Spearpoint Reviews

The Binding of Isaac (BOI)-developed in 2011 by a small independent team-is a procedurally-generated dungeon crawling roguelike experience with a sequel of the same name. In this game, you take the role of Isaac, a young boy who is compelled to flee into the basement of his home after his mother is inspired to sacrifice him to gain the favor of her deity. As can be expected from the description, BoIhas a grim-dark backing with religious concepts and references, as well as wonderful integration of said themes through its soundtrack and visual design. For review context, I do have more experience with this title than my Steam account may suggest, and have enjoyed even spectating this game with friends tremendously. Here are just a few reasons to take a dive into the basement nude and afraid: Story - As stated previously, you begin play as a very young child whose mother has driven him into hiding after she was influenced by her deity to sacrifice Isaac in His name. Hints about prior ...

I realize that my tenure within my Blogspot page has only begun, but I will be going out of town for a while on vacation starting tonight. It is very much needed currently. I will do what I can to prepare for upcoming content while away, as I have a review for Paper Sorcerer started. I hope everyone has a great week, and thanks for reading.

***I would like to give special thanks to my brother yet again for enduring the proofing of these reviews. Much love to you as always. Go All Out! (GAO!) is an Early Access two-dimensional fighting game developed by Blue Sunset Games. As with the Early Access model, GAO! currently features a limited selection of game modes, characters, and unlockable assets such as skins and costumes. This review will be updated periodically to reflect the ongoing critique of the product. I should also note that I received this title from Steam Curator Connect, but have no personal or business ties to the parent company or product. Here are a few reasons to go all in in GAO!: Characters - There are three in-game personalities which the player can select at this time of writing: Graphite the stone golem, Erica the staff-wielder, and Vaako the kobold-esque projectile launcher. Each has their own general, charged, and special attacks, as well as varying statistical values pertaining to health, damag...

”Man is the highest being in creation, because he attains to freedom.” -Swami Vivekananda ***I would like to give a very special thanks to my good friend, X Phantom, for enduring the girth of my lengthiest review yet! You are a real trooper, chief, but an even greater friend. As an avid fanatic of the choreographed sport, wrestling’s storylines, characters, booking, and overall grandeur has fascinated me for a majority of my life. Even the products have had an enormous Impact (pun intended) on my Entertainment (refer to the previous parentheses), as my brother and I would play every Smackdown! vs. RAW title to hit shelves, sinking countless hours into each year’s rendition of grappling showdown; our favorites had always been those that were more simplistic, focusing primarily on gameplay such as that in WWF No Mercy. Fire Pro Wrestling World holds many similarities to the latter game in that, though it does not incorporate alluring graphical quality, it concentrates its efforts on...

”Victory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat.” -Malcom S. Forbes ***Before beginning, I would like to give a special thanks to my brother, Cold Dingo [33rd], for proofing this lengthy review so early in the morning when I am certain he would have preferred sleep. Your selflessness was not overlooked. Creatio Ex Nihilo: Aition-literally translated from Latin as, “creation from nothing: cause”-is a turn-based strategy roleplaying title depicting the inception of the universe from a being known as Uros. As an avid fanatic of Dungeons & Dragons, this title struck my interest considering much of the former lore from the tabletop game stemmed from Greek mythology as does CEN:A. Even though the concept of this project is intriguing, the execution does appear to lack polish. Here are some things that provoke discussion with this title: Writing – As described previously, Uros is described as the being of creation: a god before gods. With this, you as Uros experience various story ...

”Nothing that is expressed is obscene. What is obscene is what is hidden.” -Nagisa Oshima ***Before beginning, I would like to give a special thanks to my ex-fiancé for proofing this review for me. Credit where credit is due. What some consider to be an Indie gem while others plea confusion as to the course of this title, The Stanley Parable is a game about choice and consequence, with moderately brief journeys being the focus of play. The player takes control of Stanley, an office worker whose position entails the pressing of buttons throughout the day; the operation of these simple devices is his sole function, until one bizarre day, all of his coworkers vanish. From here Stanley leaves his office unprompted in search of some answers. I will do my best to refrain from writing this review in the identical joking tone of most writings, though the comedy in this title is infectious. Here are just a few reasons to give this memorably fantastic game a try: Atmosphere - This title...

Someone set up us the bomb. -Mechanic, Zero Wing ***I would like to give a special thanks to my friend, X Phantom, for proof-reading this review before beginning. Dirty Bomb is a class-driven first-person shooter developed by Splash Damage centered around player-versus-player skirmishes. There are multiple game modes to compete in, as well as various stages to strategize and characters to either unlock or purchase. As a disclaimer towards this game and review, I do not purchase downloadable content packages for free-to-play titles because I believe that such games require enough composition to deter from said acquisitions. I also must say that, though it does take time, nearly everything this title has to offer can be unlocked without using its transaction-based in-game currency. Here are just a few reasons to give Dirty Bomb a go (other than it being free, of course): Gameplay - Dirty Bomb holds a very interesting strategic aspect unlike many first person shooters: five varyi...

