Shadow of the Ninja - Rebornis a must-play for fans of 2D retro games. This 2024 release offers clean 2D pixel graphics, smooth animations, and engaging gameplay that pays homage to the original 1990 “Shadow of the Ninja.” Younger gamers, who often find retro games too stiff, will appreciate the fluidity of this title, reminiscent of classics gems like Metal Slug.
Storyline:
In Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn, you follow the Dark Assassins, Hayate and Kaede, from the Ryuha Shippu clan. Hayate, the future leader, and his senior, Kaede, embark on a mission not only for substantial rewards but also to liberate people from the antagonist’s tyranny. Hayate’s journey is as much about mastering his ninja skills as it is about controlling his temper, with Kaede ensuring he stays level-headed.
Gameplay:
The game features multiple modes, including the standard Arcade Mode and Time Attack Mode, where players can compete for the best times on online leaderboards (serving replay value for those craving competition).
Players can jump, attack, shadow step, and use various weapons and health items. The kusarigama allows for 360 degree long ranged attacks, you're able to wall run, suspend from scaffolding, stand on the handle of your blade for downward attacks mechanics add depth to the gameplay. Don’t forget to use your Ninjutsu attack when things get tough!
Family Fun
This game is perfect for family gaming sessions. While it supports two players, you can take turns, just like in the old days. Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn, is available for $19.99 on Switch, Playstation, PC Steam, and Xbox. Physical copies available... here.
Audio:
The music and audio effects in Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn evoke a nostalgic feel, reminiscent of Streets of Rage, Final Fight, and even stages from games like King of Fighters '93 (or possibly from '95, it's been awhile). The retro vibe is strong... in a good way + it feels fresh and exciting.
Price:
While more stages or a stage creation feature would be a welcome addition, Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn is a solid experience at $19.99. A price point of $14.99 might be a sweet spot in my opinion, but the game offers plenty of enjoyment for its cost.
Story 4 - You know the story (as mentioned above), but... if there were an actual (skippable) cutscene in place after the initial splash screens, that would be great. There is a cutscene, but... you have to wait at the title screen before it begins. How many people are going to actually wait around to see it, if they even know its there? Let the cutscene get it's shine.
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG developed by Game Science, inspired by the classic 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West”. The game follows the adventures of Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, a central character in the novel.
Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It tells the story of the monk Xuanzang’s pilgrimage to India to obtain sacred Buddhist texts, accompanied by his three protectors: Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie (Pigsy), and Sha Wujing (Sandy). Sun Wukong, the most famous of the trio, is known for his incredible strength, agility, and magical abilities, including shapeshifting and summoning mini-clones of himself.
In Black Myth: Wukong, players control a character based on Sun Wukong, referred to as the “Destined One.” The game features a rich world filled with yaoguai, supernatural creatures from Chinese mythology. These creatures possess various abilities like shapeshifting, creating illusions, and causing diseases. The protagonist wields a magical staff, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which can change size and is a key element in combat.
The game not only brings to life the fantastical elements of Journey to the West but also delves deep into Chinese folklore and mythology, offering players a unique cultural experience. The yaoguai, for instance, are inspired by ancient Chinese beliefs in supernatural beings. That said, is the game worth your time and your dime? Well, let's find out!
Gameplay: When it comes to gameplay, I have to say that this game is unforgiving. There are some enemies like the wolves that are easier to take on, but don’t get it twisted because some are stronger than others. You will notice that some of the wolves are a bit more put together in regards to their garb, compared to others who are a bit more disheveled. The ones in clean garb seem to have a bit more training... versus swinging wildly only to leave their back exposed like the more inexperienced wolves. That said, don't overlook an enemy who isn’t a boss-type, because they can definitely give you a run for your… Yen.
The combat system in Black Myth: Wukong is both smooth and realistic. While you can skillfully wield your staff to fend off attacks and protect yourself from arrows, there’s a limit to how many you can block before some inevitably get through... and you catch an arrow to the knee. Additionally, not all attacks can be parried, as some enemies are simply too powerful. In many situations, it’s best to dodge and wait for the right moment to strike. Initially, your attacks, dodging, and running will be effective to some degree, but as you progress and build up your skill tree, you’ll transition from merely surviving to becoming a formidable force.
