HIGH Scoring just shy of a billion points on one ball.

LOW Scoring less than 10 million combined points on the other two balls.

WTF Trying to comprehend what’s going on during moments of mass chaos.

For a variety of reasons, I have generally stepped back from reviewing games this past calendar year. However, when asked to cover Xenotilt, the sequel to 2019’s superb Demon’s Tilt, I gave a very resounding, “YES!” Moments into the game, my excitement was quickly justified — Xenotilt takes the original concept and turns it up to eleven.

The 16-bit inspired pinball table in Xenotilt is once again a three-layer feast for the eyes, and each of the three main sections are filled with pixelated details that make the table come to life. Those details flourish with swarms of enemies and gigantic bosses, ranging from a bug-like demon, a skull encased in an energy field, and a half-robotic succubus. Players can keep the ball in play, so long as it doesn’t drain on the bottom most area. Seems simple enough, but Xenotilt isn’t just simple pinball.

Much like its predecessor, Xenotilt once again combines pinball with bullet-hell shmup. This might seem like an impossible merger, but the two genres are combined flawlessly. Those swarms of enemies and massive bosses launch missiles, lasers, and other ammunition at the silver ball as it zooms across the ramps and through the bumpers. These projectiles impact the ball’s movement, but are also essential for racking up huge scores.

Multiple modes await players hoping to hit the top of those leaderboards. There’s classic mode (three balls per game) and hardcore mode (a single ball), but new in Xenotilt is Ex-Mode. This option contains three bonus areas not found in the other modes of play. I don’t want to spoil too much, but accessing these secret rooms leads to unique tasks like hitting billiard balls into various pockets.

In addition to the bonus areas, players can unlock “Survivors” in Ex-Mode. Once saved, these survivors can be “hired” to add perks to the gameplay — most are very specific perks, but they boil down to increasing scores and extending time during table events. They’re not necessary for huge totals, but remain a great addition that should keep most players busy as they hunt down each survivor’s location.

Another new addition to Xenotilt are turrets — now players can fire back at the hordes of enemies with more than just the silver ball! As the ball zooms around the table it can collect bullets. Once accumulated, holding a flipper and then nudging the table activates two turrets, unleashing a firestorm of bullets across the table helping to clear paths for the silver sphere.

Even more spectacular is the laser option. While I’m still uncertain what exactly charges the laser ammo, activating the turrets, then witnessing two plasma streams whip around the playfield accentuates the screen-filling, controlled chaos in Xenotilt — it’s a thing of beauty.

The beauty is still confined to one single table (plus bonus areas), but there’s enough action in each section to help keep things fresh. While a minor issue, it would have been nice to include a practice mode for the bonus areas, as they are visited less frequently than the other zones. However, I was still able to complete one bonus after only three attempts and another on the very first try. This lack of ability to practice is a minor issue, and doesn’t detract from Xenotilt.

Xenotilt is a fantastic sequel that improves on its predecessor, and a game that begs to be played over and over again. I’m glad I paused my review hiatus to cover it!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by WIZNWAR and published by FLARB, LLC. It is currently available on PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 5 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed (still have a few unlockables to earn). There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated Everyone. No official description is available. Parents of the youngest gamers may want to use caution as the themes are generally on the darker side, including skulls and some demon-like creatures. There is also a table boss that has its eye swing from the socket at one point in the “battle” but beyond that, there is no blood or gore.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles. While this is primarily a pinball game, there is some small dialogue uttered by the bosses and when events happen on the table (i.e. “Jackpot!”). Menus and in-game text size, like the score and combo indicator, cannot be changed.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls, including controllers and keyboard. I played exclusively using a wired Xbox 360 controller.

The post Xenotilt: Hostile Pinball Action Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

The subject of this installment: the procedurally generated, action platformer Unfair Rampage: Knightfall, by indie developer Imphenzia. The game currently has a demo available on Steam, but no official release date yet.

Unfair Rampage requires players to take control of a futuristic knight who is sent back in time. The past is falling apart, literally, and the heroes of the past need to die an honorable death. It is then the player’s mission to kill the knights of the past using firearms or close melee attacks. I didn’t find much more to the story, but even without extended lore I dig this humorous sci-fi take.

