Simon the Sorcerer Origins Review (Switch)

With all the retro revivals that have been going on for the last decade or so it’s a bit of a surprise that we haven’t seen Simon the Sorcerer reappear sooner. The point and click genre is long past its heyday but we’ve had big hitters such as Broken Sword and Monkey Island both release new games and remaster older ones. Sam and Max had their own comeback as well and there have been a host of solid new games in the genre. Simon the Sorcerer is a decent enough franchise though (well, the first two games anyway), so we were happy enough to see a new game appear.

As the name suggests, Origins is a prequal game to the series and sets the scene of how Simon first acquired his powers. It’s a classic styled point and click game which has wisely kept away from the unfortunate 3D phase a lot of franchises tried to implement. It looks quite different to the original games with the pixel art replaced with a more clear-cut cartoonish look. It took a little while to get used to but works well enough.

There are a few things to help the player out. For instance, you can hold down a button to highlight all the interactable objects in a location. For anyone who has played a point and click game before you’ll know how much of a help this is and actually something that doesn’t affect the challenge of the game.

There’s also a map which means you can fast travel to different locations which helps reduce back tracking. You can also use the new control system which involves moving Simon around and highlighting objects he’s near, though we found it easier to switch back to classic controls which puts an on-screen cursor on screen to move around. Call us traditionalists but this just made the game seem a lot more controllable and enjoyable.

The game itself does start quite slowly. You’ll control Simon as he wonders around his new house. The environments are a little dull and you’ll soon be glad when he manages to move into the more fantastical world. Here, things look a lot more interesting, and you’ll get some interesting puzzles to overcome. The overall design of the game though is a little sparce with the environments lacking some of those more personal touches that help brings games like this to life. It is fully voiced though, and the script is decent enough as to not harm the lineage of the past games. You even get Chris Barry back to reprise his role which really is both a nice and respectful touch.

Overall, Simon the Sorcerer Origins is a solid enough return for the franchise. The humour and script retain the distinctly British humour and the puzzles and world work well enough. The environments may lack a little charm but there’s enough here to keep fans of the point and click genre interested while the game is also gentle enough in the beginning to bring in players not familiar with the genre. If anything, it has whetted our appetites to see the first two games given the HD remake treatment, even if this doesn’t quite match either of them.

Overall 7/10

Lumo 2 Review (Switch)

Somehow, almost ten years have passed since the original Lumo graced us with its presence. The original indie darling was a charming isometric platform game that encouraged players to explore its 400+ rooms while drawing on a host of nostalgic references from systems going all the way back to 8-bit computers such as the Spectrum and C64. It is still an original oddity with few other games choosing to go down the isometric nostalgia route, despite just about every other avenue of retro themed games being explored.

Lumo 2 keeps the viewpoint but moves the world from the 8-bit up to 16-bit. So now, instead of Solstice, you’ve got Equinox, and if you get that reference, we salute you. Referencing older video games is still very much the order of the day though and your familiarity with them will likely define how much you are going to enjoy the game. You explore Lumo’s world, collecting pickups and solving block and button-based puzzles, many of which involve taking on some sort of mini game.

To give you an idea of what you are getting into, the first of these is a pretty spot on recreation of some of the sections from Impossible Mission. A great homage for those that get it. For those that don’t though, we do wonder how long the interest will hold. There are other high profile retro classics references as well such as Prince of Persia, so just because you don’t get one doesn’t mean there’s nothing here for you.

The main areas of the game play well enough of course, as you move your character around avoiding the cute creatures trying to zap you. It’s perhaps a little slow and imprecise at times but there’s nothing particularly frustrating here as you jump around and pick up objects in an isometric space.

 You’ll gradually gain new skills such as a double jump which adds a very lite Metroidvania-esque elements as this often allows you to access new areas. There are not often multiple routes to go down though as, aside from some collectables, this is a largely linear experience, but then there isn’t really anything wrong with that. These skills do add more game elements to the main bulk of Lumo 2’s game world as well. It’s not all references to the 80’s as you’ll be jumping around and avoiding enemies in the main game world as well. Unlike the 80’s though, Lumo 2 is quite well balanced in terms of difficulty, and while it can be challenging, you’ll normally progress with some patience and forward thinking.

What is more impressive is that all the homages and changes in gameplay work well. The game never falls into frustration, and while it is relying heavily on nostalgia, it has also clearly had a lot of care and attention put in to make sure everything being referenced is also fun to play around with. This results in the player experiencing a continual loop of experiences that keep things fresh and also raise a smile.

Overall, Lumo 2 remains both nostalgic and fresh feeling. There is certainly enough here for players to enjoy even if they aren’t going to get all the references to games from the 8-bit computer era. For players old enough to remember though, or those who have tracked down these classic retro games it becomes much more of an unmissable title. If you liked the original game, you’ll likely love this as well and if by some way you’ve not played it then this won’t let you down either. It’s a fun, creative and reflective game that’s easy to like.

Overall 8/10

Hades II Review (Switch)

Supergiant Games have a reputation for creating games which are nothing less than amazing, and most of the time highly original and unique to boot. Bastion remains a masterpiece of isometric action adventure, Transistor a stylish mix up of turn based and hack and slash and Pyre is just nuts in about every way. The one thing they haven’t done until now is produce a sequel, I mean where can you go when you’ve already perfected what you are trying to achieve which each title?

So, it’s brave decision to not only make a sequel, but a sequel to one of the most highly regarded indie games of all time in Hades. It’s a good thing then that they have done it right.

