Astebreed is a great shmup game and is my first experience with the whole “2.5D” perspective on a game of this genre.

For being an indie title, the game brings a lot to the table in terms of quality. The music and graphics surely do not disappoint, for one (as for the voice acting, I wouldn’t know because I don’t know the difference between good and bad Japanese voice acting). The perspective changing mechanic is fantastic, and probably the biggest pro from me. Oh, and you’re piloting a mech. What more could you want?

Mechs aside, it is a shmup (shoot ’em up) game, so if you’re a fan of the genre, you should know what to expect from a game of the genre. Shmup games don’t really differ much gameplay-wise, but they each have their merits. Astebreed, overall, is a great shmup that pretty much nails everything. Not much to complain about here folks.

To sum it up, Croixleur Sigma is basically a moe hack and slash game featuring endless hack and slash action.

From what I’ve played, the game seems incredibly repetitive, only to be played in short bursts, to maintain the fun factor. Everything else, gameplay-wise that is, is rather solid. You’re tasked with beating up all the baddies on screen, in an arena-like setting. I found the “endless” mode to be the most enjoyable, as it pits you against an endless onslaught of enemies. However, in endless mode, I usually ended up running in circles with a huge pack of enemies following close behind, never really getting too far. Oh, and the game’s camera? Probably one of the most adjustable/maneuverable cameras I’ve seen in a game, ever.

Replayability? Sure, the game’s got that, although for a game like this to be played for longer than 20-30 minutes in a single sitting… I’d rather not. Oh, and if you’re not used to hearing Japanese voices over and over, then you better get used to it, this is a Japanese game after all.

Tango Fiesta is a decent top-down shooter, best played with friends. It’s still in early access and it shows.

At the time of this writing the game is currently on it’s ninth patch. There’s still some issues that need to be smoothed out. For one, it took me quite a bit of time to get the multiplayer working, a solid ten minutes tinkering around before a friend and I could actually play.

The other issue that I noticed was how enemy’s drops can land in walls, some becoming unobtainable, which is rather annoying, but there’s so many drops on screen that it doesn’t even matter at times. Also, the “number of enemies left” count at the top of the screen is inaccurate when in multiplayer. The host’s is accurate, whereas the other connected players are not seeing the right number (I was seeing 4 and he was seeing 38).

Aside from its technical flaws, the game is fairly enjoyable, which should only get better over time (again, early access). It’s certainly not a game that sticks with you, but it’s fun for a day or two.

Fantastic RTS. Just five minutes in the game was enough for me to determine that. Even if I failed my first mission, I had a blast doing so.

Having never played a Men of War game before, I went into Assault Squad 2 with vague expectations. After a short play session, I scolded myself for never playing a Men of War title before, of which I have plenty in my Steam library. I had a fantastic time with Assault Squad 2, it’s a very well-rounded RTS. Not too complex, but not simple either. The AI actually posed a challenge, unlike some of the strategy games I’ve played as of late. I wasn’t able to try out the multiplayer portion of the game, but I can imagine a lot of fun being had there as well.

Overall, highly recommended RTS, especially for those looking for one set in WWII.

Despite my love for turn-based strategy games, I just couldn’t get into Warlock II. I never played the original (although, it’s been sitting in my Steam library for years), so I wasn’t able to compare the two.

I quickly understood the game’s concepts and went on to start rampaging the world and my rivals in my very first game. In terms of how quickly the game can be picked up, Warlock II does a great job. I did find the game to be rather easy in this regard, playing on normal, even as a beginner, didn’t really provide that much of a challenge. While I’m not saying that it wasn’t difficult, I just expected more of a challenge from the game’s AI. Warlock II is a decent game, I’m sure, but I just can’t seem to get into it like other strategy games.

Maybe it’s the fantasy theme? Whatever the reason, I’ll go back to playing Civilization.

100% Orange Juice is one of the better games I’ve played lately. Having gone into the game with no particular expectations, I can say I was surprised by how much fun I was having from such a simple game.

100% Orange Juice is a Mario Party-esque title with a much simpler formula. With this, the game relies heavily on luck, as most of what goes on is determined by a dice roll. Although that may seem unfair to some, I actually found it quite amusing, especially when playing with friends. If you don’t have friends to play this game with, then you won’t get nearly as much as I did out of the game. Many friendships were shattered by playing 100% Orange Juice, and I can highly recommend it for doing so.

I’d also recommend that you check out Fruitbat Factory’s other games, they’re quite cool.

A game in which one must commit suicide many times in order to form a bridge across a spike pit. Yes, life certainly does go on in this quirky little indie game simply titled “Life Goes On”.

The game is morbid, yes, but in a good way. Well, in order to get anything done, you’re going to need to kill yourself. Multiple times is usually necessary. This then allows you to cross pits by using your previous bodies, or these bodies could add weight to pressure plates to open certain doors. It’s a very cool mechanic, and the puzzles themselves are very well done. I never felt too frustrated, nor did I feel like the puzzles were too easy.

Life Goes On is an interesting take on the puzzle-platformer genre, and I can say, it’s one of my favorites from said genre. The concept alone is enough to earn my recommendation.