Yakuza 0: The Review

 

The Yakuza game, it’s not like boxing.

Welcome to the world of Yakuza 0, the prequel and first to the Yakuza series. For those uninitiated to the series, Yakuza is a wild ride from start to finish. It is an action-adventure, open-world, beat-em-up arcade brawler jam-packed with tons of mini-games. Nurtured and released by both Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku, this game guarantees to add class, quality and a great time.

You do not need to worry about playing any of the previous titles as everything will be established here. Yakuza 0 takes place between December 1988 to January 1989, instead of 2005. It is set in the districts of Kamurocho and Sōtenbori, fictional recreations of Tokyo’s Kabukichō and Osaka’s Dōtonbori areas respectively. Players will follow the stories of Kazama Kiryuu and Goro Majima, two 20-year-old men living in Osaka & Tokyo. Both are similarly trying to make it in this organized crime syndicate that is “Yakuza”. I admire the game’s ability to take itself seriously one moment and then going crazy the next. You will spend your time laughing, crying, obsessing with mini-games, and admiring how well-written the overarching plot between the two protagonists.

The guy who can’t tough it out to the end, he’s the one who loses.

At its essence, Yakuza primarily follows a beat-em-up style of gameplay but isn’t shy to experiment with various minigames and different mechanics. The campaign itself is single player, however, you do have the option at the start menu to select multiplayer games with others. If you’ve played the older titles (Kiwami I and II), you’ll be happy to hear that the fighting UI is much better, and that cash drops are more generous when taking down an enemy. In addition to this, the difficulty is evenly distributed and provides enough of a challenge no matter what you choose to do. If you were curious about some of the minigames that Yakuza has to offer, it includes some the following:

• Running a cabaret club, real estate
• Playing UFO Crane Catching, Arcade Games, Gambling Games, Pool, Casino Games, Darts, Batting Cages, Bowling, Catfight Bets, Pocket Circuit
• Participating in Shogi, Mahjong, Card Collecting, Telephone Club, Karaoke, Disco
• Fishing, sneaking challenges, training sessions.

For levelling the character up, the development team chose a rather interesting approach of using the copious cash gained to spend on “improving yourself”. The self-improvement skill tree is very easy to interact with and very intuitive. Another way you can boost gameplay experience (and not only limited to fighting), is through frequent visits to shrines. Using completion points [CP] from side quests, you can give your character various perks.

That’s rad!

One of the many aspects that make Yakuza 0 shine above all else, is its overall presentation. They really did a good job with capturing the mood and expressions of each character, right down to the last pore on their face. What’s more, it really doesn’t take long to load assets or characters whenever you enter a new area. This is thanks to the Dragon Engine, which is also found in Yakuza 6. Though the open-world is “small” for some, it really feels alive, and vibrant. The cinematic scenes you will encounter will leave you feeling like you’re watching a great movie. And the mid-battle cutscenes? Those are absolutely wild and make for a fun experience.

The music has to be one of my favourite things about this game. Not only are there many songs that appropriately match the situation, but there are songs that will have you singing and bopping mid-play. There are a few guilty pleasures I do have with respect to my favourite soundtracks. While I’ll not say them here, I’ll leave you to think about what they could be.

So what did I think of Yakuza 0? It quickly became one of my all-time favorite games. I won’t stop playing it anytime soon, and there’s always something to do in-game. Don’t worry about money for value with this game! It’s worth every penny content and quality-wise, and it goes above and beyond with making a memorable experience. Get it, I tell you! I promise you won’t regret it!

You can purchase Yakuza 0 via the following platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows (Steam).

Reventure - Ending multiple things

Reventure, or re-re-re-re-re-re-re...adventure. Is a quick and easy to pick up RPG platformer that will allow you to finish the game in under a minute. But, you get to do it again,. and again and again a hundred times. Every ending has a different steam achievement and some are quite unique.

If you're just starting the game your quest is basically: Help the princess is kidnapped, get the sword and safe her please! So, you get the sword, and stab the nearest guy you see. The end.

That was fun! Let's get the sword and stab a guard instead. The end.

Why that king doesn't look like a friendly fellow, always telling me what to do - *STAB* - The End.

Stabbing crazy

As you can imagine, there aren't a hundred different NPCs to rudely stab in the face and end the game, that would get boring fast. But, there is a shovel, a grappling hook, bombs and various other items to find, and use on the various characters in the game.

