Recent reviews by +Dash+ || +Geist+

A couple of years ago I saw a neat little indie game. It drew heavy influence from Castlevania, one of my favourite all time series of games. By then Konami was focusing on it's Pachinko machines and Iga had departed it for greener pastures... so I, fuelled by nostalgia, picked up the small cheap game that reminded me so much of much of what made my youth.

Little did I know how much how I and so many people around the world, would adore that game, with all it's references but also standing on its own with it's innovative gameplay loop that so many would copy afterwards. It would create its own genre going forward, with tons of free updates and new DLC on the following years.

When this DLC was announced, I cried of joy. Never in a million years I would think Poncle would summon Konami to come up out of the woodworks to allow something like this to come true.

It has come full circle, on a game that was made with so much passion and care for the genre and the original content, that they managed to will this into being. There are so many references, so many nooks and crannies filled with nods and secrets to all of those of us that grew with this series. This was made by fans, for fans on a game that took its own wings and flew high above the sun, not letting it stop it from falling.

And then I got to the halfway point of it.

This is not worth £2.99 pounds I paid for it... I would pay tenfold for this and much more. On release of this DLC I installed the Mobile version and bought all DLC there. I bought extra DLC to give them to friends, because I feel what they ask is so very very little for what they give.

If you are a Castlevania fan, do yourself a favor and buy this DLC. If you are a Vampire Survivors Fan, you NEED this DLC.

Because it has come full circle, on a coffin, with a vampire in another castle.

You had my respect, my endorsement and now my gratitude and adoration. Thank you Poncle for your care on this game. Whatever DLC or projects you follow it, I will be there to support no matter what.

Thank so you very much.

It's the originator of the Horde survivor boom that is hitting everywhere. Taking Castlevania inspiration, Roguelike roots and bullet hell mechanics at times, i was instantly hooked. It says a lot that I 100% it as the updates towards 1.0 came along... and it still rests on my library! Great for burst gaming, or taking it with you if you have a steam deck.

Do yourself a favor and try it out, for the price it has it should be a crime for all the content and fun you get out of it.

I'll preface this review by stating that I normally don't do them. I think there are better people out there suited and much well versed in explaining the pros and cons and the enjoyment to be found in a game than me.

That said, I had to put a review here.

I was a Kickstarter backer of this game when I heard the slogan for it. I had known The Men Who Wear Many Hats from their previous game Organ Trail and had been a fan of their work for their passion for supporting the games they made and love. Had the pleasure of playing Max Gentleman afterwards and while not as enthused by the gameplay, I loved the charm of the characters and the funny and crazy world about stacking hats.

Loving the Victorian Aesthetic, Tycoon Games and Dating sims, this game was a match made in heaven for me... but besides the fun mechanics and sexy/lewd factor of the game, what made me back it the most was how fun and open it was to sexuality. Everyone is endearing and fun for who they are and their stats in game don't mention metrics or sizes or comparisons. That itself was a breath of fresh air.

All stretch goals passed, fast forward to now and the game is out. And how it fares?

Everything I had hoped for was surpassed beyond reason. The start of the game sets well the funny and somewhat eccentric (as a good victorian rich businessman should be) world and set of characters that support you, from your ever attentive servants: Business Maid and Battle Butler; the multiple sexy executives you can recruit and woo; to the devious scoundrel of your rival, that you yourself customize along with your avatar, nay, GENTSONA! The gameplay has a very satisfying loop between your turns, setting executives and gathering resources, without overwhelming you with information... there is so much hidden and well crafted details, such as the tiny nod to clicking on the measuring tape at customization to change from imperial to metric. I expands very well without going out of control between managing the business, going for Aggressive take-overs, the occasional dates, gala dinners and multitude of events thrown your way.

And while most people will want to jump in to all the sexy pictures and events... the thing is that they are just the cherry on top. The game has such a good flow of mechanics that I found myself 5 hours in barely noticing how the time flew by. It has that "just one more turn" feel and does a great job at it. Having finished a "run" in my first try, I absolutely love how the game tackles replayability, by unlocks depending on what you do or achieve.

The characters are well written and charming and you feel yourself wanting to know more about them and their crazy and adorable facets. You are not forced to flirt or enter a sexual relationship (if you have the game set on that option, you can actually tone it to your preferences) with anyone you don't want, but you feel yourself wanting to know these characters more intimately and going through their events and dates.

Having played all this time and I still feel I have barely scratched the surface. That is to say that I can't wait for what the future brings to this game. Knowing the talented team at TMWWMH and the support and love they put into their games, I can see so much in the way of content and new stuff being added... but mostly I do want this game to do well. Because it is more than that.

Max Gentleman: Sexy Business is a labor of love... and it shows.

I don't regret ever supporting these guys and I'll keep doing so in the many years to come. Full thumbs up recommended!

You can be a super powered Gorilla saving your fellow kin from the evil scientist supremacy, while fighting for the liberties of the common animal by taking down a dictator posing as a mayor.

While all that is true, it also is an amazing Roguelike game with an amazing soundtrack, with tons of humor and great mechanics. Did I also mention it allows co-op multiplayer online too?

Do yourself a favor and grab it while you can, especially if you love Roguelikes!

I used to play Hammerwatch and while I loved the game, the ridiculous difficulty of it never allowed me to finish it. Still it was a game that I held close, due to the asthetic, mechanics, graphics and brilliant OST.

Then came Heroes of Hammerwatch. Picking the first title, putting it in a blender with a Roguelike and additional RPG mechanics... and boy was it a great thing. While revamps and balances are still going on, the game feel amazing to play, especially with friends. It has great replayability in terms of new game+ mechanics and considering a DLC with extra content is about to hit on early 2019, there has never been a greater time to get into this title.

