BPM (Bullets Per Minute) is a fast-paced, dungeon type game that has never been done before. Mixing FPS, rhythm-action, and countless types of monsters, BPM (Bullets Per Minute) is a game-changer. What’s really cool about the game is that it is all based around the music and rhythm that is playing. A player can not just run around shooting monsters and clearing levels, they must stick to the chill-rock that is playing in the background. The monsters the players will face will move and attack in a certain rhythm and motion, depending on the song that is playing. The player, must accommodate to that beat, and move and shoot along with that song. 

This new type of gameplay is challenging and fun at the same time. I struggled to learn the beat at the beginning of each level, but as I played each level more and more, I eventually learned the rhythm of each song. What I really like about BPM (Bullets Per Minute) is the dedication and memorization it takes to become good at this game. A new player can not expect to beat each level first try, they must dedicate some time to each level to learn how the game works. If a new player is still struggling to learn the beats, or they do not want to spend time learning them, they can turn on auto-beat. This will allow the players to not have to worry about jumping, shooting, and moving at the right time because the game will basically do it for them. This will allow them to have total control, and allow them to run and gun killing everything in their path.

Let’s talk about abilities, weapons, and characters. BPM (Bullets Per Minute) has a massive amount of character customization and weapon choices. At the beginning of each game, the player is able to pick 5 characters, that each has certain abilities. For example, I chose the valkyrie like character, who has the ability to double-jump on each off-beat and she can dash. As I played throughout each level, I unlocked chests. In these chests were new weapons and items for me to use. For example, I found a shotgun and healing potions on my first level. These items can help you when you fight the bosses at the end of each level.

There was only one problem I ran into when I played BPM (Bullets Per Minute). The first problem was that there was no tutorial in the game. For the first five games or so, I was running around shooting enemies and then dying. I had no idea what the rhythm or music was for, and that was somewhat confusing. But, that could be because the game has not been released yet and the tutorial will be added.

Overall, I found BPM (Bullets Per Minute)  to be a super satisfying and enjoyable game. I really liked the new rhythm-based gameplay. I think it’s a brand new idea, and it’s really fun to play around with. I can not wait to see what is gonna be added to BPM (Bullets Per Minute). I would rate the game a solid nine out of ten.

-Daniel C.

House on the Hill produced by Steppe Hare Studios is a first-person thriller/horror game. In the game, you play as a young thief who is robbing an eerie mansion, trying to find precious gemstones, necklaces, etc. Your friend and partner in crime, tell you instructions through an earpiece while you do the robbing of the actual house. But, there’s a twist. Though getting into the house may seem easier than expected, it is impossible for one to escape and make it out. As you make your way through the house, the house itself begins to feel haunted more and more. With doors slamming, lights flickering, etc, you begin to realize that robbing this house was a bad idea.

What I found interesting about House on the Hill were the different endings that happened depending on your actions. Throughout the game, the player is given decisions that could change the outcome of the game, whether it be for better or worse. For example, the player could choose what items they wanted to steal, and what routes they wanted to take to steal said items. Depending on these situations, the players will also face different nightmares, monsters, and life-threatening situations. For example, I chose to steal a large gem, and the route that I chose was through the kitchen. This lead to me obtaining the gem, but I was chased by a bloody monster. I barely escaped but found myself trapped in a large freezer filled with dead animals and humans.

I ran into a couple of issues while playing House on the Hill. For example, the sound was a major problem for me while playing. In some scenes, the dialogue and sound effects were too quiet for me, even at max volume. In other situations, the game was much too loud and caused me to turn the sound off, which took away from the overall ambiance in House on the Hill. Also, in some situations, I could not open doors or pick up items, that were crucial to my survival. For example, I was being chased by a monster and I started to run towards a safe room. The only problem was, the door did not open until the third or fourth time I clicked on it. Luckily I was still able to make it out alive.

As one may see,  House on the Hill is a brilliant game for those that enjoy horror, puzzles, etc. However, this game is not for the light-hearted. In some scenes of the game, I was at the edge of my seat, and I even had to turn down the sound of the games, due to the disturbing sounds coming from certain rooms. I would suggest one playing this game during the daytime, or with friends, to make the game less frightening in general. If one were to play at night, they should prepare themselves for frightening thoughts or nightmares in the future. Besides this, I really enjoyed  House on the Hill and cannot wait for the developers to add more stories and endings.

-Daniel C.