What was a less than a minute adventure, suddenly became a multi-hour endeavor. Suddenly it's a puzzle game instead of an RPG. Sure you can grab the sword and run right out of the kingdom over the mountain... Wait you can also go under the mountain? Or through it? Oh, and grabbing an item reduces your jump height. And you can even go left. Hah, yeah that sounds crazy but Reventure is a multi-path 100 different endings game, obviously simply taking the same path to the end is not going to keep you entertained for long.

Secrets

The game has secret passages, more than a few even. What seems like a fairly straightforward game quickly becomes a swiss cheese of possibilities, and every so and then you find another route. Like taking the sword opens one path, but closes various others because of the jump height reduction. So, you skip the sword, go another route, take a shovel instead. Some of the secret passageways are easy to find - most will be glaringly obvious in fact and the game does a great job at teaching you about them. Some are more hidden, until you reach the "other side" of a passage. Suddenly you have a whole world full of holes you didn't realize, and skipping to take the sword becomes the most obvious thing in the world.

So, about that princess

While you were running around stabbing people, that princess was still waiting for you in the dark castle. Yes it's easy to get distracted from the main goal, but she IS a major plot "item", which will unlock a variety of new endings.

The game has a lot of lovely tongue in cheek humor, which certainly helped keep my interest. Hopefully it does for you as well. The (annoying) princess herself even claims "I hope you're not one of those adventurers who treats women like objects", heh, well, guess what sunshine? You ARE an item!

Progress

Now, even though the quest itself never changes - you aren't always the same adventurer. If you die, you might die and leave behind your legacy. The world is affected by your actions. Like killing that guard - well, he might be a corpse on the floor forever, just to remind you of what you DID to him.

That big fall, or rock crushing you into a pulp? That bloodstain is going to remain there forever! But there are more meaningful changes as well. New portals, extra shortcuts. You won't have to take that entire journey over the mountain, down the hills etc every single time. New pathways are unlocked both through discovery, but also because you did a whole lot of stabbin', and you didnae even need a license to do so.

In the end

You're going to stab everyone you see, at least once. Even the princess. Because you're curious if that'll unlock an extra ending. And you'll stab them again, just because you can.

The game is graphically super-simplistic, and that's perfectly fine. It even adds to the charm.

Reventure is a very fun game, and was overwhelmingly positive on steam for a long time. That should tell you a lot.

Release date: 4 Jun, 2019

System requirements: Your nokia from 20 years ago could probably run this.

The Survivalists: The Review

 

Lost in a deserted island…

Ever wondered how you’d fare out there in the wilderness, all by yourself? Ever wanted to play a game that reminded you of “The Escapists” if it fused with “Stardew Valley”, “Lost”, “Autonauts” and “Don’t Starve Together”? This is the title for you! The Survivalists is an action-adventure survivalist game. Team 17 both developed and released this title on October 9th, 2020. It follows up from its predecessor, “The Escapists”, where this time you’re washed onto the shores of a mysterious island filled with danger, wonder, and a ton of trained monkey helpers.

Everybody’s story starts out the same. You are washed up on a deserted island with the raft that you were traveling in. Your character appears tired, unkempt, and disheveled. So, what’s your goal? Exploring the uncharted territory of course! By using the items at your disposal to colonize it! After going through the basic tutorial, you finally can choose what you can dedicate your time to. Crafting, collecting items, exploring, or fending for yourself. Though there are so many things you can do around the island, survival is important. Training yourself on efficient ways to survive too. This title isn’t a game that you play for the story, but for feelings of creativity and satisfaction.

Don’t Starve meets Stardew Valley meets Lost, meets Autonauts.

So now let’s discuss the overall gameplay mechanics for The Survivalist. I was really impressed that the options provided accessible, dyslexic-friendly text, something that is often overlooked across many gaming titles. Basing my experience from playing on the Nintendo Switch, I am happy to state that the UI was clear and easy to interact with. There were some moments where it was sometimes fiddly. For example, when you are training monkeys to automate tasks. You can also play via online multiplayer too, with the option of up to 4 friends! Together, you can populate the island, and unlock various shopping, trading and fishing tasks. Or, you can play solo! Like any survival game, you start off with collating basic materials from rocks, trees and bushes.

You are also free to explore Zelda-like dungeons and caves, slaying orcs in your wake and acquiring monkey helpers that can help you build various items while you are out and about. In the meanwhile, you also have to worry and fend yourself and your base against thievery and assaults. The gameplay is ultimately down to your endurance and what you want to do with your time.

