, three bonus investigations and an abundance of clever and amusing jokes, The Darkside Detective playfully makes its mark on the genre while referencing those that paved the way for it in the first place.

With idiotic and easily spooked Officer Dooley by his side, Detective McQueen must solve cases that take him from our realm to the Darkside in this enjoyably silly and clever adventure.

Each investigation gets progressively more clever and difficult in terms of the puzzle-solving while also venturing even further into the weird and wacky world of the Darkside. While some of the nine overall investigations can be done in as little as 10 minutes, most will take around half an hour for genre fans, possibly longer for casual players or those less familiar with the genre.

The quirky humour and wit that is ever-present with almost every supporting character is a joy, with most of the silliness and jokes landing more often than not. The Darkside Detective is such a treat for players that grew up with the likes of the old LucasArts titles such as the Monkey Island series, Indiana Jones and Full Throttle, with a familiar sense of satisfying puzzle-solving, charming pixel art worlds, enchanting characters and quirky storylines and plenty of amazing references to pop-culture.

There’s a charm to pixel art titles that is often lost without the attention to detail of the world the characters inhabit. The Darkside Detective tells a collection of stories in a world (and beyond) that are interesting, charming and just generally joyful. A varied range of environments that explore our world and that of the Darkside are befitting of the point and click adventure that takes place and allows for some creative alternate takes of the same location in some cases.

The score is moody and ominous, resembling a thriller in effective fashion. Whilst the score is enjoyable it does sometimes feel at odds with the comedic tone of the character interactions and dialogue. Some jokes don’t quite hit the same with a serious and tense beat in the background. This doesn’t take away from the effectiveness of either individually but when layered together it doesn’t quite blend as well as it could if the score was a little more diverse in tone.

The Darkside Detective is an authentic addition to the beloved point and click adventure genre that still lives on and strong today thanks to titles like this. It’s funny, interesting, unique and quirky enough to satisfy the most casual of players while proving enough of a challenge for genre fans to keep them from being complacent. As a text based narrative driven point and click adventure, The Darkside Detective is true to form and has the potential to be an enjoyable franchise for years to come.

+ Interesting investigations
+ Enjoyably silly humour
+ Quirky characters
+ Respect for the genre
– Serious score at odds with comedic dialogue
– No replay value

Developed by: Spooky Doorway
Published by: Akupara Games
Release Date: April 8 2021
Platforms: Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch and PC

* A digital code was kindly provided by the Publisher for the purpose of this review *

– Additional Links –

For more of my reviews, click HERE.

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All digital photography was captured by Games of DAYNE in-game on Xbox Series X.

The post The Darkside Detective Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Recapturing the magic of that first ride!

Throughout the late 80’s and 90’s, LucasArts pioneered the adventure genre with its point and click classics that have since become iconic. In 1995, Full Throttle raced onto the scene with its near futuristic setting putting players in the role of the burly Ben, leader of the Polecats motorcycle club.

Unwillingly brought into a power struggle to determine the fate of Corley Motors, the last domestic motorcycle manufacturer in the country, Full Throttle Remastered allows players revisit Ben’s adventure in all of its enhanced glory 25 years after its original release.

One feisty Polecat

Founder and CEO of Corley Motors Malcolm Corley and his Vice President Adrian Ripburger are on route to a shareholders meeting. Overtaken by a motorcycle gang, the Polecats, Malcolm insists that they escort them to the meeting. Pulling in to the Kickstand bar where the gang has pulled up, Malcolm wastes little time in conversing with their leader, Ben. Declining the offer to escort the pair, Ben is knocked unconscious outside by one of Ripberger’s goons. Waking to discover his gang believe Ben has accepted the offer and followed suit, Ben tries to catch up only to discover his bike has been sabotaged and ends up crashing.

Ben and his bike are taken to the quiet town of Melonweed by photographer Miranda and taken care of by local bike mechanic Maureen. Together, Ben fetches the parts required for Maureen to fix his bike, allowing him to catch up to the Polecats. Arriving too late, Malcolm has been murdered by Ripberger, an act captured on camera by Miranda before she is attacked. With the Polecats framed for Malcolm’s murder, Ben embarks on a mission to clear their name and seek revenge on Ripberger.

The story comes in at around 3 to 4 hours for a casual player but those who grew up with Full Throttle and have played it several times can easily finish it in just over 2 hours. Family ties, deception and adventure offer an entertaining and often amusing experience that is sure to satisfy new and familiar players.

Point, click, ride

The gameplay in Full Throttle Remastered is unchanged from the original, presenting the classic point and click formula for the player to investigate their surroundings, find items of interest and engage in dialogue to uncover new clues.

An context wheel allows the player to Use, Kick, Look at and Talk to or Taste objects in the environment with the latter purely for Achievement/Trophy and amusement purposes. Using the right stick to move the cursor over certain items or characters in the area will highlight if it can be interacted with by giving it a name. From their the context wheel can be used to interact with it.

Collected items are added to the inventory and can be used on other objects in the environment to solve puzzles, provide new items or clues for progression. Some characters need to be conversed with and specific dialogue exchanges before the player can continue.

Some areas can be moved between by riding the bike which affords direct control, allowing the player to take exits to different areas. While riding other bikers are regularly encountered, this acts as the combat portion of the game. Initially able to pinch and kick, as players successfully defeat an enemy and causing them to crash, any weapon they may have had such as a chain, mace or even a chainsaw are added to the players inventory to be used as weapons in subsequent encounters. These are simple button mashing affairs with some enemies requiring the player to swerve in and out of contact to avoid being hit.

