Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek from Publisher GameMill Entertainment and Developer PHL Collective
Classic Goosebumps with a new story not available in the book series. Different endings gives it replayability. Age appropriate challenge level on puzzles and game play.
A game based on R.L. Stine’s book series with an original goosebumps story. Filled with mysteries, monsters, haunted locations, puzzles, and spells.
You play as Sloane Spencer, a young teen caught up in a mystery that has taken over Little Creek, the small town. You work together with your friends to solve the mystery. You are equipped with a Slingshot that can be used on enemies as well as used to solve some of the puzzles or for hints to solve the puzzles. There are other items you will find while exploring the town, you will come across newspapers and notes which provide the exposition. You will also be able to find clues for the puzzles near most of the puzzles. Making the puzzles rather easy for older gamers but on theme for the Goosebumps audience being a little younger. The game is rated “Everyone 10+”. As the story progresses you will find a spell book that will also help you explore the town, using secret passageways, solve puzzles and get items. Some of the puzzles will reveal a new spell that will be needed to progress the story.
The story is easy to follow along with a few red herrings to keep you guessing till the end. While exploring the small town you will need to go to several of the town’s locations including the cemetery, library, gas station, and theater. It seems to us there are a few too many fetch quests and recycled locations having you circle back to the same place after getting a new spell in order to open a new path.
Most of the game can be played using the stealth mechanic to avoid the majority of the enemies. Alternatively, you can choose combat using your slingshot to take out most of the smaller enemies. There are different types of slingshot ammo to find and collect from vending machines or hidden in filing cabinets, drawers, and on top of desks. Some of these additional ammo types can be used to take out the larger enemies or for a distraction.
There are some times where using the stealth mechanic is the only way to get past the “boss” areas. At times the bosses will spot you and chase you. If this happens, you will need to run and find places to hide. This doesn’t always work though, as we have had times that the boss found us in the hiding spot and caused damage. This part seemed a little broken to us in some cases as the boss couldn’t have seen us enter the hiding place but somehow knew we were there to attack. Most of the time you will need to wait out the boss and watch their movement patterns till the coast is clear. We did have a few times where the boss kept going around in a circle blocking us in a room. None of this was game breaking as long as you have a health item; which the game has a lot of so that was never an issue.
We did notice a weird graphic issue. While using the slingshot and looking down, Sloane’s arms move through her body. It wasn’t game breaking but did look pretty weird.
The game has multiple endings based on choices you make during your gameplay. It’s always nice to see your choices matter in a game. Since the endings are based on the choices you have during the game and there is no “chapter select” it will require another full game playthrough.
Overall, we liked the story and puzzles. They are age appropriate for the target audience but older gamers may find them to be too simple.
Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek is available on Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Playstation and Steam. A digital copy of this game was provided to SimpleGameReviews for the purposes of reviewing the game.
Split Fiction from Publisher Electronic Arts and Developer Hazelight Studios
Fantastic story and characters. Immaculate game mechanics and some of the best co-op game play we’ve seen.
A co-op game which blends the sci-fi and fantasy worlds into one. You play as one of two aspiring writers Mio, the Sci-fi writer, and Zoe, the Fantasy writer, who are invited to come to a publisher’s offices to get published. Upon arrival at the publisher’s offices, Mio, Zoe, and the other aspiring writers are connected to a virtual reality machine that simulates and records their stories directly from the writer’s imagination. As you might have guessed, something goes wrong. Two writers accidentally get connected to the same pod. This starts to blend the stories from both writers’ imaginations together. You two must work together to escape from the machine.
Each of the levels alternate between a Sci-fi or Fantasy theme based on one of the writer’s stories. They have their own unique locations, visually impressive backgrounds, mechanics, and abilities. There are also side missions/mini-stories that you can encounter in many of the levels. Some of the mini-stories feature more unique mechanics, extra exposition, and character development as well as help build the relationship between Zoe and Mio.
The levels start out a little simpler and more comedic (in one level you get to play as magic pigs) but as you start learning about the characters and their back stories, the levels become a little more personal and challenging. While there are core game mechanics that carry over between the different levels, there are also many mechanics that are specific to the level and the story being played out in it. The game features a variety of puzzles, some of which require a little more timing and coordination between players than others. Each chapter in the game has a boss fight at the end based on the story being played out in that chapter. All of the boss battles help progress the main story perfectly. In the later parts of the game the boss battles become more than just a simple boss fight, it’s a fight through their personal traumas for the characters.
There are references to previous Hazelight games here and there. They’re done very nicely and add a fun little Easter Egg for people who get the references.
