Category Archives: game review

Game Review: Marvel’s Spider-Man

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to run up and down walls and swing from building to building in Midtown Manhattan?  The Spider-Man action adventure game developed by Insomniac Games allows you to do that. Released by Sony Interactive Entertainment on September 7, 2018 exclusively for the PlayStation 4 and recently released for the PS5, Spider-Man allows the player a third person perspective of a superhero wandering around New York City, taking on missions and battling the bad guys.  With over 13 million copies sold, Spider-Man made it near the top of the list of most games ever sold for the PlayStation 4 version and it’s easy to see why.

I really enjoyed this game for multiple reasons. One of the reasons is because of the variety of unique suits. There are 47 different suits each with an ability that you can mix with any suit you want. With these suits you can dress up with some of the suits in the movies as well as some suits from the comics. You can also unlock suit modifications which give you additional abilities like reducing damage or increasing the time enemies need to spot you.

Another reason why I liked this game is because of the advanced combat system. Through the skill tree you can gain additional attacks and abilities giving you an infinite amount of combinations for defeating enemies. In addition to this, you can also unlock gadgets which can do various tasks to help you in missions and battles. An example of some of these gadgets are the electric web which allows you to activate certain electronic parts like a fuse box.

 My favorite part of this game is the massive replica of New York that you can swing from building to building and collect backpacks, open research stations, and stop crime. This scale replica of New York  includes many famous landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and Central Park. When you find backpacks, open research stations, or stop crimes you earn tokens which can allow you to buy new suits, gadgets, or suit modifications.

Overall, this is a great action-adventure game, rated T for teens, that most everyone would enjoy. I highly suggest you check it out. You can even borrow it from the Mission Viejo Library.

-Brandon G.

Marvel’s Spider-Man is available for checkout at the Mission Viejo Library.

Game Review: Andy’s Apple Farm

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Andy's Apple Farm (Video Game) - TV Tropes

Andy’s Apple Farm is a horror game where you, a beta tester, play Andy’s Apple Farm.

In the game, you play and try to win back your house keys. However, the only way to get back your keys is to play games with the characters Margret the Mole, Claus the Clock, Felix the Fish, and Melody the Moon. As you play the game, it’s very obvious that everything is not as it seems.

The art style for the characters’ sprites looks similar to something a child might draw. While exploring or playing the minigames, everything is pixelated. Occasionally, you might come across glitches or things that don’t seem like they belong, but you don’t need to worry because they’re supposed to be there. The graphics help with creating an unsettling feeling within the game.

There is a secret plotline to Andy’s Apple Farm that can be unlocked by doing something very unique, which is not listening to the game and using glitches. One of the ways to unlock certain secrets and scenes is to do the minigames in the wrong order. However, there are other ways to unlock the secret plot.

Andy’s Apple Farm is a great game with interesting lore and unique gameplay. I think that Andy’s Apple Farm is something that might inspire more indie horror games in the future. My rating for it is a 8.5/10

-Nicole M.

Marvel’s Avengers: The Game

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This high-quality video game features 4 different story modes and 1 online game mode. The newest of these 4 story modes is the Black Panther and Wakanda expansion. Many of the original Avengers are found in this game, including Black Widow, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Captain America, and the newest playable character, Black Panther. Each character has 3 abilities, which act like power-ups for a short time before they need to recharge.

The first story primarily follows Kamala Khan, also known in the Marvel Universe as Ms. Marvel. It starts off at a celebration of the Avengers, but things quickly go awry as they get attacked and Captain America dies. Kamala gains Inhuman powers in a world that fears Inhumans and does not like the Avengers anymore. One day, amidst AIM’s (Advanced Idea Mechanics) announcements that they are doing everything they can to take care of Inhumans, Kamala is taken into the world of the Avengers. 

I really enjoy playing this video game and the stories are very engaging. There are so many missions to complete and the storylines connect with each other really well. It constantly keeps you guessing. I also liked how you are able to play as a lot of different Avengers characters. There are constantly new players, stories, and challenges being added into the game. 

The stunning graphics, the amazing gamemodes and stories, and the variety of characters makes this a very enjoyable video game. I would recommend anyone who enjoys Marvel or adventures to play Marvel Avengers. 

I would rate this game a 10/10.

-Peri A.