A thrill ride

A few cheeky Star Wars references are amusing, from simple dialogue to the design of the members of the Cavefish gang who appear as Tusken Raiders. The overall experience is interesting, amusing and most importantly fun. The premise of a biker gang becoming embroiled in a tale of betrayal with direct implications on the future of their passion is consistently engaging.

The supporting characters are entertaining and quirky, including Mark Hammil’s villainous performance as Ripberger. The late Roy Conrad brings Ben to life with such gusto that his roguish charm is inescapable.

For fans of the original release, the ability to toggle the experience between its remastered and original presentation is fun, offering a fun sense of nostalgia. The remastered visuals are stunning and striking, feeling fun, slick and modern. Despite being 25 years old at heart, the fresh coat of paint makes Full Throttle Remastered feel like a 2020 release.

Blast from the past

Full Throttle Remastered is interesting and fun, appealing to newcomers and fans who have enjoyed this for over two decades. The brevity of the experience and the lack of any difficulty in regards to the puzzles may limit the satisfaction of players longing for more depth but there’s a charm to the simplicity, allowing players to simply soak in the experience with little in the way of challenge or distraction.

A cult classic in its own right, this title still holds up today and it’s easy to see why. The story is more layered than a game this simplistic has any right to be but the excellent pacing and accessibility compliment it perfectly. Full Throttle Remastered is a hell of a ride and there is no better way to experience it for the first time or relive it again.

+ Surprisingly layered story

+ Cast of characters

+ Slick art design

+ Toggle of original presentation

– Too short and easy

Games of DAYNE Rating

Developed by: Double Fine Productions

Published by: Xbox Game Studios

Release Date: October 29 2020

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC

Full Throttle Remastered is currently available as part of the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

The post Full Throttle Remastered Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

With the twins again separated, a deep look within themselves and all that they’ve been through may be the only way for them to come together and accept their past, present and future.

Tell Me Why‘s third and final chapter, “Inheritance“, has the difficult task of wrapping up the emotionally charged narrative that has been building. Following the fallout of the twins at the conclusion of “Family Secrets“, the strength of their rekindled bond is put to the ultimate test. Facing challenges with closure, acceptance and forgiveness to name just a few, Tyler and Alyson have a lot of growing to do within this 2-3 hour affair. DONTNOD once again deliver a story that is driven by heart.

After a pair of chapters that leaned more heavily into Tyler, Alyson finally receives some of the much needed spotlight to flesh her out with the same depth as has been afforded to her brother. Alsyon’s growth unsurprisingly highlights the additional strength she has through her relationship with a Tyler. Their bond is far more than the ability to communicate telepathically or to see visualisations of their childhood memories. Their bond is the strength they have when they are close and work in unison. This depth to Alyson was sorely needed and it plays out without compromising Tyler.

As with previous outings, Tell Me Why again tasks the player with exploring and interacting within a handful of environments. The puzzle solving returns and highlights the effectiveness of combining the storytelling elements from the Book of Goblins with the solutions to the puzzles. The Book of Goblins has consistently served as a fun illustrated/animated representation of their twins rife with imagination. It’s strength though lies in its direct correlation to the gameplay and the present day narrative.

All of the decisions that have paved the way for minor or major narrative direction changes pay off in a handful of ways in this finale. While some may bear little impact on the over-arching story, there are some key decisions that heavily influence which ending will be received. The replayability of these decision driven games extend to witnessing all possible outcomes and Tell Me Why is well worth revisiting to see how things can alternatively play out.

The conclusion to this trilogy of drama and self-discovery is going to surprise many with it’s grounded yet logical approach. With the tragedy fully understood, the player is no different to the twins in needing a moment to let it sink in and properly process what it all actually means. It’s powerful and feels more appropriate than an encounter with a big bad of sorts. The villain of Tell Me Why isn’t a person, it’s not even the memory of their mother. The true villain is their past and the inescapable grip it has had over the twins for a decade. Moving on and healing is the only way to defeat this type of villain and DONTNOD have emphatically delivered this message with its masterful closing moments.

The voice acting is as emotional as ever for this closing act to the trilogy and each character feels genuine and authentic. The score is beautiful and serves to powerfully enhance the most emotional of moments.

The visual inconsistencies are again present, offering moments of stunning visual beauty in some of the environmental design while the moment to moment gameplay areas and assets suffer. The characters again feel rather stiff and wooden but for the most part the emotion of the scene makes this easier to overlook.

Overcoming pacing issues and an initial imbalance between Tyler and Alyson’s emotional depth are worth it in the end. The spiritual and emotional journey that we have experienced alongside the twins is powerful and thought provoking. The added dimension of Tyler becoming the man he is today compared to the little girl he was as a child brings a depth that changes the narrative in a way that might not work if not for his transition. Tell Me Why delicately handles this topic in a way that brings awareness to the unique challenges Tyler has faced and will continue to face throughout his life. There’s no agenda, no ulterior motive, just a genuine exploration of an individual empowered by his own sense of self-identity.

Tyler and Alyson have been through a lot. From the tragic events that led to their separation, the personal growth and challenges they faced throughout their ten years apart and the handful of days reunited at their childhood home in Delos Crossing, they have been cursed with pain and regret. By uncovering the true nature of the series of events that led to the loss of their mother, the twins can finally move on. How exactly they do that however is in your hands.

Final Verdict:

+ Emotionally resonating conclusion

+ Alyson finally gets some depth and attention

+ The dimension brought to the bond of the twins

+ The Book of Goblins use in puzzle solving

– Inconsistent visuals and animations

Games of DAYNE Rating

Developed by: DONTNOD

Published by: Xbox Game Studios

Release Date: September 10 2020

Platforms: Xbox One and PC

All three chapters of Tell Me Why are available on Xbox Game Pass.

The post Tell Me Why – Chapter Three “Inheritance” Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.