Levels in Unfair Rampage are procedurally generated — the main terrain consists of randomly-stacked blocks meant to be traversed, leapt, and destroyed. Players must do so quickly, as the landscape slowly crumbles behind them. Besides the decaying terrain, players must also contend with the knights of the past, huge buzzsaws, bottomless pits, and other various hazards to avoid.

This is all presented in a cartoon style, with well-designed graphics. Imphenzia is a one-person development team, so it’s impressive what a single designer can create. Not an easy feat.

However, I can’t say much more about Unfair Rampage, because I was not able to progress very far. There are checkpoints throughout the campaign, but I couldn’t even reach the first one. While the game is designed to be a challenge, the issue wasn’t difficulty, but rather the controls.

Controls for this type of 2D play need to tight and precise, which is not what I have experienced. The knight drifts after releasing the control stick, which might be manageable if not for the imprecise jumping. In a fast-paced, crumbling world of this type, jumps need to be immediate and exact. In Unfair Rampage, my character jumps almost an entire second after I press the controller button. It was such a noticeable problem that I thought perhaps it was my wired controller having issues, but the same problems were present while utilizing the keyboard. After a dozen or so attempts, I gave up.

For me, controls are the most important part of a videogame. In Unfair Rampage: Knightfall, the controls in their current state are prohibitive to advancing in and enjoying the content. I Hope that the controls will be fine-tuned before release — if not, those digital knights of the past will miss out on dying an honorable death.

The post This Is Not A Review – Unfair Rampage: Knightfall appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

The subject of this installment: the pinball tables available in the recent release Pinball M, developed and published by Zen Studios.

I already reviewed Pinball M as an entire package and highly recommend it. Since then, I have logged nearly twenty more hours, and wanted to highlight a few things about each individual table.

*

Wrath of the Elder Gods — Director’s Cut: Themed around Lovecraftian horror, this is an updated version of the Pinball FX table of the same name — this time with more blood and madness! It features one of the easiest starting skill shots I’ve ever come across, and multiple in-game events make regular lanes and ramps easy pathways to racking up million-point shots. This table comes free when downloading Pinball M and is an excellent place for players to start without any financial commitment.

*

Chucky’s Killer Pinball: Themed around the incredibly long-lived horror franchise Child’s Play, this table is the one that has grown on me the most. The table is well-themed, which I would likely appreciate more if I was a fan of the source material, as it includes references to all the films in the series. I found the sound bites in Chucky’s Killer Pinball to be the least repetitive of the entire bunch, which is a plus since one of my overall complaints in Pinball M was the repetitive dialogue. Also, a couple of the paths were difficult to hit consistently, but others allowed me to amass huge scores while engaged in multi-ball mode. While not my favorite table, this one is by no means a dud.

*

The Thing Pinball: Based on John Carpenter’s classic sci-fi horror film, The Thing quickly became one of my most frequently-played tables. Sound and movie clips make it an excellent homage, though the quotes quickly become repetitive. Activating the in-game events and modes is relatively easy, tasking the player with completing scenes from the film like dealing with the assimilated dog. It also has a unique event where a blizzard hits the table and creates wind that impacts the ball’s movement. I’m not completely sold on this weather mode, but I do appreciate the effort and novelty.

*

Duke Nukem’s Big Shot Pinball: If there was an award for capturing the essence of its source material, this table would win. Based on Duke Nukem 3D, this table mimics the look of the classic FPS to near-perfection. Activating one mode puts players behind Duke’s firearms — flippers are used to turn left and right, while the plunger button shoots the alien invaders. This looks so much like it’s out of the original, it’s uncanny. The Duke one-liners become stale quickly and I can’t hit the opening skill shot to save my life, but the table is still enjoyable.

*

Dead by Daylight Pinball: Out of all the licensed tables, this one I knew the least about. It was also a table I generally shied away from, but over time I’ve come to enjoy it. Based on the videogame of the same name, Dead by Daylight Pinball has players choose one of two paths — the victims or the villain! This alters the in-game modes, as ramps are used to either escape or capture the characters. The ramps on this table are very player friendly, as is completing events, which in turn help accrue massive scores. Overall, an excellent table.