Marvel’s Avengers: The Game is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Game Review: The Otterman Empire

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The Otterman Empire is a new and interesting type of 3rd-person shooter. In the game, you play as an otter as you explore different futuristic maps. Throughout the maps, players have the opportunity to complete different puzzles and fight against different enemies. The game has a story game mode as well as multiplayer. On top of that, the developers are making new game modes and maps for players to play.

The single player game mode was pretty simple. Players had to explore different maps and fight different enemies. The graphics were very beautiful, and I liked how each map was different from the one prior. The story itself was pretty simple and easy to follow, and I liked the overall simplicity of the game.

On top of the single player game mode, there is also the multiplayer game mode. This allows you to play with your friends. In multiplayer there are multiplayer game modes that are in most shooters such as team deathmatch and free for all. In multiplayer there are different characters that players can play besides the default otter that you play in the single player game mode. My friends and I enjoyed the multiplayer game mode more than the single player mode, since it was a lot more exciting. The multiplayer is played in a split-screen type of view, showing four players at the same time. If you can manage to get three other friends to play with you, playing The Otterman Empire together is a blast. I like multiplayer games not only because you can play with your friends, but because each game you play will have a different outcome.

I enjoyed my overall experience when playing  The Otterman Empire. The single player mode was great and was a good way to introduce new players to the controls of the game. After playing the single player game mode, I recommend switching to the multiplayer game mode. This is where the true fun in The Otterman Empire was. The entire multiplayer experience was insanely fun and reminded me of other fun arcade shooters that I have played in the past such as Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare. I would give The Otterman Empire an overall rating of eight out of ten, and would highly recommend it to those that enjoy split screen shooters.

-Daniel CW.

Game Review: Curved Space

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Curved Space, developed by Maximum Games, is an arcade style, fast-paced shooter.  The game is obviously set in space, as humans fight against space-invading monsters. Players fly space ships in large scale space battles, attacking alien ships and bases. There were a ton of different aspects in Curved Space that I thought added a lot to the game, and made the game a new type of arcade game.

In Curved Space, the gameplay was extremely fast and exciting. Each level had huge space battles, consisting of multiple enemies that players had to defeat. On top of that, the art style in the game made it pop. There were flashing lights and colors that gave off a neon effect throughout the entire game. I feel like this addition made the game pop and kept the players focused on the game. Here is an example of the coloring in Curved Space: 

As you can see from the picture, there are also huge monsters and aliens that players have to go against. These challenging monsters each had certain weaknesses and strengths, and players had to remember and counter each of them.

Besides the coloring of the game, the actual graphics such as lighting and sharpness were awesome, and it felt like an anime or cartoon game. This art style was a really great idea, when mixing them with the arcade style gameplay. This combination made the game feel like a remastered version of space invaders. This combination gave players a nostalgic feeling of the old games that they loved to play as children, as well as introducing new game mechanics in the new game.

On top of the main campaign game mode, there are also time trials that players can compete in where they are actively playing against other players. These game modes test players in races and survival modes. After playing both game modes, I also discovered that there is a customizable progression section in Curved Space. Players can actively grind out levels to upgrade their pilots and ships, unlocking different abilities, skills, and cosmetic items.

The last detail that I want to talk about is the soundtrack in Curved Space. The songs that were playing in the background of the game gave off a very energetic Synthwave, and helped hype me up while playing the game. Overall, I really enjoyed Curved Space. I thought the 2D arcade style gameplay mixed with the modern anime graphics gave the game an amazing feel. On top of that, the Synthwave music really tied the game together. I would rate the game a solid eight out of ten.

-Daniel CW.

Game Review: Out of Line

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Out of Line is an exciting new adventure game releasing June 23rd. This hand-drawn  game is filled with difficult puzzles and missions that players must complete. The story of Out of Line is simple. Players play as the adventurous character known as San, as he tries to escape a run down factory that once was his home. Escaping the factory is difficult, and players need to solve multi-step problems in order to progress. There were some outstanding aspects to Out of Line that really made the game stand out, including art style, game mechanics, and story.

The first thing that stood out to me when playing Out of Line was the look of the game. This game has a very unique style of art. Every frame was hand-drawn and 2D. I really liked the look of Out of Line,  and I think the animation added a lot to the game. On top of that, the sounds in the game were very satisfying, and sounded like an older platforming game.

