Nick Banks
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KeenGamerLatest Reviews
Delve into the post-apocalyptic world of Code Vein in this review for a J-RPG that isn’t afraid to try new things. Code Vein is a treat for fans of anime storytelling, “Souls-like” gameplay and deep customisation. Amongst all the ambition, though, Bandai Namco occasionally trips over its own self-made obstacles.
Layers of Fear 2 is one heck of a horror thriller. Like Layers of Fear before it, this walking simulator / puzzle-lite game takes players on a longer trip with insanity this time around. While the doomed ocean liner setting doesn’t quite give Layers 2 the artistic licence to be as brazenly bonkers as its predecessor, it finds other ways to drop the “holy crap” moments in your lap.
Rage returns as players adorn the highly powered super-suit of a Ranger. Step into a hostile wasteland where anything and everything is trying to kill you. Learn new suit specific superpowers to decimate your foes in showy displays of aggression and destruction. Stepping into the shoes of Ranger Walker, players will embark on a journey fuelled by revenge and rid the wasteland of Authority scum once and for all.
Forgotton Anne (yes that is how it’s spelled in this game) is a hand animated 2D side-scroller which focuses on telling a heartfelt story. It has light puzzle mechanics mixed in that, despite their simplicity, are always challenging enough to lead to player satisfaction. With its Studio Ghibli stylings, Forgotton Anne is truly a breath of fresh air in the indie space both visually and in terms of gameplay. With a strong set of original ideas backing it up, Forgotton Anne is not a title indie fans will want to pass up.
12 Is Better Than 6 offers a dynamic top down shooter experience that incorporates stealth elements. It has a strong focus on art direction with its mostly black and white 2D visuals, sharply contrasted with the red of enemy blood. It paints a grim world of a Wild West that remains relentlessly hostile to our Mexican hero wherever he goes.
"Soma - The body as distinct from soul, mind or body." Given the very definition of the word "soma", Frictional Games’ latest title does its name justice. It explores themes rarely discussed through the medium of videogames. SOMA takes its time to make the player think about consciousness, its attachment to our own body and how our reality is only perceived the way it is because each of those things are constantly working in unity. In SOMA, we’ll find out what could happen when one of those things are removed from the equation.
In Zero Time Dilemma, the player is tasked with helping nine victims survive a sick game of death, set up by the mysterious Zero. Set in an underground bunker called Dcom in the Nevada desert, our unwilling victims fight for survival in the face of impossible odds.
The Solus Project came as something of a surprise to Playstation VR owners. Starting out as a normal screen based game on Steam, it soon came with an optional VR setting for HTC Vive and Oculus owners. Shortly after, it arrived on the PlayStation Store with the same screen / VR options. As a game developed by a small group of people it will likely astonish with the depth of VR capability, placing it among the very few VR games in existence that places the player in a fully explorable world.