While I can’t say for sure what’s going on inside the developers’ heads, it’s impossible to look at Planet Nomads’ aesthetic and not come away with the impression that – at least on some level, the game exists as a way to make good on No Man’s Sky’s promises. It’s a game matching NMS’ 70s sci-fi look but keeping the scope to a single planet. Will setting more modest goals lead to a better result?
Welcome to This Is Not A Review. In these articles we discuss general impressions, ideas and thoughts on any given game, but as the title implies, it’s not a review. Instead, it’s an exercise in offering a quick recommendation (or dismissal) after spending enough time to grasp the ideas and gameplay of a thing without necessarily playing it from A to Z.
The subject of this installment: Solace Crafting, developed and published by Big Kitty Games.
As someone who spends a lot of time reviewing games, reading about games, talking about games, and keeping up with game news, it was more than a little surprising to me to get a hot tip from… my eight-year-old. I’m not exactly sure how the pre-teen grapevine works, but apparently someone watched some YouTube somewhere, and that led to telling someone else about an early access game, and then that person told friend A, who told friend B, who told friend C, which eventually culminated in me hearing about Subnautica. It’s not my normal method of getting the scoop on something to watch for, but hey, I’ll take it.
HIGH Figuring out my rifle and executing that damn wolf.
LOW Having to restart after three in-game days because the food system wasn’t well-explained.
WTF Dear Main Character: Please put on pants. It’s freezing out there.
HIGH The first victory against a Thunderjaw.
LOW The final boss is just an upgraded version of one we’ve already fought.
WTF Not that it matters, but the title is absolute nonsense.
HIGH The randomly-generated planets look cool.
LOW Feels barely functional, has huge performance issues.
WTF No creative mode or free-build mode.
Die Young takes players to a mysterious Mediterranean island and sets them loose in a parched playground packed with wild dogs and scythe-wielding executioners. It offers a stellar opening – the main character awakes at the bottom of dry well, almost dead from thirst. A cover is removed from the top of the well, and instructions are dropped down by a mysterious benefactor, or possibly the villain responsible for the dire situation.
Welcome to This is Not a Review. In these articles we discuss general impressions, ideas and thoughts on any given game, but as the title implies, it’s not a review. Instead, it’s an exercise in offering a quick recommendation (or dismissal) after spending enough time to grasp the ideas and gameplay of a thing without necessarily playing it from A to Z.
The subject of this installment: Astroneer, developed and published by System Era Softworks, and available in early access on both PC and Xbox One.
HIGH Any of the overwhelming boss fights against huge foes.
LOW A glitch that left me unable to drop the person I was carrying.
WTF No, I’m the idiot for not realizing I was supposed to make a battleaxe at the loom.