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Are you smarter than a 5th grader is the quiz show turned video game that uses children as trivia support.

Are you smarter than a 5th grader is a quiz show centered around topics found in grade school education and proving how useless some of it is. The American Education system is nowhere near where it should be and I suspect this is secretly what the show’s creation was meant to highlight. Of course there are questions that everyone should know like how to convert tablespoons to teaspoons or millimeters in a centimeter but there are some truly useless answers there as well.

Each player answers the questions as best as they can, get it wrong and the show/game is over. You start with two questions for each grade and a final eleventh question that covers sixth grade topics. Answering the sixth grade question means you are truly smarter than a fifth grader. For a trivia quiz show it’s not bad. The actual show gave time to meet the students who would help you answer your questions and the game does as well. The problem here is these are fake kids so I’m not interested in their written commentary about their lives or schooling. Perhaps if they allowed the spot to be filled by an actual player instead of an NPS then I would care more about them.

Graphically the game is crisp, free of glitches and some solid rendering. It definitely fits in the current generation of graphics engines. Controls are very simple, only requiring the letter based buttons once in the game. Overall I had a good time with the game, pushing myself to answer without the “cheats” made it more challenging too. If you like trivia you will enjoy this one.

Crypto is back and this time he vows to Destroy All Humans, again!

Crypto is back and this time he vows to Destroy All Humans, again, in this remastered sequel to the remastered cult classic from THQ Nordic. The first game I had heard of but had no idea this sequel was released prior to being remastered, or reprobed as the name of the title suggests. I did some research on it while trying to recall the name of our grey alien bringer of chaos and came across the original release photos. Continuing off the story of the original game the mothership has crashed and it is up to Crypto to kill everyone and save the day. The story centers around tracking down the KGB as they further infiltrate the city and are responsible for shooting down the mothership.

Gameplay is just as chaotic and hilarious as the original. Hijacking the bodies of citizens is just as hilarious as before and the ragdoll physics makes for a great time with the levitation ability. The dancing mode makes for a great escape that is hilarious to watch- you force enemies, civilians and even cars to dance under the dance lights that appear on the ground around them. Watching the cars dance along with them is hilarious. If you played the original or are looking for a game where mayhem and abductions are the frequent play type then this is a must purchase for you. We had a ton of fun on this title in both single player and co-op modes- fyi it’s even better if you make a drinking game out of it.

Jim is climbing the corporate ladder in The Company Man and it is up to you to get him to the top!

The Company Man is an action platformer from Leoful and Forust Studio that centers around Jim as he climbs the corporate ladder. This game is not just full, it is overflowing, with workplace and corporate based puns. Jokes about the accounting department being so boring it’s like time freezes are translated into an ice themed level where you have to fight the accountants and their manager. Each enemy you defeat essentially explodes and is fired from the company. After each boss fight you earn a new ability and return to the building’s lobby where you can purchase coffee or speak to the receptionist.

The stages themselves are quite easy to navigate, all the while commenting about normal corporate activities with a more literal meaning that can be attributed to combat. The boss fights however have a steep learning curve but a little patience and you will be able to spot their tells and defeat them in no time. Having worked in Corporate America for nearly a decade it makes this game even funnier. On top of the corporate humor game play is engaging and enjoyable with easy to master controls. This game is a gem I suggest you don’t sleep on.

Peter must survive the Cold War but in the extreme colds of Antarctica in South of the Circle from State of Play Games.

In South of the Circle you play a Cambridge professor as he navigates love and the Cold War itself. Ultimately he ends up in Antarctica and must survive there after his plane crashes and he starts his trek through the frozen land to find help for himself and the pilot.

The controls are easy to pick up and the mechanics seemed odd to me. Specifically the dialogue mechanics. You have a limited time to select one of two options where you are given an emoji to identify the type of response you are giving. The options don’t really appear to make a difference in the dialogue trees and you have no idea what the responses will be other than the good or bad implications of those emojis.

Graphically the game fits with indie titles, using what appears to be a limited color pallet with cell shading. Overall the story was slow paced and failed to drive home the urgency of your quest as you wander aimlessly trying to figure out how to rescue yourself and the pilot. With no real control over the story or the conversations it feels like you would be better off playing a FMV title instead or something with a faster pace as I fell asleep twice while playing this title.

Way of the Hunter is the latest first person shooter game centered around hunting the creatures of the forest.

Way of the Hunter is a hunting game where there is a mysterious deer meat virus and its your job to kill all the creatures needed to fund your endeavors. THQ Nordic and Nine Rock Games brings us this FPS game where the ultimate goal seems to be furnishing a hunting lodge. You play as River as he takes over his Grandfather’s ranch and use hunting to fund all of your endeavors.

Your first task after gaining access to the lodge is to visit your friend Echo. Echo is no real friend but a point where your voice echoes easily. After that you take your first steps towards hunting. The first hunting task is at the shooting range. There you practice adjusting your scope, breathing properly and aiming. It is all quite easy to pick up but leads you to a task your grandfather meant to do himself. The hills are filled with badgers and they MUST die. Hunting them was quite tricky at first. The trick is to anticipate where they are about to be and shooting there just before they cross that path. With each kill task you are given unlocks other kill tasks focused on other animals and harder kills.

Overall the game has what I would call mixed graphics, where some aspects are highly details and others not so much. Specifically the scenery is where all the detail is and it is beautiful. I thought it was a cool touch to see real weapons and real gear featured in the game to assist you with your hunts. The story is slow and the hunts even slower but are much more realistic than I anticipated. Walking through tall grass quickly, not worrying about my noise, is bound to scare off the animals I’m hunting and I thought firing the gun or being seen would be the only way to do that. I applaud the designers for their attention to realistic detail there. For a hunting game I liked the realism but was hoping for something more forgiving like hunting in Red Dead Redemption.

