All game keys have been provided by the publishers
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: We here at GameTyrant have been absolutely bombarded with so many games this year. We will be rolling out select quick reviews to let our audience know about games and DLC that may have slipped under their radar. We appreciate the amazing support from all publishers and developers out there!
Ultros
Starting out our panel of reviews; Ultros is an absolutely gorgeous Metroidvania title that never fails to make a player feel in awe. Its looks along with its alien-synth score make this the perfect inspiration for some weird bio-organic horror. It’s really the most stylish game I may have ever played in my life. The world of Ultros never gets old to look at, but I also think its visuals work in gameplay too as you can sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed.
Its Metroidvania gameplay is pretty substantial, with skills and abilities becoming unlocked just by fighting enemies and harvesting the weird materials from around the game’s locations. This gameplay loop paired with the sometimes disorienting environments makes this the most interesting adventure of its kind. I just wish the gameplay felt a bit more entertaining overall. Though I liked what I saw most of the time, I felt bored every so often.
Terror at Oakheart
For its $8 price tag, Terror at Oakheart is one of the best titles I’ve played this year, and quite possibly one of my favorite horror titles ever. Paying homage to many horror franchises, this is the perfect meta title for horror fans to play. It’s a pretty simple game to be quite honest, but is more than worth the price.
Once you beat the initial core story of Oakheart, there’s an additional mini-game to check out with its own lore and even a playroom of collectibles to explore. It’s clear that the dev team behind this knew their horror, and knew what players would enjoy. I was hooked from start to finish on this one.
Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster
If there’s been one Star Wars title that I wanted to get into, it was Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster. Luckily for me, the new remaster is absolutely amazing. It performs so smoothly and looks better than ever before. Though the original visuals weren’t terrible, these new clean graphics make it a bit easier to keep your stomach from turning.
Additionally, gameplay is a lot easier on PC now thanks to the fact that you can actually play with a controller properly. Because of that alone, I’m now a lot happier and eager to play further into the game and enjoy my experience. This is a Star Wars remaster that should not be missed.
Slave Zero X
Slave Zero X is one of the modern-retro titles that I always look forward to; it gives players the feels of the 90s games we love but with all of the more recent gaming flourish it makes things all the more enjoyable. This is an extremely slick title to play from both a gameplay and a visual perspective. From the movement of your character, Shou, to how the camera pans when you move around 3D corners, this is a looker.
Alongside the great visuals runs the fact that you can change Shou’s look as well as the art style of levels altogether via collectibles that can be picked up throughout your playthrough. My one complaint though would be that I wish the screen didn’t feel so congested. A further field of view would’ve made my experience with the title even better overall.
Mr. Krabs (Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2)
Players of Nick All-Star Brawl 2 have gotten what I would call a heavy hitter in the recent addition of Mr. Krabs. He’s a slow mover but comes equipped with some hard attacks. Personally, he wouldn’t be my choice to play as because he moves so slowly, but I can see tactical players using his skills to their advantage.
My favorite part about Mr. Krabs though is his awesome costumes from various episodes of Spongebob Squarepants along with the various attacks he uses and animations that call back to even more episodes. He’s a hilarious character to use overall. Though I’m not really scoring a character, he gets a 10/10 for being Mr. Krabs.
