Prime Gaming 2 November 2024

Still keeping up with that schedule! Let's see what we have this
fortnight...

It's quite the list!


* Marvels Guardians of the Galaxy (via EPIC)
   A surprisingly good action-adventure. Although not
   directly based on the movies, its tone is very much
   reminiscent of them, so if you didn't like the humor
   and banter of the films, you probably won't engage with
   this game. The gameplay itself - a mix of adventuring and
   combat-- is fairly average; it plays second fiddle to the
   setting and characters. It's not bad but probably the
   least memorable part of the game.


* Death's Door (via EPIC)
   An isometric action game; take on the role of the grim
   reaper and search for lost souls. Fight past monsters
   and dodge traps. It's not quite as hectic as "Hades" but
   has a similar feel. A good game, just not one really to
   my taste.


* Killing Floor 2 (via EPIC)
   A fairly forgettable co-op zombie shooter.


* Stasis: Bone Totem (via EPIC)
   I haven't played this one, but if it's anything like its
   predecessor -- which I did play-- it's a good looking but
   not very engaging action/adventure with lots of dull
   exploration and uninteresting story.


* Morbid: The Seven Acolytes (via EPIC)
   A top-down action shooter with retro-graphics; sort of
   a "Commando" with a fantasy/horror vibe. Reviews are mixed,
   with many pointing out its shallowness and the flaws of its
   gameplay, while others are more forgiving.


* Mafia: Definitive Edition (via GOG)
   The original "Mafia" was a classic; it had excellent
   atmosphere, beautiful visuals, a fantastic soundtrack, and
   solid (if flawed) gameplay. The remake is... okay. It's
   strengths are all the bits of the original it didn't
   change. But a lot of the new stuff --the soundtrack, the
   voice-acting, etc.-- just aren't as good. Dated as it is,
   I still prefer the 2002 version


* A Plague Tale: Innocence (via GOG)
   The relationship between the kids is cute, the visuals
   are nice, and the rat-hordes are neat. Everything else
   about the game -its story, its puzzles- is rather humdrum.
   The best I can say about this game is that it's far, far
   better than its sequel.


* Scorn (via GOG)
   A first-person action/puzzle game. Its main hook is its
   Gigerian body-horror fetish. If you just love that aesthetic,
   this is the game for you, but as far as story or mechanics?
   It's just not that enjoyable.


* Coromon (via GOG)
   An off-brand Pokemon game. Find various monsters, capture
   them, and then throw them into battle with one another. I
   never got the appeal of Pokemon (I was too old when the
   originals were released) so this one is definitely not for
   me. But if you like enslaving innocent creatures and forcing
   them into ruthless gladiatorial combat for your amusement,
   Coromon is waiting for you.


* Monster Train (via GOG)
   I'll just leave you with this: it's a deck-building game.
   I don't think I have to say anything beyond that.


* Pumpkin Jack (via GOG)
   A 3D action/platformer; sort of a kiddified "God of War"
   with less sophisticated combat mechanics. Lots of jumping
   and whacking at monsters, but nothing that really stands
   out and shouts, "this is a game worth playing!"


* The Gunk (via GOG)
   A third-person action adventure; explore a weird planet
   looking for resources and end up platforming and
   fighting space-monsters. Fairly typical example of the
   genre.


* Scarf (via Amazon)
   A third-person platformer/puzzler. You've a magical scarf
   and need to bounce your way through a magical world. Not
   very challenging, and just a bit too cutesy for my taste.


* Disney's Gargoyle's Remaster (via Amazon)
   A remake of the 1995 platformer for the Sega based on a
   Disney cartoon. I've never played the original game and
   only vaguely remember the show (didn't it feature all the
   cast of Star Trek TNG as its voice-actors?) so this game
   doesn't excite me. But if you've nostalgia for the
   original, this game is probably a welcome remix.


* Zombies Ate My Neighbors / Ghoul Patrol (via Amazon)
   More remakes of classic console games. Again, I've no real
   connection to the originals, so these hold little
   attraction to me.


* Haunted Hotel: Personal Nightmare (via Amazon)
   It wouldn't be a Prime Gaming give-away without a hidden-
   object game!


* Mystery Box: Hidden Secrets (via Luna)
   Or two hidden-object games, for that matter.




So, not really much in the way of great games, and the collection is
eclectic enough that you're unlikely to like all of them, but you can
probably find one or two that are interesting enough that you might
want to add them to your library. Amazon seems to be focusing on
quantity over quality these days. Ehn, I won't complain. The Number
must go up, after all.