So gather your gear, gather your friends (or not) but most of all, gather your wits and bravery... and step forward to become... a Hero of Hammerwatch.

SIralim 3 is more of what Siralium 2 offered, but with great care on the what the downfalls on the previous game were at heart, giving players a lot more quality of life changed and new systems to replace those that weren't so loved in the prequal.

So far I'm having a blast with it and it's one of the few games that doesn't feel in early access as much as an overall upgrade to it's predecessor. Some things do hit me a bit, with the story taking a different turn that some veterans from the previous titles might not like and the gods, while having a more prevalent role and being interconnected with the story, feel have less to say on the small things you did to get favor (I do miss Torun screaming in relief after you took care of all the imps xD).

But those are just nitpicking, seriously, if you enjoy monster collecting games, kinda like Azure Dreams, Dragon Quest Monsters, Bahamut Lagoon and well... Pokemon... duh, with a dash of RPG and Roguelike madness into it (with near infinite content), then do by all means jump and get this game!

If you enjoyed Siralim 2, then Siralim 3 will feel right at home and you will love all the care put into it... can't wait what the future holds for this game, I barely scratched the surface and already am looking forward to more content and expansions!

Let me start off that I normally am not one to write reviews, as I feel I'm very very poor at doing them. That said, I feel that the "hatred"/flak directed at the game right now is sadly not deserved.

I too was a fan of the originals and of Krin's works, like Sinjid. Those were games I loved to play years ago while growing up, on the age where animators and game designers trekked and bloomed in fields of their craft in sites such as Newgrounds, Armor Games and Kongregate. They were brilliant back then, and they still are to this day.

I'm not gonna beat around the bush and say that yes, sadly, some things that I loved from the original Sonny's were removed, such as the AI tweaking on party members, the animation of the battle sprites to static effect and, of course, the lack of not being able to see the gear you're wearing on your character.

Also it is true and no hiding the fact that the overall asthetic of the game, both UI and functionality, are cathered and organized towards a IOS/mobile frontline, which is of course where this game first was released.

But tossing the nostalgia bias aside and the small gripes I have from comparing it to the originals, what I've found so far is a very solid game, that while being a remake, offers a complete experience and familiarity towards those games we love and grew up with.

The AI so far has proved to be very capable, even without being able to tweak it at will, getting cues by your skills and as the battle goes on if they should provide a more agressive and supportive role. Same can be said towards enemies, that try to support each other and find ways across your weaknesses, trying to pick low HP targets on your party apart.

I'm still yet on chapter 2, still early on the game of course, and having that somewhat "familiar yet different" kinda feeling from it, makes it that much more enjoyable to see what it brings to the table. The combats are fluid and challenging, and revisiting old characters given new life and meeting new ones is simply a joy.

Overall, what I'm saying is that i understand that some people where expecting Sonny 3 out of this, and understandably might be disappointed that this is a fully finished remake with some things stripped from what the originals brought to the table... and that is fine :) But if you're on the fence about getting it, and can take your nostalgia glasses aside for a fun tactical RPG and enjoy the game for what it is, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to enjoy it.

Wow... took me quite a while to actually write something... Not very handy at reviews I'm afraid.

Amplitude Studios always has had a knack for their games. They might be one of the most underrated studios out there, both on their costumer support and how they allow their fanbase to voice how they want their games to proceed forward; to the amazing quality and polish of their games.

Endless Legend is a new game on their Endless Series, a continuum of games interconnected on world lore and events some way or another. A departure from Endless Space sci-fi genre, Endless Legend focuses on a more fantastical approach in which several races fight for supremacy on one way or another in the planet Auriga. Ever since the game's first iteration, the core mechanics of 4x (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate) were solid, being more and more improved as the expansions and extra free content were added. The game is very streamlined, teaching you step by step when you first start out the nuances of it's content and UI. Some things of course, are better learned on your own, as any good game leaves a couple of surprises.

That said, everytime you pick a race, you are given a sort of a main quest, a guideline to send you on your way that allows you to both grasp how they function and what drives them. It's not just a question of stats and numbers, as the way it's presented helps you immerse on the lore of who you guide, aswell as the world itself: from the sites and artifacts you gather, to the heroes that join your cause, to the minor factions you encounter; Auriga is full of mysteries and things to learn.

Some core systems where improved with expansions, Guardians went forward with Ancient ones that count as super units, if you fight them or control them.. aswell as giving players means to work together or fight each over over legendary monuments and objectives. Shadows gave us a new race, focusing on espionage as well as fleshing out those systems... no longer you can sit content on building things and sorting armies, when everything you fought so hard for can be undermined with a smart spy network. Shifters gave a sense of the changes in Auriga, the difference between spring and winter and how deeply it can affect the various races... including the one added that is attuned to those said changes. Finally, Tempest, the new expansion, adds a race focused on a system that was lacking... naval battles and sea events... expanding the scope of the game even more with extra threats and things to explore... I'll be honest that I haven't dwelved as much into Tempest, but I will when I get time.

Lost Tales Dlc adds a lot more tales based on lore and events that happened that led Auriga to the state it is, very recommended if you enjoy more of this world and how it came to be. Finally Echoes of Auriga adds more songs to the game, which itself boasts a magnificent and immersive soundtrack by the ever so talented FlybyNo. From haunting to relaxing tunes... every race and season has their song to enthrall you in this magnificent world.

All in all Endless Legend is a gem of a game, that hooked me from the moment I started playing it, and I can't wait till I get my decent desktop to play it in its full potential, as all this was experienced from a very old laptop.

So do yourself a favor, either full price or on sale, give Endless Legend a go if you are a fan of 4x and fantasy, for Auriga awaits for the ones that can master her secrets.