The skill tree in this game gets me excited because with every upgrade, you’re a step closer to God-like status. That excites me because I want to wield that power when it comes to taking on the biggest baddest foes. You use Sparks as the way to upgrade your “Abilities,” “Foundation,” and your “Spells.” Let's take a break from talking about the gameplay and actually check it out... shall we?
I won't hold the initial freeze against them since it doesn't ruin the gameplay.
Visuals:Black Myth: Wukong is visually impressive, especially if your PC has the right specs. I don’t want to give away any spoilers as far as the opening experience is concerned, but what I will say is that it’s grand and gives you an amazing idea of what’s to come. When it comes to the standard visuals, you will see references to Chinese mythology. Outside of the statues and engravings, the influences are also there in terms of the supernatural creatures. Trust me, I’ve seen some crazy stuff in this game, including something that’s larger than life with a boulder-sized head. I came across a Jinchi that looks like some sort of monk, but it’s green and appears to be covered in reptilian scales and has a robe with beads (oh and I can't forget about the tail). I have yet to take on this giant being, but he’s not the only thing I came across while scratching the surface of this mythical adventure.
Audio:This game has some crispy interesting sounds from creatures able to talk, and others delivering creepy grunts, growls, howls, and so on. Who am I kidding, the creatures that speak are able to make your skin crawl too based on how they sound or if you don’t see them but… you hear them out of nowhere. When they break through the silence, you just might feel a chill. Another element when it comes to the audio that you could appreciate is the background music. The music is subtle, but it adds to the depth. It delivers a martial arts movie-like feel with prominent drums leading the way and subtle sounds from what sounds like the Dizi, Guzheng, and the Erhu.
Price: Pricewise, you can get Black Myth: Wukong
for $59.99. Is it worth the price? Absolutely, just make sure you have enough hard drive space for your purchase because it requires 130 GB of storage. So just prepare, and with that said, you can just about imagine all the bosses packed into this game. If you take them on strategically, items obtained from besting one boss can help you better take on the next as you level up your badassness (i.e., I obtained the Immobilize Spell while taking on the Bullguard... which has aided me in battle).
You have a ton of replay value here when you think about the skill tree and being sent back to the drawing board to figure out how to better approach a boss, so if this is your type of game, you won’t be sorry in terms of getting your money’s worth. Are you ready to become the "Destined One"?
Black Myth: Wukong is available now on PC & Playstation with Xbox getting a release at a later time.
A challenger appears! Brace yourselves, folks, Saber Interactive has done it again with its latest release... Expeditions: A MudRunner Game! With the same creators behind the critically acclaimed SnowRunner, Saber Interactive offers yet another physics-based off-road simulation installment. Does it hit the mark? Let's find out!
Gameplay: As a player, you lead research missions, driving a variety of all-terrain vehicles across expansive open worlds - from the arid landscapes of Arizona to the rugged beauty of the Carpathian Mountains. The game emphasizes realistic off-road driving, challenging terrain, and strategic planning.
You'll utilize high-tech tools/lifelines like the Winch & Anchor to pull you out of trouble + the Echo Sounder to show you how deep the water is (so that you can adapt and avoid certain areas) + the Drone to identify air drops and better locations to approach your destinations and other useful tools. These are lifelines though, never venture out with these, and... it's also beneficial to take your team with you. A heavy truck can pull up a heavy scout or a light scout, but... don't look at the light scout like it's useless beyond scouting out the objectives.
Tip: If a heavy truck is stuck and doesn't have an Anchor, a light scout can roll through and place an anchor in the right location. Especially if it's able to reach higher ground a lot easier.
So make sure to manage your camp and crew effectively, and expect rugged conditions, unpredictable weather, and the need for resource management... because they can run out. You can by more than one set of anchors if needed, and trust me... some areas will make you wish you did. If not you will find yourself pumping the brakes even more to avoid flipping your truck... trust me; I learned it the hard way. I flipped my heavy truck... right into the water! Of course, you have your Jack-Screw to help flip the vehicle, but... do you want to end up in that type of situation when you can avoid it? Bring the right tools for the job.