In Hell Pie players swing a cherup connected to a chain to bash your way through the living world towards making Satan’s pie.

Working as a demon in hell is not as glamourous as one might think but a misdial of the phone by Satan leads to an adventure in search of ingredients for a pie. Not just any pie but a Hell Pie. Sluggerfly brings us this crazy title where you use a chained cherub to smash your way to victory. You play as Nate, the demon of bad taste and that’s not just a title. Look at some of his cosmetic options, Nate is in serious need of a fashion designer, of course this is hell so it’s safe to assume bad taste is more the status quo.

Once receiving a call from the lord of hell himself you are instructed to get the chef to make his pie immediately. Soon after you find the chef and reminding him of his duties he sends you out for ingredients.

Graphically the game looks closer to previous generation’s quality, i.e. Xbox 360/PS3. Controls are smooth and abilities can be unlocked to further propel yourself and the cherub through the maps. Overall the game is chaotic but was a ton of fun, I’m looking forward to my next adventure through the world to complete this pie.

In Endling Extinction is Forever you play a lone fox that must do everything she can to not only survive but also keep her kits alive along with her.

Produced by HandyGames and Herobeat Studios, Endling Extinction is Forever is a game that centers the story around keeping a mother fox and her kits alive in the diminishing wilderness. The first day of survival is escaping from a burning forest to then give birth in your den. On day two you must hunt to keep your strength up, either killing rodents or fish and taking them back to the den.

As the baby foxes get older and start to venture outside the den one is taken by a trapper and it is up to you and the fluffballs to retrieve it. Time is of the essence because the trail grows cold quickly. Additionally the surroundings change as time goes on, streams that were once traversable become polluted and no longer have fish to feed the family. It’s up to you to keep the four of you alive.

Graphically the game is on par with other indie titles and could have been much improved with a bit more details on the foxes themselves. Without knowing they are kits the baby foxes don’t really have any distinguishing features that make it obvious they are foxes. The controls are simplistic but fluid. Overall gameplay was good but added stress as you continued to play by forcing you to pay attention to the babies and keep their health up as a priority. The subtle changes to the environment really show the effects of humans on the environment is a sobering realization as I played will make you think about your foot print on the world. I suspect this was their intention. Overall it is a solid game with an important message that more people need to hear.

Put your singing voice to the test in a game that is NOT a rhythm game, like Rock Band, with One Hand Clapping.

Have you ever played a platformer where you used your voice to play and not just your hands? One Hand Clapping is the game that tests your voice to the limits. HandyGames brings us this adorable platformer where your voice brings the light and allows you to soar to new heights. As you move your character around the levels you must sing into an attached microphone to activate lights, levers and even helps you fly higher (when carried by an owl).

The game description hints that you will not be penalized for making mistakes. It says this and yet has these imposing shadow people that give you the feeling that you are going to die if they touch you. This team has done a fantastic job on the ambiance because I was so tense around these creatures and I did not want to put the claim to the test. The game could easily be win for players of all ages but I feel the requirement to make noise almost nonstop detracts from the game as a whole. The intention is for players to explore their own creativity and musical talent while playing. If you are like me and most of your game time is after the kids are asleep this is a bit more difficult to do without waking them up. However I do see an opportunity here that I just might explore. My youngest loves to sing and dance. I can give her the mic and do the platforming myself. Sounds like a great chance for some game related bonding.

Noel The Mortal Fate, an episodic adventure centered around a corrupt mayor, deals with devils and a young pianist caught in the middle.

Vaka Game Magazine brings us Noel The Mortal Fate, an episodic adventure centered around a corrupt mayors, deals with devils and a young pianist caught in the middle. The game starts with the night where the best pianist is chosen and will play a piece of music to protect the city. Players will take of Noel, Caron and sometimes BOTH. The story starts with the decision of the winner, Noel who everyone though should win lost and her sometimes friend took the win home.

Upset with the loss, Noel is approached by the mayor who suggests she meet him on the roof of an abandoned building to learn the truth of why she lost. Intrigued and believing she was the true winner Noel goes. She is convinced to summon a demon in order to kill the man she was told was behind her loss. As payment the demon takes her arms and legs and she is thrown out to sea. Learning he was tricked, the demon Caron accepts a deal to help her and the story is really underway.

Graphically the game has an art style that reminds me of older manga and simplistic controls. So far after two hours into the game I have found it very easy to play and learn but the dialogue is problematic. It reads like something a kid in junior high wrote but I suspect that has more to do with a poor translation of the original Japanese the game was written in. Despite this issue the game leaves me curious as to what the future will hold for a pianist with no limbs and whether or not the evil mayor will truly be defeated in the end. Is there hope for the demon as well? Only time will tell.

11 Bit Studios returns to publish the Final Cut of This War of Mine and it includes every previous piece of content the game had to offer!

11 Bit Studios reminds players that in war not everyone is a soldier or warrior. This reminder is the basis of This War of Mine. You take as one of several civilians having to carve out a living and more importantly to survive. Each day you can send your survivor(s) on missions for supplies. Likewise other survivors can be sent to your base of operations and steal your hard earned items. When I played it was so frustrating to have things stolen. Of course I had no issues doing it to characters in game, so what goes around comes around.

The game play is not meant to allow you to win using brute force like many titles. Instead you have to carefully plan your outings and don’t let yourself get greedy. That killed more characters of mine than I care to admit. While the crafting and leveling systems can be tedious I found the game enjoyable. This is a take on war that more games should explore and simply don’t. Visually the game isn’t the most detailed but the story and experience are well worth it.