*

System Shock Pinball: Based off the cult-classic videogame, System Shock Pinball is the latest addition to the Pinball M library. Players navigate through various modes to defeat mutants, cyborgs and infamous villain SHODAN. This table has a unique three-level, three-flipper ramp that leads to a video mode. I enjoyed this challenge, but it can become frustrating once the multi-ball mode is unleashed. Despite that frustration, I was a little surprised with how easy it was to complete the Campaign Modes here, but that’s not really a complaint. One other bonus — purchasing this version also unlocks a less gory version in Pinball FX. It’s the exact same table, and I only played the family friendly version once, but it’s nice to see something for “free” in the current age of micro-transactions.

*

As a whole, I highly recommend these tables for anyone who enjoys pinball and doesn’t mind a little horror to go with it. System Shock is the only table sold by itself — the other four can be purchased individually or bundled together for a small discount. Pinball M also has trials of each table, so interested players can try before buying.

The post This Is Not A Review: Pinball M Tables appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH New challenge modes.

LOW Repetitive sound bites.

WTF Pinball blood trails.

Learning Pinball M was from the crew at Zen Studios, some of the best in the biz at creating quality digital pinball, I wondered why they would release a second, simultaneous title beside Pinball FX. Now that I’ve played this horror-influenced offshoot, it’s clear why Zen Studios would want something separate from their more family-friendly options. Thankfully, the same top-notch pinball experience gamers have come to expect is still more than present in Pinball M.

Pinball M has the same high-quality presentation and controls as its FX sibling. Flippers and plungers react with precision, and the ball physics remain lifelike. Players can adjust the viewing angle of the playfield and classic challenges like Time and 1 Ball, all make a return. Players who have enjoyed Zen Studios’ pinball offerings in the past will feel right at home.

Pinball M also contains a few upgrades that surpass last year’s mainline release, apparent in two areas — visuals and challenges. I was underwhelmed with the slightly bland presentation and in-game trophies that could be earned in Pinball FX, but Pinball M improves upon these by making each table its own corner, separate from the others.

By completing the newly-added Campaign mode, players can earn visual upgrades to each of these corners — basically, props from each of the source materials. There are seven per table, but each of the seven has three different versions based on high scores earned. While this doesn’t impact gameplay in Pinball M, it is a great way to brag about high scores since players can post their corner, complete with unlockable props, as part of user-created tournaments.

The same Campaign mode utilizes the new Pinball M challenges. One tasks players with reaching a pre-determined score in the shortest amount of time possible. Another is the Madness challenge — basically five-minutes of multi-ball to rack up huge scores. My favorite new mode is probably Shiver, where gamers have a nearly pitch-black playfield with only the steel ball and a few of the table lights to guide them. These new challenges (with or without their slight horror twist) would be fantastic additions to any digital pinball title.

As for the tables themselves, Pinball M includes originals based on a variety of properties. The core game itself is a free download and comes with a single table, Wrath of the Elder Gods. This is an updated version of the same table from Pinball FX. This time, the playfield is a little darker and a lot bloodier. This is a solid table and a great place to start without a financial commitment.

There are four other tables currently offered in Pinball M. These are based on movies (The Thing, Child’s Play) and videogames (Duke Nukem, Dead by Daylight). Zen Studios did an excellent job capturing the style and atmosphere of each, whether it was by using video clips from the movies or graphics that appear to be ripped directly from the source, the atmosphere here is top notch.

Each table plays well too, but I found my enjoyment of each to be more tied to how interested I was in the property — Duke and Thing definitely received more playtime than the other two. Thankfully, each table can be purchased separately or in a bundle, and there’s are even demos that players can test before sinking some money in. No new tables have been announced yet, but hopefully Pinball M receives expansions for the foreseeable future.