Saber Interactive has done an excellent job providing proper instructions and decreasing the learning curve here, ensuring that you can start and function through your missions properly with the challenges only stemming from the ones you're supposed to face (I'm not a newcomer to Mudrunner). The controls are simple enough, and the initial tutorial equips you with enough knowledge the get the party started by way of walking you through a challenge... which... you know what, let me just show you:
Before I forget... the average playtime to finish the main missions of the game is well over 100 hours. We aren't talking about the extras, so if you want a challenging sim to enjoy overtime... this will have you covered. Forcing you to pump the brakes to avoid flipping your truck... trust me; I learned it the hard way. I flipped my truck pretty badly right into the water!
Visuals: The visuals in this game are sweet! What makes them even better is the realism injected into the trucks with animation that captures the authenticity of off-road vehicles. Your graphics capabilities will increase the quality of the visual experience, so don't be shocked if the Switch version doesn't compare to other consoles... or PC. Every detail was taken into consideration, including the horn that shows the power of the sound. Trust me; those small details go a long way.
Here are the Expeditions: A MudRunner Game System Requirements (Minimum)
Audio: When it comes to audio, I highly recommend a surround sound system, especially if you prefer to drive from the cab view. The sound quality is genuinely authentic, from the shifting gears to the horn, which you feel in the sound. Speaking of shifting gears, the game's rumble feature is a bit on the shy side, giving you a subtle feedback experience as you drive through rough terrain. For the most part, the shifting is when I felt the feedback for the most part.
By the way, I found myself enjoying the experience more when I cut the music because I could hear what I wanted to hear.
Expeditions: A MudRunner Game... offers different editions - Base Game, Year 1 Edition and the Supreme Edition. In addition to the core experience, Year 1 and Supreme Editions add extra content, including the Great Don 71 cosmetic for the Don 71 SUV and the Year 1 Content Pass.
The Last Train Home is a... heart-wrenching journey of survival, and we appreciate THQ Nordic for supplying us with a copy to review (my opinions are my own). Is the Last Train Home worth the challenging journey? Let's find out!
Story: In terms of the story, the Last Train Home is... inspired by real historical events that put you in charge of Czechoslovak soldiers. The mission is to make your way back home aboard an armored train in Siberia during a Russian civil war (the White Army vs the Red Army). I think fans of history are really going to love this game and the true story behind it, and if you like branching paths to a story... you will find that decisions will have an impact on the narrative. This is one of the reasons why I enjoyed The Walking Dead game franchise so much. Granted the decisions aren't as frequent, but they're still there in the Last Train Home. Hmmm, I shouldn't say that they aren't as frequent... because your decisions in the field matter greatly. Before we go into gameplay, here's a bit of info Sophi came across regarding the historical events that inspired the game (while we aren't glorifying war, the history is... interesting):
In May 1918, the Czechoslovak Legion found themselves spread out along the Trans-Siberian Railway, stretching from Penza to Vladivostok. However, the process of evacuating them was not going as smoothly as anticipated. The railway was in poor condition, locomotives were in short supply, and negotiations with local Soviets along the way were causing delays. On the 14th of May, a disagreement at the Chelyabinsk station between legionaries heading east and Magyar POWs heading west resulted in the People's Commissar for War, Leon Trotsky, ordering the arrest and disarmament of the legionaries. A few days later, at an army congress in Chelyabinsk, the Czechoslovaks, against the wishes of the National Council, refused to disarm and instead began issuing ultimatums for their passage to Vladivostok. This event ignited what would be known as the Revolt of the Legions.
As May came to a close in 1918, clashes between the Czechoslovak Legion and the Bolsheviks erupted at different points along the Trans-Siberian Railway. The fighting intensified along the railway route from Penza to Krasnoyarsk in June. By the end of the month, General Mikhail Diterikhs and his legionaries had successfully seized control of Vladivostok, overthrowing the local Bolshevik administration.
Legionnaires returned via the Trans-Siberian Railway to provide assistance to their fellow fighters in the west. In their initial encounters with the fledgling Red Army, the Czechoslovaks emerged victorious. By mid-July, they had taken control of the railway from Samara to Irkutsk, and by early September, they had driven out Bolshevik forces along the entire length of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The legionnaires conquered major cities in Siberia, including Yekaterinburg, but unfortunately, Tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed under the direct orders of Yakov Sverdlov just days before the arrival of the Legion.
The news of the Czechoslovak Legion's Siberian campaign in the summer of 1918 was met with enthusiasm by Allied leaders in Great Britain and France. They viewed this operation as an opportunity to establish an eastern front against Germany. Facing pressure from both domestic and international sources, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, who had previously resisted Allied calls for intervention in Russia, eventually agreed to support the evacuation of the legionaries from Siberia. In July 1918, he released a memorandum advocating for a limited U.S. intervention in Siberia.
