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Good afternoon! I’m finally covering my final batch of games from 2022. Modern games require many hours of gameplay and it can take quite a while to finish a campaign. Did the holiday release schedule leave a strong impression or did I feel disappointed? Maybe some of each. I’ll explain below.  It seems like I waited an eternity for a sequel to Tales from the Borderlands. The latest entry in the franchise follows the same principles of the graphic adventure genre, but the story and the characters lack the humor, charm, and depth of the previous release. I rarely laughed out loud and it didn’t seem like my choices made a huge difference overall. The runtime felt excessive and I didn’t connect with the characters very well. Generally speaking, every component of this game is forgettable and it feels inferior to many Borderlands titles. New Tales from the Borderlands isn’t a bad game, but it’s not very interesting, amusing, or memorable. I would say it’s not necessary to purchase this one. The holiday release schedule had a much better variety of games for your choosing.  Bayonetta 3 is a really strange hack and slash title, but it’s definitely entertaining. Like most Switch exclusives, this game has lackluster graphics and some mechanical issues. Also, the story is utterly bonkers and it’s probably best if you don’t think too hard about it. However, the overall experience is a lot of fun and unique with strong combat, decent skill trees, notable enemy variety, and interesting missions. It’s primarily a linear adventure, but you can also go back and play through the chapters. Bayonetta 3 has an amazing variety of weapons that will suit many types of players. The titular protagonist has several demon familiars who will aid you in combat, which is a novel and effective part of the game. I must admit, Bayonetta 3 throws players into the deep end of the pool right away, but I still recommend it. This game has a fair learning curve and endless variety in terms of gameplay. Just find the right weapons and demons that work for you. I definitely believe this release is worth buying, even at full price.  Gamers and critics hailed God of War: Ragnarok as a masterpiece and I absolutely agree with them. In fact, I would say it’s the best game of 2022. It takes a while for the story to move along, but the payoff is incredible. The latest God of War title has a prolific combat system, fascinating missions, well crafted characters, and splendid animation. Kratos wields more weapons in this sequel and you also take control of Atreus during parts of the story. Speaking of the story, it has excellent narration with major plot points from Norse mythology. Ragnarok also has a plethora of side missions that are probably busy work, but still entertaining. Stick around after the main campaign ends because you can finish some post-game content. I’m still not impressed with the upgrade system, although it doesn’t hinder the gameplay much. It’s impossible to explain everything about this epic title. You’ll have to experience the gameplay firsthand. Yeah, it’s a $70 release. Unlike most games, I believe this one is worth the money.  On the other side of the spectrum, I found The Callisto Protocol quite disappointing. Ironically, many people who worked on the original Dead Space created this game. What happened? Basically, The Callisto Protocol is a deep space horror game with great visual effects and some frightening moments, but the overall experience is a huge letdown. The combat system is very awkward and frustrating, especially when multiple enemies attack. It relies on jump scares, an irritatingly small inventory system, and dozens of gory death scenes. Mastering weapons is an arduous task and it takes a lot of effort to kill most enemies. The Callisto Protocol is highly repetitive and it lacks bonus content to add replayability. Unfortunately, it’s just a knockoff of Dead Space. Plus, it’s a $70 title with a completely linear campaign. I simply can’t recommend this game at full price. Maybe you could check it out after a sale takes place. Granted, your money should probably go to the remake of Dead Space instead. Let’s see what I think after playing it.  As a fan of mascot platformers, I felt excited to play the reboot of Kao the Kangaroo. Oddly enough, this game lacks the most important feature. Fun! Kao the Kangaroo is repetitive, less creative than similar releases, and annoying with poor voice acting. I thought the animation was pretty good, but the platforming feels imprecise, the camera moves around too much, and basic gameplay doesn’t feel memorable. Some elements are outdated, including limited lives that are difficult to collect. It might not be a particularly challenging game, but I still encountered many frustrating deaths. I really wanted to like the new version of Kao the Kangaroo, but it wasn’t for me.
Should you spend money on this game? I suppose it might satisfy people who really enjoy animated platformers, but that’s a niche crowd. Honestly, most mascot platformers are superior to this one. Crash Bandicoot 4 is an excellent alternative. We made it through the final game releases of 2022! Last year had a very unusual set of releases and I’m curious how 2023 will compare. Perhaps, this year will be weird too. Only time will tell. Have you played any of these games yet? Do you think 2022 was oversaturated with games? Leave a comment. The year is still young and we’re just getting started with the new release schedule. Forspoken and Dead Space are the first releases of 2023, so I’m actually not far behind at all. Video games are a fun outlet for relaxation, creativity, and mental stimulation. Lately, I’ve been more impressed with games than movies, including theatrical releases with high profiles. Some of you might feel skeptical about video games, but give it shot one of these days. You might be pleasantly surprised. Be safe out there and game on!
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 Welcome back! I have some news from Bonsart Bokel, a fellow author and steampunk fan. His upcoming book, titled Bound for the Styx, is coming out this Spring. For the past couple of years, he’s been working on The Association of Ishtar, a steampunk and cosmic fantasy series. You can learn more about Bonsart on his YouTube channel, Radio Retrofuture, where he discusses various types of speculative fiction, including steampunk, cyberpunk, dieselpunk, etc. Bound for the Styx also has a Kickstarter page. Check out more details about Bonsart’s work below. Quotes from the Literary World “A truly delicious, swirling gothic steampunk story in a world that feels so three-dimensional that you feel like you could walk through the nearest door and step into it." -George Penney, Bohemiana podcast, author of OverLondon “As much as I enjoyed the first novel, Bound for the Styx is twice as good. It’s so original and impressive.” - Jeanne Wilkins, editor of HCS Publishing From the Author- Bonsart Bokel “These are the chronicles of Igraine Mortuba’s adventures in Hades: an inter-dimensional space station drifting inside the void between worlds. Once she makes her way through the Halls of Hades, she ends up in Arkology. A cobbled-together community of refugees who, after losing their respective worlds to catastrophe, are delivered to this subterranean realm by an entity known as the White Airship. Now they must survive inside the overgrown ruins of Hades, which is home to every imaginable horror known to the multiverse. Igraine Mortuba came to this place to be healed, after which she would be free to continue her life of idleness. But before she’s offered a cure, she must prove herself to a mysterious benefactor. First, she must survive the challenging lifestyle of Arkology’s denizens, lest she’d end up in the Styx like all others who perish in this place. As Igraine gets initiated in the way of the scavs, she learns about the many opportunities the Capitol of the Multiverse has to offer. Can Igraine prove herself to a society of inter-dimensional exiles while navigating the machinations of Arkology’s Founder? Find out in Bound for the Styx.” Artwork       Links https://www.associationofishtar.com https://www.youtube.com/c/radioretrofuture https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bonsartbokel/bound-for-the-styx-a-novel-of-steampunk-and-cosmic-horror That’s all for today! I’m looking forward to promoting more work from indie authors. Take a look at Bonsart’s Kickstarter page and Radio Retrofuture on YouTube if you want to support his projects. Leave your thoughts in the comment section. Take care of yourselves, have fun, and I’ll see you again next week.
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May 2019
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