Ultimately, Pinball M is another solid outing from Zen Studios. Their typically-excellent pinball physics complement well-designed, original tables based on icons of film and videogames. For those who aren’t fans of the source material, the excellent new modes alone make it a worthy addition for any pinball fan.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by and published by Zen Studios. It is currently available on XBO, XBX/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBS. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, unlocking many, but not all, of the in-game visual upgrades. Zero hours of play were spent in multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence. No official description is available, but the descriptors are accurate. Tables contain plenty of blood and four-letter language directly from the sources, often repeated regularly. Nothing was too over the top, but this game is not for youngsters. Parents not comfortable with their kids playing the games or watching the movies the different tables are based on, will want to steer clear of this pinball game.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles. Menu text size cannot be changed. In game commands like, “shoot the left ramp,” are accompanied by flashing lights or icons on the pinball table. However, I did come across one game mode where a sound cue did not have a visual accompaniment. On the Duke Nukem table, one video mode requires players to shoot alien enemies — they make a sound when they pop up and aren’t always on screen. As such, this game is not fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Certain functions are remappable. The face button actions can all be switched, but the flipper actions can only be mapped to the trigger buttons.

The post Pinball M Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH The buzzsaw flying saucer.

LOW Little reason to play more than a couple times.

WTF Why did this alien have to come to Earth to get high?

Despite my inconsistent skill, shmups are one of my favorite genres. So, when I read about Excessive Trim, a shmup-like where players control an alien in a buzzsaw flying saucer bringing destruction to earthly farm fields, I was intrigued. Upon playing, that intrigue quickly faded…

There’s not much story to Excessive Trim. An alien is visiting Earth in search of weed and other drugs. It has arrived in a buzzsaw spacecraft, and for some reason has decided to rain carnage down on procedurally-generated farmland, and that’s about all players get — there is no significant reason why the alien is on Earth, why it needs human narcotics, or why it’s so hellbent on destroying Earth’s hardworking farmers.

The player’s only mode of attack is the large flying saucer. A buzzsaw is constantly circling the craft and charged attacks make quick work of cows, farmers, and tractors roaming the fields. It’s a cool idea in concept, but the procedurally-generated content becomes repetitive quickly, and offers little in the way of variety. Less than ten attempts in, and I was ready to play something else.

The controls in Excessive Trim are simple and precise, but there is no tutorial or even an in-game menu letting players know what buttons to press. A simple intro stage letting players know how to play the game would have gone a long way towards improving the overall experience.

I enjoy the graphics of Excessive Trim, though. A simple, three-color scheme is blended with pseudo-3D characters and landscapes. This creates a unique look, but like the rest of the title, it became repetitive quickly. Players can change the color palette, but I found the other options hard on the eyes and quickly returned to the default mode.

Excessive Trim has great concepts, but falls short in execution. Solid graphics and a buzzsaw spacecraft can’t save it from feeling more like an extended tech demo than a fully-realized experience.

Rating: 2 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by Panda Indie Studio and published by EastAsiaSoft. It is currently available on XBO, XBX/S, PS4, PS5, and Switch. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Switch. Approximately 2 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. This reviewer reached level 7 and collected over 200 in-game collectibles. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Blood, Use of Drugs, Violence. No officially summary is available, but this game lives up to its descriptors. While violence is cartoonish in nature, there is plenty of blood-splattering kills of both the human and bovine variety. Drug use is plentiful — the main character is depicted smoking marijuana and players can buy narcotic power-ups, like magic mushrooms.

Colorblind Modes: Thereare no colorblind modes available. However, in addition to the default red, white, and black palette, there are seven additional color schemes for the graphics.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles, as there is no in-game story or dialogue. Menu text size, including upgrade shops during the game, cannot be altered and/or resized. There were no noticeable sound cues that impact gameplay. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. Players move the alien spacecraft with either the left joystick or left control buttons. The dash/pound move can be executed with either the A button or the two shoulder buttons, ZL and ZR.

The post Excessive Trim Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH A well-executed mirror mechanism.

LOW The final boss is a lesson in patience.

WTF Certain disturbing story flashbacks.

Ugly is a recently-released 2D puzzle-platformer billed as a dark fairytale, and it does a good job of living up to that description — it offers interesting challenges, plenty of platform jumping, and a story that would be right at home alongside the gruesome, medieval fairytales that eventually became safely sanitized. And on that note, don’t expect the “happily ever after” that has become the norm for these defanged stories.

In Ugly, players are tasked with exploring a deteriorating mansion. The main goal is finding keys to advance to other areas, but often rooms are blocked by caved-in walls, broken ladders, or boarded-up cellars. This is where Ugly’s unique gameplay mechanism comes in.

