Category Xbox One X

Humanity has spread to the stars and in Tinykin, from tinyBuild, they make their way back to Earth but humanity has changed drastically.

Tinykin is here with a unique take on what happens after humanity spreads out to the stars. Most games see this expansion as bleak and dangerous but in this game from tinyBuild and Splashteam we get a much more friendly and upbeat title. Curious about humanity’s origins you travel by soap bubble back to earth. This travel method reminds me very much about the bubble travel from Disney’s Meet the Robinsons. Upon your arrival you learn that humanity is much smaller than it once was and team up with little creatures called the Tinykin.

You befriend and work with various creatures, most of them are friendly or just less than friendly insects. I have the suspicion that I am just barely scratching the surface of this world and that something sinister is lurking somewhere but every level I’ve played continues to prove me wrong. Where’s the big, bad, monster to fight to give some sense of fear or suspense? Even if I’m wrong and there isn’t one, the game continues to prove that it is a lot of fun.

Visually the game is stunning. You have a beautifully rendered 3d world where 2d cartoon characters interact. On the surface it is a family friendly title that is absolutely adorable. I hope I’m proven right. If not I won’t be sulking though, I’ll still be having fun and it will further solidify my suggestion for the younger children at home to play the game.

Another classic Atari 2600 hit has returned with the Recharged treatment with Yars: Recharged!

Originally published in 1982 on the Atari 2600, Yars has returned with Yars: Recharged from SneakyBox and Adamvision Studios. The game features an alien bug that resembles a dragonfly that is sent to destroy the alien ships that have come to subjugate the planet. Do you have what it takes to survive this remastered bullet hell? As more bullets fly it is natural to panic and I am prone to panic in these situations.

I had only ever heard of the original game but never played. It was one of those that my friends steered my away from due to its difficulty in grade school. It’s THAT old! Playing this one is a ton of fun. If I had known this is what the game was like I would have likely played it when I was much younger. Graphically it reminds me of the Dead Space arcade game that was on the 360 but it is pure chaos. Some levels require pure luck to survive. If you like a game that is sleek and an absolute challenge you will love this game.

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.