There are however, some caveats to take into account. As of writing this review, I have experienced data corruption with my save. It has only happened once, but I had to restart my playthrough from the beginning. This came as quite a bit of a surprise, and I lamented on the hours lost playing the game. I do believe that Team 17 are already aware of this issue, so if anyone else is currently experiencing this, know that they are on the case to resolve this across all platforms.

• 

Regular & improvements continues to breathe life into the game.

As seen in the images, the graphics are cute, functional, and somewhere between the 2D to 3D range. It is vibrant, easy on the eyes, and of course, pixelated. Though certain creatures and terrains look a little on the rough side, everything ran smoothly and I found little to no issues on the graphics front. There’s also a decent amount of customisation in game. While there are some good chiptunes in this title, I cannot in good faith say at this time that the music is great. I am however hopeful for the future and so far am enjoying The Survivalists as a whole.

All in all, I can hand in my heart say that I had a great time playing this game, despite the small technical issues I had with the save file. What with the regular updates happening soon, I am excited to see what Team 17 has to offer with “The Survivalists”. If you’re looking for that game to pass the time during lockdown, give this title a chance.

You can purchase The Survivalists via the following platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows (Steam)

Humble Choice September 2021

Humble Choice brings you 12 games for a fixed price every month. So, for many people the first Tuesday of the month is Humble Hype day - as a new bundle is released with a semi-random collection of indie games. Sometimes great titles, sometimes less so - but it's generally a pleasant surprise of mixed games for a decent value. Let's look at a few titles for the current month.

In general you'd pay about 9-12$ for 12 games depending on the deal you get from Humble when you pause a month. Otherwise it's around 18$ a month. You can always pause, and see whether you like the games - otherwise they unlock and you can simply claim the whole month and get straight to playing.

This month's titles

I'll be honest and tell you I paused this month. There weren't any BIG titles I was interest in, and I've got enough games in the backlog to trade for the ones that looked interesting this month. Still, everyone has different tastes and perhaps you're an avid golf fan. To me the headliner looked rather uninteresting compared to last month.

PGA tour 2k21

- It's a game about golf. This month's headliner. The graphics, I kid you not - are amazing,. but it's golf. You hit the ball and it flies away. I could literally not care less about this game unless it was on the Epic store.

Neon abyss

- Now, this one I made sure to get my hands on. 2D platformer, roguelike, graphically sound. Team17 is involved in it somehow - and they're a name I've long kept track of.

Not for broadcast

- Dystopian, point and click adventure - early access. Kind of looks weird but the reviews on steam are very good. Not my kind of game though.

Röki

- An adventure rich story based puzzle game. Very cute, worth keeping an eye on - or just trading for it.

Narita boy

- A 2D retro action platformer with some weird glow effect going on just to be "different". I wish they'd just gone with 2D and skipped the glow. Who knows you can turn it off - but for me it just feels like it's trying too hard.

West of dead

- Cell shaded (you know, 3D but looks 2D) roguelike western. It's an action shooter, and it looks sexy as heck. The steam reviews are above average, but maybe that's wishful thinking - still, it looks nice and feels very atmospheric.

Atomicrops

- This was one I just HAD to get my hands on asap. I saw one of our GGP members (Hitsu) playing this puppy earlier, and it looked stupid fun. 2D shooter farm sim. It's only a year since release and somehow made it into HBC. Get it!

Heaven's vault

- Narrated story driven puzzle adventure, there's a few tags that blend well together. Graphically sound and good reviews.

Swag and sorcery

- Looks better than it is according to the steam reviews - but still, it does look good. Reviews on steam are "mixed", so handle with care. It's cheap enough on it's own however, so shouldn't be too hard to trade for.

Fort triumph

- Turn based tactical RPG. Good fun, but turn based,. well - I've just not got the patience for these anymore unless they're REALLY good.

Orwell: ignorance is strength

- Dystopian, political sim with choices matter. Similar in a way to Not for broadcast above.

Framed collection

- A stylished panel by panel heist/noir adventure puzzle with the casual tag. Has a retro 60s feel to it, lots of black and white, but colored backgrounds.

Bombchu

For a more in-depth review about this month, I'd like to present you with the Bombchu crew review. They do a good job at playing all the games for a while and really getting you a good idea of what to expect this month from Humble Choice.

Golf With Your Friends: The Review

 

Why have friends if not to play Golf… With Your Friends!