Using a mysterious mirror fragment, the main character (a nameless nobleman) can create a shadowy doppelganger. This ghostly clone performs the same movements as the hero, just mirrored. The difference is that as a spirit, the clone can pass through walls and remain elevated without a physical floor or ladder beneath it. Then, with a simple button press, players can swap the two characters, allowing the fleshy version to grab keys, enter doorways, and perform other actions that only the physical form can do.

This mirror mechanism is solidly implemented, but the high point is the dark, slightly disturbing story.

Ugly follows the story of the noble trying to deal with past traumas. Story cutscenes are unlocked using the mirror ability — find crude crayon drawings on various walls, line up the character and his shadow doppelganger, and a flashback appears.

Without spoilers, the main character appears to have suffered emotional abuse from a parental figure. The story can be horrific at times, but it’s never overly graphic or pandering for shock value. A slight turn in the final chapter was a little underwhelming, but overall Ugly has one of the darkest, but well-told and powerful stories I’ve experienced recently.

While I was satisfied with both the gameplay and narrative, Ugly‘s boss battles feel slightly out of place. Bosses rely on precise platforming and dodging, which is at odds with the rest of the title’s leisurely pace, and the final boss, especially, is a test of patience that almost made me quit in frustration.

There was also a noticeable technical issue in Ugly, albeit one that didn’t affect the actual gameplay. Playing on Steam, I would see numerous achievements pop-up onscreen. However, none of these saved as completed in my Steam profile. A quick search reveals that others have experienced a similar bug. It’s not a gamebreaker, but something to be aware of.

Overall, Ugly is a fantastic experience. It has excellent platforming and many challenging puzzles, and is highlighted by an excellent (yet slightly disturbing) story. The out-of-place boss battles and that minor technical issue prevent it from being top-tier, but Ugly still comes highly recommended for fans of puzzle platformers who don’t mind them on the dark side.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by Team Ugly and published by Graffiti Games. It is currently available on XBO, Switch, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Mild Violence, Use of Alcohol, Sexual Content, Partial Nudity. No official ESRB description is available, but the content warnings are quite accurate. Physical violence is quite minimal, but there is plenty of emotional abuse presented during numerous cutscenes. Alcohol is used to “reset” a puzzle room and the player passes out after chugging a bottle. The partial nudity may have been more obvious in some of the story cutscenes I didn’t unlock, but I don’t recall any obvious nudity. However, sexual content was present in multiple cutscenes, often implying nonconsensual acts involving adults. Ugly is not for the younger gamers and parents should use caution with young teens as well.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are present. 

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles. However, all cutscenes are solely visual, told without dialogue. There were no noticeable sound cues for gameplay. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls. Both keyboard and controller support are included in the PC version.

The post Ugly Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Traversing the expansive, animated world.

LOW A couple of cutscenes are too long.

WTF Water stages that control just as well as the rest of the game!?

Going in with no expectations, knowing little about gameplay or story, and being shocked at discovering a high quality product is rare in this age of instant information. Color me pleased, then, that the most recent surprise of this kind just happens to include one of the most recognizable characters in the world — Mickey Mouse.

Disney Illusion Island stars animated icons Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy. All four have received an invitation to a picnic on the island of Monoth. Upon arrival, the gang is tasked by the local leader to retrieve three stolen books that are vital to the island’s survival. Mickey and company venture off, exploring the vast land in search of the missing texts.

Disney Illusion Island is a fully original story, presented in the same animation style as the recent redesign of Mickey Mouse. The characters look just like they do in current Disney short films and are even voiced by the current actors.

Illusion Island is a platformer, so players run, jump, float, and swing to traverse the various biomes of Monoth. Sadly, there’s no variety in controls based on which character players choose — Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy all have the same moves. But despite which character is picked, players will find tight, responsive controls that make movement a breeze.

Shockingly, swimming in Illusion Island controls just as well as land-based movement. I appreciate that the developers decided to keep things simple for the water — after a button is pressed to dive, all movement is then controlled with the joystick. There’s no button tapping to swim, nor any drifting longer to stop. It’s just simple movement that avoids the frustration that’s all too common in platforming swimming sections.