The game really shines when it comes to the writing. It’s fantastic. All of the characters feel real and engaging. As you start to care and become invested in these people the story really has emotional impact. The trauma that each of the characters overcomes feels so real like it might have happened to one of the game writers.
Even though the game is split screen co-op, we found that we were so focused on our own character and everything that was happening in our own part of the screen that we missed what was happening to the other. This added another reason to replay the story as you can choose the other character just to catch everything you missed.
The game has a couch co-op option, which is how we played the game, but it also has online co-op. One great bonus with this game is that it comes with a friend pass which means only 1 person needs to own the game for both to play. The developer has done this with previous co-op games they’ve released which makes it a lot easier to convince a friend to play with you.
Overall, we loved this game. The story was great, the characters felt real, the locations were beautiful, and the game mechanics with the flow back and forth between sci-fi and fantasy were incredible. Hazelight really does co-op right and sets a standard that other co-op games should strive for.
Split Fiction is available on Xbox, Nintendo Switch 2, Playstation 5 and Steam
Cats and Seek : Dino Park from Publisher Silesia Games and Developer Noobzilla
Quirky cats hiding in a Dino themed park. More color customization options than you can shake a stick at. Peaceful and fun search and find game.
A simple hide and seek game starring Cats in a Dinosaur themed park. There are a total of 5 hand drawn pictures with 100 cats you must find hiding throughout the park. Each level also has some bonus Birds or Bees to find.
Sounds pretty simple, and it is, but where the game shines in with the details for each Cat. With each of the 500 cats you find, you get a brief card with their name and a little something written about them. If you have cats or have had cats before, you’ll appreciate the details even more as they fit very well. That is true about their hiding spots too since most of the cats are hiding in trees, boxes, and hanging from the walls/fences.
The game has simple controls with the standard zoom in and out and the thumbsticks to move the screen and cursor. It also has a help find button which moves the camera and puts a circle of stars around the area of a hidden cat. One of the little additions that we loved is when you get to the last 10 cats on a level you start to hear the cats meow when they are on screen. This helps you locate the remaining cats without using the help find button.
The game has a surprising amount of color customization options. This adds something extra for anyone who might have some visual impairments or who might have photosensitivity as you can change the colors of the background, lines, and even what color the cat becomes once you find them.
Between the simple controls, massive amount of color options, and cats, it’s easy to see why anyone would enjoy this game no matter their age.
Overall we really enjoyed this and it reminded us of some of the “find the hidden X” games we played as kids.
Cats & Seek Dino Park is available on Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Playstation and Steam
Nick Jr. Party Adventure from Publisher Outright Games and Developer Melbot Studios
Solid kids game enjoyable for both kids and former kids that grew up with these Nick Jr characters.
Nick Jr. Party Adventure is an autorunner platformer full of Nick Jr characters. You play along with 25 familiar characters from six popular shows from Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues, PAW Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, and a few others.
Dora is having a Fiesta and needs your help to pick up guests and party favors. There are a total of 6 different worlds based on classic Nick Jr characters. While playing through the worlds, you will need to use springs to make your character jump and move platforms into different positions to keep your character moving. You will also have other guests/characters join your party to help you pick up the party favors and collectibles.
There are a lot of character customizations that you unlock by playing levels and picking up the collectibles. These unlocked accessories are also based on the world of the Nick Jr character you are currently in (ie: Dora the explorer’s Hair Clip or shoes or Chase’s Pup Pack from Paw Patrol). Don’t worry if you miss one as all levels can be replayed once completed.
The game was designed for a younger audience with bright colors and Nick Jr characters. The game has a great save system as it autosaves after every level making it easier to play for short time frames as well as for short attention spans.
The platforming is really easy as you can’t really fail the levels. If you miss the platform your character will have a magic bubble form around them and move them back to a previous safe platform. This is also where the simple controls come into play. You will use a button or thumb stick to move the objects or bounce from the springs. Each time a new item for you to interact with is introduced you are provided with a simple tutorial letting you know what to do and how to do it.
There were a few things that became repetitive. Once you collect the other 3 characters and have them in your party you will need to complete the level with each party member no matter if you picked up the levels collectibles or not. The catchphrase sound clips that the main character of the world says is the same every time you complete a level and becomes a little much. The in game music is different for each world and is based on music from their show. Unfortunately, it is a short clip on a loop and is the same for every level in that world.
We did run into a few issues that broke the level but restarting the level fixed the issues. We have also reported those issues to the publisher and they are forwarding the info to the Devs.
Overall even though we aren’t the target audience, we did enjoy the game for what it was.
Nick Jr. Party Adventure is available on Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Playstation and Steam. A digital copy of this game was provided to SimpleGameReviews for the purposes of reviewing the game.
Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III from Publisher United Games Entertainment and Developer Taito
New chapter in a retro classic. Different game modes give both a classic retro game experience or provide more modern quality of life features.
A classic platformer brought to current consoles. For anyone who remembers Bubble Bobble from the NES days, this is a new version of the game where Bub and Bob have been turned back into humans. For those who are new to the series, Bub and Bob were dragons who blow bubbles to capture enemies.
The duo is back, on an adventure to save their solar system. There are a total of 8 planets to save, each with their own theme and enemy types. All of the planets end in a boss fight that provides a bit of a challenge. If you can learn the pattern, you can make it out of the boss fights without losing a life. As expected the later levels and bosses become harder and more challenging the further you make it.
The Parasol is used for both offense and defense. It can attack enemies, shield you from attacks, allow you to float around the levels, and collect water drops for charged attacks. After attacking an enemy you can turn them into projectiles to attack other enemies or to collect items for points. The game kept the retro classic controls from when you only had 2 buttons; one for attack, one for jump, and the D-pad or thumbstick for movement. Mixing that with the colorful pixel art style and the repetitive soundtrack really hits the nostalgia sweet spot and makes it an easy game for anyone to pick up and play for any gamer, young or older.
There are 2 different game modes to play; Arcade and Standard Mode. Arcade mode is the way the game was intended to be played as this is the only mode you can unlock achievements in. Standard mode gives you a lot of other options including cheats codes for unlimited lives, invincibility, multi-jump, and a few others. This makes the game a lot easier and more accessible. There are also some quality of life additions to the game like saving and rewinding the gameplay.
Sadly, the game is a little short as it can be completed in a little over an hour depending on skill and has little to no story but that was pretty standard for most retro games.
There is a high score challenge for 1 or 2 players. There are also leaderboards for the challenges letting you sort between friends and global leaderboard. Depending on how much you care about the leaderboard this is where the game’s replayability comes in.
Just like the original games, there is local co-op for the modes and the 2 player high score challenge.
Overall, I really enjoyed the game and was definitely hit in the nostalgic feels. The cheat codes and quality of life improvements they added for Standard mode are always great to see in updated retro games.
Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III is available on Xbox, Nintendo Switch and Playstation. A digital copy of this game was provided to SimpleGameReviews for the purposes of reviewing the game.
Cat and Ghostly Road from Publisher Sometimes You and Developer BOV Games
Fairly standard point and click game play mechanics. Enjoyable story and characters. Very nice art with extras in “Cat Vision”.
This is a point-and-click game where you play a cat going on a journey to recover your master’s soul.
You start out as a cat walking around in the snow and get into some trouble. Your cries for help are heard by an artist who saves you and brings you in from the cold adopting you. All seems pretty normal, until one night when an evil spirit attacks the artist and takes his soul.
It’s time for you to go on a journey to defeat the spirit and recover your master’s soul and save his life.
Like most point-and-click games you will be going to different locations, picking up items, and combining them to see what you can make. You also have a special “Cat Vision” that lets you see into the spirit realm. You will use this ability very often to find items or clues to solve the puzzles. One of the nice quality of life additions present in this game is the option to press the LB Button to get a visual indicator (shining star effect) for items or objects you can interact with. This helps you identify what you can and can’t interact with. It also helps save time trying to figure out what you might’ve missed. We ended up spamming this very often when accessing a new area or just going back to a previous area when we got stuck. If you get stuck, remember to check to see what items you can combine.
There are some mini games and puzzles throughout the game that you need to complete before being able to move on. You get an unlimited amount of tries on these so there’s no need to worry if you fail them a few times. There is a sneaky one towards the end of the game that took us a few tries before figuring out the secret (Hint: Cat Vision). We ended up over-thinking some of the puzzles and making them harder than they needed to be. Remember, the game wants you to figure it out and the hint is normally nearby.
There are standard fetch quests, getting an item from here and bringing it to there to use it, that are standard for most point-and-click games.
You could tell the game was designed for a PC with the pointer that moves like a mouse. But they did a good job mapping it to a controller with one thumbstick moving the character and the other moving the pointer.
The one issue we had was that the movement speed felt a little slow for both the character and the pointer. We would have loved to see a movement speed option in the menu so we could speed that up.
Overall we enjoyed the game, the story, and the characters but the art style might have been the best part. The backgrounds look great and have a little added extra when using Cat Vision.
Cat and Ghostly Road is available on Xbox, Playstation, Steam, Windows and Nintendo Switch. A digital copy of this game was provided to SimpleGameReviews for the purposes of reviewing the game.