Golf With Your Friends is a crazy golf simulation game developed and published by Blacklight Interactive, and it first came to shelves on January 2016. The idea of this game is similar to golf IRL, where you complete levels while attempting to achieve the lowest score in order to win. If there’s one thing I like more than Golf… it’s Crazy Golf. With this particular title, golfing will be as crazy as it gets, with huge tunnels, ramps and various deadly traps to boot. You’ll be raging into oblivion either by yourself or with your mates. With COVID-19 preventing most of us from attending such establishments IRL, this game provides us with more opportunities to enjoy chaotic golf at your own comfort.

Golf With Your Friends keeps a simplistic style when it comes to gameplay UI. The arcade mechanics and controls are easy to understand, and I had no trouble with figuring out what goes where. Depending on whether you will use a computer or controller, all you’ll need is a mouse and the keyboard or your controller to putt away. Then, you’ll have free reign to play golf however you like. Be warned though! The skill required to win lies in choosing your shot wisely. Seems simple, right? Well, not really! Even short putts require precise aim to sink. There are various modes you can select, from Classic, Dunk, Hockey, Explore, Party and your very own customizable mode. With the new update titled “The Deep”, players are now treated to an additional 18-hole course of crazy golf carnage. Want to speed-run losing friendships? I dare you to turn on collision mode.

A truly remarkable golfing game, whether you choose to golf with friends or solo.

Let’s look into what online/local multiplayer has to offer. You can play with up to 12 friends in multiplayer mode, which I feel is a good balance for a game like this. The lobby provides filters to separate password servers from non-password ones and is essential to matchmaking. Though the game has yet to offer cross-play like other titles, there are other ways to set up a lobby with friends. For example, you can send steam invites to friends on the computer. With the switch, you can add people that are already there on your friend’s list. The online play seemed pretty consistent, thus I was able to have plenty of fun without fear of lag.

Visually speaking, the graphics looked simply stunning and was wonderful to look at. Additionally, each theme had its cool little quirks, soundtracks and sets of traps that put the crazy into golf. Moreover, the music tracks provided per theme gave each themed part of the golf park a sense of fun and authenticity.

Collision mode on or off? You decide…

This is a solid golfing game that is best played with friends. I can 100% guarantee that it’ll maximise entertainment for the evening, and most importantly, provide fun memories for you and your friends to look back on. Furthermore, it contains an excellent development team that listens to the community and wants to drastically improve this game. All in all, it’s a perfect game that you can always come back to. With all the updates offered by the development team, it’s worth every penny.

You can purchase Golf With Your Friends on Microsoft Windows (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Week #6? Community Content Review & Community Event Winners

 

Sorry for another belated post! I missed last week! By the way, from now on, keep an eye out for these posts on Mondays instead of Sundays! So the following post will feature content and themes from the past week up until Monday and continue henceforth.

Monday, September 6 is Labor Day in the States where I'm writing this from and that means the first day of no school. What's your favorite bank holiday in your country? Maybe it's one you don't traditionally celebrate but you get the day off from work or school.

While we're on that topic, let's get this week started with Zurgat's recipe for brownies - without butter! He says, "yep, avocado can be used to substitute butter in many recipes as a healthier alternative." Interesting, sounds like something to sneak into a potluck and not tell anyone it's healthy until after they've tried a bite!

 Azure Stars Part Five

Her custom, original whale-like serpentine race!

Sylvia continues from the last part, "Several hours later (...) Throne room in the Imperial Spire"

She is up to part five of her online novel and it is free to read for anyone interested! It is a sci-fi drama about a young Basilosauri woman who is caught up in intrigue and intergalactic politics.

The story will be posted regularly at https://azurestarsv.blogspot.com/. You can read the first part here.

MissMijo Streams on Twitch

Continuing the RV crafting in a screenshot from August 31!

MissMijo is streaming again on her channel, huffing glue gluing stuff with friends in her cute and crafty streams! We think the RV is turning out lovely. So go check her out and say that we sent you!

Check out her VODs and drop her a follow here at MissMijo on Twitch!

Bordeaux Is Making Gameplay Videos!

Bordeaux has been busy indeed posting in our #community-content channel (by the way, have you joined our discord yet?) and we're glad to see him! He's posting demos and gameplay videos for various up-and-coming indie games. World Turtles is a game that I've had my eye on myself, check out his commentary-free video above, or follow his Twitter for more gameplay videos and see what strikes your fancy here at Indie Connoisseur! 

