Sam Harkin
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Writing For
Checkpoint GamingLatest Reviews
Co-op games have grown a lot. Back in the day, the genre felt like it was somewhat swallowed up by other styles of game such as the shooter. Despite this, co-op developers never stopped making new titles for two from all corners. The work of Hazelight studios, among a crowd of other indie developers, has demonstrated how cooperative gameplay can work in any context.
Genre mash-up games, the type of game that fuses together contrasting mechanics and ideas, are gaining traction in indie spaces. If I had to pick one, I’d say my favourite genre mash-up is the Sports RPG. I adore the Sports RPG. It’s a beacon of the balance these mash-ups should strive for. Sports RPGs tend to follow a story of an athlete’s journey to be a champion in their field. The sports provide variety in gameplay ensuring things don’t feel like a grind and the RPG elements facil...
In pop culture, few figures in literature compare to the influence of Sherlock Holmes. No matter their moniker, mystery games are no stranger to the great detective. Frogwares has been leading the charge when it comes to Sherlock Holmes games; the 13th and the latest entrant, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One, delves into the early days of Holmes. This new entry into the series succeeds in story, gameplay and presentation, but rarely capitalises on them simultaneously.
If you had asked me weeks ago, I doubted that I’d be presenting a review for JETT: The Far Shore without seeing the end credits. Although unfortunately, mere days before the game was released, my save data corrupted during an update and I lost all progress. With that said though, I did see A LOT of this game. It was an experience considerably lengthier than I expected. But what I found most unbelievable is the feeling of relief when I decided I was not going to start from the beginning and ...
Of all the stories that games can tell, a lot of indie games tend to orbit around adolescence and coming of age. Popular titles, such as the recently released Life is Strange: True Colours, tell a coming of age story through narrative choices. It makes sense because so much of adolescence is bearing the weight of your free will and the perceived consequences of choosing incorrectly. But Sable explores a different side of adolescence: self-discovery. The mechanics in the game exist to allow ex...
Boomerang X is a title that is very simple and very focused in its approach. Coming to us from indie studio DANG! and publishing label Devovler Digital, this first-person “boomeranger” plays out like an arena shooter, albeit with a uniquely stylised weapon of choice. A huge amount of work and effort has gone into polishing the moment-to-moment gameplay of Boomerang X to a mirror shine. The small-scale experience is fantastic. However, in keeping that focus, a lot of the traditional large-...
I don’t know if I’m just a bit of a hermit, but it’s rare that I actually sink my teeth into an exclusively multiplayer experience. Sure, some of it is just not wanting to deal with toxic people in chat. However, some of it comes down to the feeling that multiplayer tends to sacrifice the individual experience in favour of larger servers. Chivalry 2 shows that you can have both mechanical complexity and large servers, though it is not without some frustrations.
I’m not usually one for the “annual sequel” games. I’ve played a bit of FIFA here and there and the occasional Assassin’s Creed, but that’s pretty much it. I’m generally wary of games that return to store shelves too often. In fact, MLB The Show may be the first AAA franchise I’ve played in back to back years after having reviewed last year’s release and having the opportunity to check out this new one as well. Thankfully this allows me to compare both releases and raise que...
When I first saw Olija being advertised, the thing that really struck me was the gameplay. The character fluidly teleporting around the battlefield and carving pixelated chunks of flesh from their opponents. I knew nothing of the context for what was happening. I didn’t really care. It looked hectic, vicious and all kinds of enticing. In practice, all these attributes lie at the core of Olija. There’s just a lot of wasted time that surrounds it.
One of many great things about the indie game space is that it caters to all kinds of interests. Consider the bullet hell genre. Whilst there are some AAA that dabble in its waters, for the more pure, and more interesting takes, you have to go indie. Maybe these games will never get blockbuster appeal, but they can take pride in a simple premise executed well. So while Disc Room is unlikely to take home massive game of the year awards, it knows what it wants to do and does a damn fine job of ...