As expected of the genre, Illusion Island is inhabited by numerous enemies with spikes, electrical shocks, and noxious gases all trying to slow Mickey and crew down. These enemies must be bypassed, as jumping on them results in damage and there are no alternative combat options. For the most part this works, but there are a few sections later in the adventure where knocking foes out of commission would have been preferable to the acrobatic gymnastics needed to advance.

Even without direct combat during levels, there are boss battles that must be bested to retrieve the stolen books, and Illusion Island smartly leans on its platforming to defeat these villains. Players must use the skills they have acquired to jump on platforms and switches, causing items to launch at or drop on the enemies. These were enjoyable challenges that never felt too difficult, even if a few got the best of me at first.

While Disney Illusion Island has a heavy emphasis on platforming, I was delighted to find out it was a Metroidvania in disguise! While I didn’t read up on it before playing, the little PR I saw didn’t give too many hints towards this, but Monoth is one huge, interconnected island. There are secret areas to find, maps to uncover, new skills to acquire, and even “fast-travel” teleporters — all common features of this sub-genre. This all works to its advantage, as Illusion Island is a well-made Metroidvania.

In fact, the game is so well designed that there isn’t much to find fault in. There are a few sections later in the campaign that host too many obstacles in a short span that make movement difficult, but those instances were rare and not impossible to pass. I also found fast travel to be too limited until nearly the end, requiring some extended backtracking to reach certain locations. There are also a few cutscenes that are a little on the lengthy side for this type of game — my Switch began going into sleep mode multiple times because I hadn’t pressed a button in so long!

That said, none of these minor issues ever came close to spoiling this wonderful surprise. Disney Illusion Island is a well-crafted platformer that hides an equally-excellent Metroidvania underneath. Fans of the genre who might not be immediately taken in by the license shouldn’t let that dissuade them from giving this game a shot — this is a great one.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by Dlala Studios and published by Disney Electronic Content. It is currently available on Switch.This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Switch.Approximately 8 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. Zero hours of play were spent in multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E and contains Mild Fantasy Violence. The rating summary from the ESRB reads: This is an adventure platformer in which players assume the roles of Mickey Mouse and friends as they retrieve stolen magical tomes. From a side-scrolling perspective, players explore 2D levels, solve puzzles, and avoid various enemies (e.g., cacti, plants, fantastical creatures). Players defeat bosses by performing a series of platforming objectives to drop large objects onto bosses’ heads.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles can be altered and/or resized. Many dialogue interactions are text only, displaying a speech bubble and the character’s name. Some cutscenes are fully voiced, but subtitles include the name of the character speaking as well. No audio cues are needed for gameplay. This title is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable.

The post Disney Illusion Island Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Stages one, two, three, and five.

LOW The fourth stage.

WTF Locking an advertised feature behind a secret location!?

I’m a dog person and dogs are great, but even the best ones can be frustrating at times — like when the dog wakes up at three in the morning and proceeds to puke on the carpet while standing on the hardwood floor. The recent, dog-based shoot ‘em up, ProtoCorgi, has inspired similar mixed feelings of joy and frustration.

ProtoCorgi is a shoot ‘em up that focuses on a C3 class (Cut Cybernetic Corgi) pup, Bullet, on a mission to save its owner from aliens intent on conquering the universe. Players take control of the titular corgi and blast their way through 5 lengthy stages filled with robotic fish, space samurais, and a bevy of other over-the-top android enemies.

The graphics are bright and colorful pixelated cartoons that fit perfectly with the not-so-serious premise of this shoot ‘em up. The art is enhanced further with excellent music that’s fast and upbeat, conveying a Saturday Morning cartoon-like urgency of saving the world.

Thankfully, ProtoCorgi controls smoothly, providing players with a great experience as they control Bullet. Holding the fire button unleashes a steady barrage of lasers and rocket upgrades that are dropped by enemies throughout the campaign. Repeatedly pressing the same button sends out a sonic “BARK!” — powerful, but comes at a price, as this attack is slower.