Hades II, thankfully doesn’t stray away from the ancient Greek roots of the original. While that story focused on a son trying to escape the depths of hell (and the grasp of his father), Here we have a female lead, Melinoë the princess of the Underworld, trying to defend her home against Chronos the Titan of time. There are a host of new characters here for the studio to play with and each is beautifully written- if you wish to really dive into the law and setting.

Of course, the real heart of the original Hades was the Rogue-like structure and the flexibility of the combat. In this regard not much has changed in terms of the scope. This is still a Rogue game where each run is designed to have you gather resources for permanent upgrades which in turn allow for players to get ever so slightly closer to their goal on the next run. If anything, there are perhaps too many resources to manage here. There are seemingly endless things to change and upgrade and numerous currencies and trinkets to collect and trade for other currencies and trinkets, which in turn can be used to invoke spells, create new areas in the hub world or upgrade your character, weapons and several hundred other things. It really did take a good few hours for us to start to get to grips with everything that was going on.

In terms of your arsenal, you start out with one weapon and unlock other options as you progress. Each of these react differently with the various attacks you have. Players can perform and chain basic attacks, perform a ‘cast’ which creates a ring on the floor which can be used to halt or entrap enemies (among many other things). Special attacks can be initiated by holding the attack button down, and there’s a range of close combat moves as well. You can also pick up a ‘hex’ attack which needs to be charged in each location and has its own development path as well. If you are going to master all this, it’s really going to take a while and for those of you that thought Transistor was complex you are in for a shock. Oh, and you have a dash/dodge as well.

At the outset Hades II is quite a tough proposition. Our first few runs didn’t really yield much progression at all. But as these things go, you slowly start to break the back of the first area and suddenly more options open out to you. The game does seem tougher than the first one though with the second level being a real baptism of fire on the first few runs. But while you may be beginning to get frustrated at not getting past a rock band made of Sirens, the game has something else up its sleeve. You see, the hub world is the crossroads and, initially, you can only descend into the depths. But after casting a particular spell at the cauldron it removes the ward on the stairs that go up as well.

From that point you can continue to forge your way down to Hades or alternatively head to the surface and make for Mount Olympus. This initially comes with a curse which drains your heath, but once you have cleared that the surface world provides a very different approach to the game.

While the downward dungeons remain much in the same format as the original game, the surface world mixes things up a fair bit. The first area for instance, is set in a city of interconnecting rooms. Here you can roam the central areas and decide which door you are going to go through in whatever order you wish. After besting a Cyclops, you are sent to the docks where instead of changing rooms you decide which direction to steer the ships. These surface realms are much larger and wider and require some consideration in approach if you have been used to the cramped caves of the subterranean route. It provides some much-needed flexibility and variety if one location is causing you a lot of issues.

Overall, Hades II is as good as its predecessor in its own ways. It takes a slightly different approach but retains the soul of the core concept and develops it well. It doesn’t make the original game obsolete as it feels different enough while also being strong enough in its own right for both new players and those familiar with the original to dive right in.  

Overall 9/10

Goodboy Galaxy Review (Evercade)

So called homebrew titles have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Now, we have reached a place where developers can create titles for older consoles and have them fit perfectly into the indie marketplace. Indeed, we think it’s only a matter of time before one of the big developers decides to dive into the world of retro consoles with a fully-fledged retro release.

We’ve covered an ever-growing number of these games including, Micro Mages, Alwa’s Awakening and Witch N’ Wiz, as well as some of the compilation which have made their way to Evercade, who could forget the excellent Tanzer after all? The latest of these to reach our door is Goodboy Galaxy, a platform exploration game for the GBA.

The plot is simple and follows a space dog called maxwell as he fly’s around various planets solving quests and making friends. It’s all one large collectathon, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. Each character you meet along the way will require help in some way (normally finding things) and will then give you their friend card upon completion. Some also give you other items as well to further aid your exploration and allow you to get deeper into galaxy.

Goodboy Galaxy is not a Metroidvania game though, thanks to the well-placed gates around each planet. Maxwell can jump, has a shield which will absorb damage and has a blaster. However, when you pass through one of the gates on each level something will be disabled. This could mean losing your jump, meaning you must think creatively about switches or platforms, or losing you weapon or shield meaning you are much less protected. It’s a gimmick that lasts throughout the game and allows a series of short but interesting puzzle platform sections to be thrust on the player. There are of course ways of getting around these to reveal secrets as well.

It's good then that Maxwell handles excellently. You must get used to the game as it has its own mechanics such as the firing pace of the weapon and the jump working slightly different than how you would expect, but once you’ve played it for a while it all becomes second nature. It’s cleverly done and shows real thought has been put into how players are expected to traverse around the worlds.

The look of the game is classic Gameboy Advance platformer. Bold colours and large cartoon like sprites are the order of the day and you can’t help but smile at the heavy nostalgia and generally joyful vibe. It fits the style of game perfectly, as does the character design which effectively takes animals and objects and puts bigger eyes and jackets on them. Each planet also sticks with the bright feel, while also being distinctive from each other to keep the overall look from becoming too samey.

Overall, Goodboy Galaxy is a fun game that would have easily found an audience if released during the original GBA years of handheld dominance. It’s like finding a hidden gem for the system and hopefully it will find a much larger place when it releases on modern consoles (Goodboy Galaxy is also currently available on the Evercade). There’s a lot of fresh ideas here and if you are looking for something new that seems like something old then this is an excellent place to start.

Overall 8/10