Bonus text review for a game called Sky Beneath on G.Round: https://gameround.medium.com/g-round-reviewing-sky-beneath-9693c12cf1c8

Volpe Conquers His Backlog

Last but not least, if you need some motivation or want to help motivate our friend, check out Volpe's Backlog Assassin's report card! He is trying to post reviews for his wins and his gaming backlog in general from what I understand and that's always an admirable feat. I think most of us have a backlog staring at us. So go leave a comment for him here and check out his reviews of games he's played at Volpe's Backlog Assassins page.

Voted On By You

I missed last week so this time we have a *drumroll please* double post of community event winners! I wish to keep this short and sweet though so I will only be showing last week's winner! Be sure to stop by #event-submissions to see the runners-up!

Be sure to join and participate if interested! Remember that these topics are voted on at our Discord by YOU!

Top winner of 1000 EXP in last week's theme CLASSICS!

Sylvia shared with us a 1972 Dodge Charger she took a photo of in a mall! Congrats!

This week had a funny theme! We decided to have you draw a pug... badly. Let's see the winners!

This week's winners! (TIE)

Zoko even named this file Cursed.jpg

Slide

Second Place Winner!

Sylvia

Third Place Winners!

La Volpe

Random Voter Bonus! Urusam: 250 EXP!

See you next week!

Don't forget to join our Discord at https://discord.gg/mvKnpva to join in the community to share your pics, your projects, and your passions! More info located at our Discord and in the intro of the first community post. 

Thanks for being part of what makes this community great! 

Gina out! 💜

Nippon Marathon: The Review

 

A race worth running for!

Let’s talk about a slightly different entry. Something wacky! That brings you back to the days when you watched Takeshi’s Castle. We’re talking about none other than Nippon Marathon, a game lovingly created by Onion Soup Interactive on February 16, 2018. As the name suggests, this is kind of a racing game, but it’s not the racing or marathon that you are used to. You will be trying your luck as a player to race across Japan in races short and long. Not only will you see various topographies, but you will also be avoiding various obstacles, opponents, and hazards to get through to the finish line.

Let’s touch on the story first. You have the option to select between 4 characters. From this, you will see from their point of view why they entered the Nippon Marathon, what their dreams and aspirations are, and their journey through the marathon itself. It’s done in a way that almost looks like a visual novel. It’ll take a semi-experienced player about 2-3 hours to complete their first run. Like all racing games, regardless of what mode is selected, the goal of the game is always to get from point A to point B. There are items you can pick up along the way that can either assist or hurt you.

Most extreme elimination challenges ahoy!

Nippon Marathon features several more modes in addition to its story mode. We have a versus mode where you can locally play with up to four other individuals. You or other players can always switch in and out of this mode when playing. Alternatively, there are always AI bots you can race against! You also don’t need to worry about which screen to look at either, as the camera will follow the faster runners in general.

There’s also the party mode, which can be great for a bigger group of friends. With this mode, you and your friends can play various mini-games, such as a game of PIG, where the player who loses each round gets a letter. The best thing about Nippon Marathon is that it is not all about racing. There are secondary goals you need to meet to progress the game. For example, it doesn’t always matter who is the fastest. You would need to look at other factors such as “popularity”.

Onto the graphics! Hear me out on this, while it won’t win awards for stellar graphics, it fits perfectly with the wack and wild premise of the game. It encapsulates the feeling of watching a Japanese Game Show and Takeshi’s Castle. Its duty is not to wow but to get you to laugh out loud. The character models function to the same degree as Goat Simulator or Goat of Duty. Bodies will contort and flay in all kinds of places. This is especially true if you accidentally fall into traps or if you’re not fast enough during the race.

Smoke me a kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast.

And now, for the music! There are some really fun soundtracks in the game, that pick and mix elements of Japanese genre music often found in game shows. You’d be impressed to find out that the sound effects and the commentating during each race make it feel all the more like you are watching a Japanese game show.

My final impressions as a whole are generally positive with respect to this game. It’s a hidden gem in the steam store for party games. It’s charming in its own way and I can see how this could be seen as an acquired taste for some since humor in Japan hits different from the humor at home. I feel it has a marvelous amount of replayability, and lots of items to unlock. Worth every penny!

You can find Nippon Marathon on Steam.

You can also find it on the Nintendo Switch E-Shop, Xbox, Playstation 4 and the Humble Store.