There are also alternate abilities, and all are unlockable by finding secret sections within each stage — a perplexing inclusion given the game’s advertising. One of the main attacks shown in PR videos is a “spirit” attack — Bullet has a ghost dog that zooms across the screen and punches enemies with an extremely powerful strike. Even though this can be unlocked in the first stage, due to its hidden status I imagine that many gamers will play for hours without unlocking it.

Another annoyance with ProtoCorgi is the fourth stage. The rest of the campaign provides a good challenge without being too frustrating, but thanks to some questionable visual decisions, level four is the equivalent of the dog puking on the carpet while standing on the hardwood floor. The level begins with a background that scrolls vertically with Bullet’s movements, while the foreground action scrolls horizontally. I don’t get motion sickness, but this made me queasy.

Stage four also has quick-dodge sections that preview the upcoming area by blinking the entire stage’s layout. While this warning is needed in a fast-paced flying game, something simpler, like a small, lone arrow, may have helped make it easier on the eyes. With both visual miscues, I could only play this section once per day, as multiple attempts resulted in headaches.

Overall, ProtoCorgi is a good game — it controls well and has style galore, which are both key parts of a good shoot ‘em up. Unfortunately, one level with seriously questionable design decisions keeps this from winning Best of Show.

Rating: 5.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed by Kemono Games and published by Ravenscourt. It is currently available on Switch and PC.This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Less than 30 minutes were spent in the stage creator mode.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E and contains Mild Fantasy Violence. No official description is available, but this one is safe for most younger gamers. This is typical shoot ‘em up gameplay, with not an ounce of bloodshed. Most enemies are humorous looking robotic creatures and blow up when defeated, leaving behind debris or food when they explode.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles. The game’s intro tells the main story, but only through pictures, no voiceover. There are no audio cues needed for play. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls. Controls on PC include keyboard and controller options, both of which are remappable.

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We’ve recently seen a sharp increase in requests to preview games, and one that caught my eye was the puzzle platformer, Ugly. While the name didn’t pique interest, the cartoon style and its mechanics intrigued me. The demo is short and sweet, but shows promise.

The core concept in Ugly involves a mirror ability. Players control a nobleman dealing with some past trauma and he has gained the power to create a lightning bolt-shaped “mirror” — a line of white light that splits an area in two. No changes are made to the landscape, but a ghost-like doppelganger appears on the other half.

This spirit-clone performs the same actions as the ‘real’ character, but in reverse, but the mirrored twin is not confined to the same limitations as the fleshy version — the spirit can walk through walls, climb without a ladder, and even walk upside down if the mirror is placed below the player. This aids in solving puzzles such as reaching higher platforms, blocked-off rooms, and entering cellars without a door.

Players can swap locations with the mirrored version at anytime, thus gaining access to the closed off areas. This is essential, as the ghost version is unable to open doors or pick up objects, such as keys.

The puzzles in the demo for Ugly are mostly straightforward, but a couple did make me think outside the box, leading me to believe that the mirror offers much promise for interesting puzzle-solving. There is mention of boss battles, but the demo unfortunately ends right as players encounter the first massive, screen-filling villain. I would have liked to get a taste for boss fights, as the demo was all puzzle-solving.

Another positive sign is that the developers have a message on the start-up screen about wanting the game to be accessible. It’s fantastic that they’re thinking about accessibility so early in development, but as of now the options are bare-bones. Hopefully more will be included as Ugly draws closer to release.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Ugly — although it was just a short, 20 minute slice, it shows much potential. Fans of puzzle-platformers will want to keep on eye on this one.

*

Ugly is being developed by Team Ugly and published by Graffiti Games. A demo is currently available on Steam and the full game is set to be released later in 2023.

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The subject of this installment: the new tables available in Pinball FX, developed and published by Zen Studios.

There are 86 pinball tables available to purchase in the newly-released and rebuilt version of Pinball FX, but since there are so many to cover, I’m going to focus on a select few and give a simple recommendation — “buy” if I think the table or collection is great, and “try” if I found the table or collection to be less than an instant purchase. Fortunately, there are trial versions for all tables in Pinball FX, so gamers can try these (and any of the 67 legacy tables) before dropping any cash.

Physical Tables — these are electronic versions of actual real-world pinball machines.