What Happened produced by Genius Slackers is an interesting and adrenaline-boosting first-person game. The players will play as a boy named Stiles, as he faces the challenges of Highschool. Not only that, but he is also bullied and has anxiety/suicidal thoughts. What Happened is a game that sheds light on the daily challenges that teenagers must face, as players are able to see it first hand through Stile’s point of view

When I first launched the game, creepy music and flashing lights started to play. It set the mood for what type of game I was about to play. On top of all this, the lobby for the actual game was very cool and interactive! The player was set into the perspective of Stiles, and you could move around into different rooms. Each room you entered either started the game, took you into the options tab, or quit the game and sent you back to the desktop. I really enjoyed this cool feature, and I believe more games should use this type of lobby.

As for the game-play itself, I mostly enjoyed it. The controls were quite simple, and I learned them quickly. There were multiple puzzles I had to solve in order to proceed to the next part of the game, and they were mainly easy. I did run into some issues, such as not being able to open doors or not finding the next segment to the puzzle, wasting time.

Other than those few problems, I enjoyed playing What Happened It really shed light on the problems that some teenagers go through on a daily bases. It’s good that video games are getting mixed into serious and pressing topics, and I believe that more games should resemble this one. I give What Happened a rating of seven out of ten.

-Daniel C.

Knights Squad 2 Is a top-down, PVP melee game. The game takes place in medieval times, and you can play as a wide variety of different knights. The player can choose multiple different game modes to play either with other players, or AI bots. You can also play Knights Squad 2 locally, with your friends on the same server. The first thing I noticed when I launched Knights Squad 2 was the amazing aesthetics. With exciting music and sound effects, the game was full of adrenaline and excitement. As you decided which knight to use, each had a certain skillset, armor color, and strength.

Once loaded into the massive fighting arena, players were put up against other knights. The main goal was to be last alive while using certain abilities and weapons that spawned around the arena, to your advantage. The game was challenging, but I quickly learned the controls and strategies that eventually led to my victory.

There were some minor issues I had with Knights Squad 2. The game was not properly stretched to my TV’s resolution, which led to me not being able to see the full screen and directions. The game also gave no tutorial or directions on what to do, so for my first five games or so, I was running around trying to figure out what each button on my controller did. But, Knights Squad 2  is only in demo form, so these issues will hopefully be fixed upon full release.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing Knights Squad 2 the graphics and sound effects of the game were amazing and beautiful. Battling was fun, and it made me feel like I was really in medieval times. I think this game could be really fun when the developers add online competitive modes into the game. But Knights Squad 2 is still in demo form, so I can not wait to see what is added!

-Daniel C.

Hunting Simulator 2 Is a first-person, hunting/shooter game. The game takes place in modern times, and you play as a professional hunter, exploring the wilderness. On your way, you will acquire new weapons and companions, that you can use to help you hunt all over the world. You will also run into a wide variety of animals that you can shoot and hunt. Players can then sell these animals for money or keep them as prizes. Using the money they earn from the day’s hunt, players will be able to upgrade and perfect their weapons, clothing, etc.

The first thing I noticed when I launched Hunting Simulator was the amazing graphics! With real-time sounds of the wilderness and beautiful landscape shots of the outdoors, I felt like I was really going out to hunt. The sounds of the rifles I used were also very realistic and even the animals and the sounds they made sounded real.

My favorite detail about Hunting Simulator 2 was the cabin. This was a place for players to relax and take a break from the hunting action. Players could buy new weapons, ammunition, hunting dogs, clothing, and much more at the cabin. They could also customize what they would be taking on each hunting trip. The cabin itself was very luxurious and nice and reminded me of a place someone would stay at if they were to go hunting in real life.

There were some minor issues I had with Hunting Simulator 2. When trying to call my hunting dog to give him directions, the controls were very weird. In order to praise your dog, the player had to hold down a wide variety of buttons on their controller, which caused me troubles. I also had a glitch where I could not move for a good five to ten minutes. But, this could have been a simple glitch due to the fact that the game is new.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing Hunting Simulator 2. The graphics and sound effects are the game was amazing and beautiful, and I could not believe my eyes when I loaded the game up. Hunting was fun, and it made me feel like I was really in the outdoors. I think this game could be really fun if the developers were to add a multiplayer aspect, so one could play with friends. I can’t wait to see what is next for Hunting Simulator 2.

-Daniel C.