In Transbaikal, the Czechoslovak Legion had already arrived to greet the American and Japanese units once they landed in Vladivostok. The impressive campaign of the Czechoslovak Legion in Siberia caught the attention of Allied statesmen and sparked their interest in the concept of an independent Czechoslovak state. Throughout the victorious summer, as the legionaries achieved one triumph after another, the Czechoslovak National Council received official acknowledgments from different Allied governments.
Fun Fact: I met several gamers, including one from the Czech Republic the day before I published this review, and let's just say... he looks forward to checking it out.
Gameplay: Some RTS games are more forgiving than others, but the Last Train Home... isn't one of those games. You have to maintain morale, obtain food to feed everyone and avoid starvation, keep them on a good schedule (they need to rest), and keep them safe. Don't risk simply running into battle-depleting ammo and medkits, because they aren't located at every turn, and also remember... you don't have to fight everyone. Survive, recruit, gather your resources, upgrade your train, and keep moving (again... survive). When it comes to the train, they wanted to maintain the experience inspired by the true events, so you are challenged with maintaining and upgrading... the Last Train Home. By this point, you may be wondering if it's a management game vs an RTS game, but... it's basically a hybrid of sorts.
You will find that you have many people aboard the train with "No Combat Role" but... don't underestimate the role of anyone, simply make sure that you use them wisely during the journey... home to increase their experience in various ways, taking care of them as well as upgrading the train are highly important. If the danger is low out in the field, consider taking someone with little to no experience out to gain some, they can learn a thing or two and could become useful in combat if necessary.
By the way, get familiar with hitting the 'Esc' key to Pause and... the right mouse button to Cancel Selected Orders. I say that just in case you send someone running off in the wrong direction and into potential danger. Controls aren't bad, but... they are something you will have to get familiar with, especially if you aren't an RTS veteran. Let's take a pause for the cause and check out this first 30:
Shout out to Dan K. for providing this!
It's probably safe to say that I'll be doing some live-streaming with this one.
Your team will have different traits like their type of character, belief, and nature. For example, let's look at Bedrich Kopcky:
He has a Diligent character, representing steady and earnest work in all his duties. When it comes to his Beliefs, he's a Nationalist who values freedom, personal responsibility, and independence. Supports decisions that make the nation stronger. His beliefs can affect the narrative in dialogues and other events. Some of his choices may also affect Morale. He is Focused in nature which increases his work efficiency, and he's also Strong-willed in nature which increases his max value of Will by... 1.
Kopcky's roles include Rifleman and he's a Worker. There are other attributes there as you see here, but you get the idea.
Another soldier is... Anna Davidova is a Doctor, but she's also a Cook. She is very important, which doesn't slight the soldiers like Kopcky who keep those like Anna safe, but... I say this because she can ensure that they live another day (on the food & medical front). Her traits in terms of her character, belief, and nature include:
Character: Careless - Probably already messed something up. Can affect narrative in dialogues and other events. (That's a pretty cold description if I must say so myself.)
Belief: Communist - Values helping those in need and despises the rich. Supports the revolution and wants the same reforms as the Reds, but not their rule. Can affect narrative in dialogues and other events. Some choices may affect Morale.
Nature: Talented - Increases XP gain of any train role while working in train. (Keep this in mind.) + She is Chaotic in Nature as well, which reduces her Work Efficiency by 15%, so you will have to boost her W.E. to make sure it isn't a crutch on your journey home.
This places her roles more so on the train, but... taking her outside to get some experience doesn't hurt when it's safe. Maybe even have her shoot at some targets. By the way, their roles come with various levels of work efficiency. So let's just say you have a lot to work with to make your crew as efficient as possible... and I'm going to go ahead and throw Replay Value in here... because you can switch things up in a new game to see how the results will be different based on different decisions.
Remember the soldiers can affect the narrative in dialogues and... other events.
Price: The game is available for $39.99, but... you can grab it here for a limited time to save 15%! Is it worth $39.99? Yes and yes, it's a great game with a great story, especially for those craving a new RTS experience with depth inspired by historical events. Jump aboard and... game on!