World Cup Soccer

A fantastic recreation with absurdly high scores. Great ramps, a unique spinning soccer ball, and a goalie guarding the net help create fantastic flow and fast-paced action. If I had to buy only one new table, this would be it. Recommendation: buy.

The Addams Family

The best-selling pinball table of all time. No seriously, it is. Good licensing is key, but it has a great layout to boot. It’s relatively easy to hit skillshots and get high scores started from the beginning, but turn off the enhanced animations — they’re possibly the most distracting ones I’ve ever seen on a Pinball FX table. Recommendation: buy.

The Machine: Bride of Pinbot

Another great recreation of an iconic machine. The changing face of the Bride still haunts my dreams, but the easy-to-hit ramps usually result in long playtimes. Recommendation: buy.

Swords of Fury

I really dig the artwork, but found myself returning to other tables almost immediately after one round. Not a bad table, just not memorable. Recommendation: try.

Licensed Originals — these tables are unique digital creations, but have licensed properties as their theme.

Dreamworks Pinball (Three-pack)

Includes three tables based on the Dreamworks movies Trolls, How to Train Your Dragon, and Kung Fu Panda. Trolls is my favorite of the three — it’s an excellent, simple table that’s great for rookies. How to Train Your Dragon has a great layout too, but slightly more complex shots are required. Kung Fu Panda was my least favorite — I found it mundane and repetitive. Still, two of the tables in this pack are quite good. Recommendation: buy

Gearbox Pinball (Three Pack)

Includes tables based on the Gearbox properties Homeworld, Brothers in Arms, and Borderlands. My favorite of the three was Brothers in Arms: Win the War. It feels like a table that could almost be made into a physical version, but with subtle animations that don’t distract. Borderlands: Vault Hunter is a good table, and I have a feeling fans of the series will enjoy it more than I did. There are lots of great shots, but I found it difficult to keep the ball in the top back playfield. The final table, Homeworld: Journey to Hiiagara was one of my least favorite of all the new tables, not just this pack. It didn’t have enough to keep me entertained, and I only played it twice. Recommendation: try

My Little Pony

It’s not my personal favorite theme, but a great table and visually faithful to its source. it’s also an excellent one for newer players, as it’s not too complex and has many easy-to-make shots.  Recommendation: buy.

Garfield

This is a middle-of-the-road table. There’s lots of variety, but I felt that I was always hitting the same ramps and table actions, even when I was purposely aiming at other things. Out of all the licensed tables, I found the dialogue to be the most repetitive, even during short games. Recommendation: try.

Peanuts: Snoopy

While I really enjoyed this theme and all the key points of the comic strip are here, the table wasn’t the most engaging. Snoopy’s doghouse activates events and was fairly simple enough to engage, but the baseball field location went unused for large portions of each game. Still, a good table for beginners. Recommendation: try.

World War Z

I still enjoy zombies, but this table didn’t keep me coming back. It’s an okay layout, and not too difficult. There’s also an enjoyable minigame where players get behind a gun and mow-down hordes of zombies as they march across the table, but outside of that, it’s a fairly mundane experience. Recommendation: try.

Zen Originals — these are tables that are completely original creations from Zen Studios. They often utilize unique animations that could not be created on a physical table, such as a wandering mummy or a tentacle monster that grabs the ball.

Grimm Tales

Out of all the newer tables, this is the Zen original that feels like it could most easily be made into a physical one. Sure, there are a few animations and actions that wouldn’t translate, but it has great ramps, bumpers, and excellent theming that make this the stand-out of the originals. Recommendation: buy.

Wrath of the Elder Gods

Player friendly routes and a generous ball save help propel this Lovecraft-themed table towards the top. I played some of my longest games here, and it was one I kept returning to play. Recommendation: buy.

Secrets & Shadows Pack (Three Pack)

Includes Pinball Noir, Curse of the Mummy, and Sky Pirates: Treasures of the Clouds. Of the three, Pinball Noir was my favorite, in part due to the excellent theming. Sky Pirates was probably my most played, thanks in part to an online event — while not my favorite, it was good enough to play multiple times. Curse of the Mummy was my least favorite — a good theme, but it didn’t offer much to make me want to replay. Recommendation: try.

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