The game mechanics of Out of Line were pretty simple and easy to learn. There was only one new mechanic that was introduced, that players usually do not see in these types of platformers. The character San holds an electric yellow staff that he uses throughout his journey. This magical staff is somewhat like Thor’s hammer, always magically returning to San whenever he puts it down or throws it. If used correctly, this staff could be insanely helpful. For example, players can throw it at items and stick it in other items. This can allow players to solve certain puzzles that they would not have been able to solve without the yellow staff. I really liked this mechanic as it added to the puzzle-solving aspect in Out of Line. 

Though the game is not released yet, I really enjoyed the story and content of this game. I felt like the puzzles were tricky, and proved lots of gameplay for the players. I did not end up finishing Out of Line, but from what I can tell the storyline and character development is great.  Overall, I really enjoyed Out of Line. The game was exciting and difficult at the same time. As said earlier, I really liked the look and sound of the game, which both really gave it the 2D platformer feel. On top of that, the game controls and mechanics such as the yellow lightning staff added new puzzles and solutions to the game. As for the time that one must put into this game, it is pretty tedious, and one must like puzzle games to enjoy playing Out of Line. In the end, I would highly recommend playing this game and would rate it a solid eight out of ten.

-Daniel CW.

Game Review: Sky Beneath

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Sky Beneath made by MindHaven Games is a third-person puzzle game that utilizes gravity to create challenging and exciting levels for players to solve. This puzzle platformer allows players to play as Cassie, a scavenger working with a friend named Annie, as the two try their best to infiltrate and loot abandoned mining facilities. On your journey, players need to use their most powerful and useful weapon, gravity.

The game itself is extremely well rendered, and has great graphics! The controls were pretty standard, and easy to get used to. There was a short tutorial at the beginning of the game, and the game was pretty easy to get good at. The map in Sky Beneath was huge! It had tons of doors and extra areas that players could explore. There were also a couple of cutscenes and letters that players could find, that gave the game a little bit of lore and depth.

I want to talk about the best feature in Sky Beneath, the gravity. Throughout the game, players wear a suit that allows them to change gravity in any direction they want. Because of this, players can run on walls, ceilings, etc. I found this concept to be really innovative, and it added a lot more to the game as a whole. If the player decides to switch the gravity too much, it can get very disorienting, and it may be hard to keep track of where you are. I think this game mechanic was the most confusing, but it was pretty easy to get used to and it was very fun.

Throughout the game, I felt like the levels and puzzles were getting more and more challenging. The game first started off as a platformer, and was very easy to progress. The game started to add more and more mechanics, such as gravity suits and wrist launchers that allowed players to pick up and move items. Eventually, I was stuck on a certain level, and I had to spend lots of time trying to solve that one level. Sky Beneath is definitely a hard game, and requires a lot of patience and skill.

I definitely enjoyed playing Sky Beneath. This difficult platformer game introduced a lot of new game mechanics, while still sticking to the original puzzle games such as Portal or Portal 2. If you enjoyed either of those games, you should definitely give this game a try. Adding the gravity suit and wrist launchers opens up the possibilities of new and game changer tech, and I can’t wait to see the future of platformer games, including Sky Beneath. I would rate this game a solid 8 out of 10.

Daniel C.

Game Review: The Bus

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The Bus is a realistic driving game that takes place in Germany, in which players play as a bus driver. The only objective in the game is to explore Germany while picking up and dropping off citizens on your bus. This realistic driver game was a really fun game that was really relaxing and calming. 

Players start off at a bus station, as they board their very own bus. The first thing that I noticed was how realistic the bus design looked. The dashboard, steering wheels, and overall look of the bus were very detailed. After boarding your own bus, players open their doors to passengers that want to board. After letting all the passengers board, players are given a tutorial on how to start their bus and start driving! The controls themselves were not too complicated but were quite hard to remember. After starting the bus, drivers are finally able to start driving! In real life, I have started driving and am learning how to drive on the streets. This game was a lot harder than actual driving, most likely due to a slight delay in the game. Besides that, I really enjoyed how accurate the game was, using actual braking mechanics and stuff like that.

As for game length, the only current game mode that is available is free roam. This is an endless game mode that allows players to pick up as many passengers as they want. I think adding new game modes such as races and time trials would be a great idea to add more content to the game! I did enjoy how relaxing the game was, it was a great way to take a break from my stressful school life!

I only had one problem with The Bus. The graphics in this game weren’t the best and took away from the realistic aspect of the game. Sure, the dashboard and streets were well rendered, but the character models and background images were poorly rendered and looked very pixilated. That was the only thing that took away from the great game!

Though The Bus was short, the gameplay was amazing. A realistic driver is a great change to have, especially if players are driving a larger bus instead of a race car. I really enjoyed The Bus, and if new game modes and better graphics are added, this game has great potential. I would rate it a solid eight out of ten.

-Daniel C.

The Protagonist: EX-1 Game review

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The Protagonist: EX-1 is a tactical turn-based RPG game. Players play as a highly trained soldier, that is tasked with infiltrating an alien spacecraft. Players are split up from their original team and need to fight their way through the ship to find them. Players can unlock new team members, weapons, perks, and more on their journeys. The Protagonist: EX-1 was overall a really fun game, and it had a lot of great ideas and factors that added to the overall gaming experience such as the animation, combat, and tactical immersion.

The first thing that came to mind when I started playing The Protagonist: EX-1 was how realistic the game was. The game starts off with a voice-over from the main character, and a cutscene. Players watch as huge spaceships fly through space, varying in size and speed. The cutscene cuts to the player’s squad, as they start to gear up for battle.  The game cuts abruptly to the main character lying down as alarms go off around them. Players are told that they have been cut off from their squad and that they need to infiltrate the ship that they are on in order to find them. This is where the gameplay actually starts, and players are able to move around freely. 

Once players are able to move around freely, they can explore the ship from a top-down perspective. The graphics and effects in The Protagonist: EX-1 were surprisingly good for being a tactile RPG, and I was shocked at how realistic the ship looked. The character models were a bit choppy and could have been refined. Besides that, I could not find any other problems with the graphics or look of the game.

The last thing that I want to talk about is the combat in The Protagonist: EX-1. How the combat works is simple and is like a lot of turn-style games. Players will face off against enemies and will take turns attacking each other. In The Protagonist: EX-1, players choose different types of attacks that they can use, creating combos that can deal more damage. For example, players can pair different types of weapons or different types of physical attacks like punches and kicks that will deal more damage. I found this game mechanic to be a great addition to the game, and added a tactical aspect to it.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Protagonist: EX-1. With the realistic look, tactile gameplay, and new combat mechanics, the game was a very fun SciFi turn game. I would rate this game a solid eight out of ten. I would recommend players that enjoy space exploration games to give The Protagonist: EX-1 a try.

-Daniel CW.

Game Review – Detroit: Become Human

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Detroit: Become Human is an exhilarating action-choice game with many different results and different scenarios. The plot of the game follows three different stories each following three different characters. The game is set in the futuristic world where androids, robots who look, talk and act human are created and are able to do different things that humans can also do. 

We are first introduced to Connor. He is the android sent by Cyberlife. Connor was designed to investigate and deal with deviant androids. Deviant androids are androids that have deviated from their programming and programmed behavior. Then we meet Kara. Kara is a household android who is to take care of her buyer’s daughter, Alice. Her story goes through many troubles to keep her and Alice safe after she escapes Alice’s father, Todd’s, grasp. And then, we are finally introduced to Markus. He is a caretaker of Carl Manfred, a famous painter. But after a certain set of events, he must learn to survive himself and help the android race.

I had been wanting to play Detroit: Become Human for a while now, after watching many play-throughs on YouTube. Then I finally got it and I played it for the first time. I was so excited and my excitement never faded throughout playing the game. There are so many choices you can make in Detroit: Become Human and so many endings you can get from the choices you make. All the choices you make in the game can have an impact in the future of the game. I personally got an ending I didn’t exactly want but that’s what makes it fun. You get to play the game over and over and make different choices and different results.

I have seen some haters of the game, but I think they aren’t seeing the bigger picture. I will say that it is a bit unrealistic in some parts. For example, changing people’s opinions about a huge issue in the world in just three days is unrealistic and improbable. But some say that Kara’s story is completely useless and can be taken out of the game completely; but I disagree. Kara’s story is important because it is a perspective of an android who doesn’t exactly play a huge role like Conner and is a leader like Markus. Kara just wants to survive like other normal deviant androids. So we get to play and see through the perspective of a normal deviant android and what can happen to them. 

This game does have very mature language and some mature scenes so just keep that in mind if you ever want to play this game. I’m only currently on my second play-through of the game and am hoping to get a better ending this time around and will probably play it over and over again until I complete the story entirely. I don’t play games very often, other than Lego games and Kingdom Hearts, but I really enjoy this game and love playing it. 

-Nicole R.