”Hail to the King, baby.” -Ashley Williams With the myriad of video games that have been introduced throughout the years depicting intense scenes of hardship, degradation, and redemption, I am certain there are some characters that would prefer to just take it easy and play some table games every now and then. Poker Night 2 (PN2), the sequel to the ever-popular Poker Night At The Inventory, was published by in 2013 by Telltale Games, and allows the player to ante-in to a one-game poker tournament with individuals the likes of Brock Samson from the Venture Bros. television show, Claptrap from the Borderlands series, Sam from the classic Sam and Max detective adventures, and-my personal favorite-Ashley Williams from the Evil Dead/Army of Darkness trilogy. Poker Night 2 is exactly as you expect it to: as a card game computer simulator; there’s really no explanation needed for this. However, this title offers much more than just a deck of cards and green felt. Here are a few reasons t...

One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure. -William Feather ***I would like to give a special thanks to Earl[33rd] for proof-reading this review and for initially presenting this title to me. Developed by Indie studio Smoking WOLF and released on February 28, 2014, One Way Heroics (OWH) is a two-dimensional procedurally-generated roguelike in which an increasing threat of dark essence jeopardizes every individual in the expanse. You play as a custom character on a trek to defeat the Demon Lord, a powerful entity that imperils the world with the motivation toward total destruction. Before meeting the tendrils of corruption, the player must endure a certain distance-decided when choosing the various game settings-while destroying hostile creatures. Here are a few items of interest within OWH: Gameplay - Aside from other roguelikes, this title’s complexity is derived from its tactical display rather than gameplay, as One Way Heroics utilizes a turn-ba...

The only thing we have to fear is Fear itself. -Franklin D. Roosevelt ***As a small disclaimer toward this review, though I do not have many recorded hours through Steam for this game, I typically had played it offline and have progressed much further than my online hours would anticipate. Also, I would like to give thanks to Demo_187 and Brother Tasty for proofreading this for me. Horror game fanatics of many generations know this title to be one of the most influential in the genre. Amnesia: The Dark Descent -commonly referred to as, simply, Amnesia-is a first-person psychological thriller set in an aged castle-like structure. The player ventures through the massive compound without memory of previous events with the hope of departing said area, never to return. This title is certainly becoming dated, but frets revealing this with its unique exploration approach to gameplay, as well as the ominous theme that persists. Here are a few points of interest in this engaging title: ...

***Before rambling, I would like to give a special thanks to Brother Tasty and my actual brother, TableTerrorsMatt, for proof-reading this review. Deus Ex is a stealth action game created by Ion Storm in the year 2000. Now this legendary entry in the gaming industry is considered one of the most innovative of all time to many, included in its theme of stealth, roleplaying, choice, action, exploration, and many other labels, as its popularity has transcended since its creation. In Deus Ex, you play as protagonist JC Denton, an operative for UNATCO who’s primary focus is to thwart a terrorist organization, NSF’s, tactics, such as the theft of a chemical weapon known as Ambrosia. The player given primary and optional objectives during the briefing for each mission, and then are allowed free reign to complete said objectives in, pretty much, any way they wish. Here are a few items that I found of interest in Deus Ex: Roleplaying - As protagonist JC Denton, players traverse various st...

***Before beginning, I would like to give a special thanks to X Phantom for critiquing this review. Much can be said about the successes of dungeon crawling roleplaying games preceding the Diablo series. Torchlight, however, has lived up to, if not exceeded, the expectations of the genre has set throughout its creation over twenty years ago. What I call ‘colorful Diablo,’ Torchlight II is, as stated, a dungeon crawling roleplaying game set in a fantasy environment with various classes and subsequent styles of play. This title maintains a steampunk theme and a few fan-made overhauls may alter simple displays such as the health meter, but may range to altering the system entirely. I have played this title solo, with friends, and online-though this final occurrence can be rare due to the lack of an overall online community-and can honestly declare that any group size is adequate for play. Here are just a few things that I found of interest in this title: Multiplayer - Though Torchli...

Viridi is a three-dimensional potted garden simulation created with Unity by an Indie group for free download on Steam. This is not a game, but more-so a casual experience in which selected plants grow in real-time as players manage their personal foliage. I was skeptical of Viridi at first since it presents few microtransaction choices, but I soon began to warm up to this intriguing title. Here are a few items that kept my interest in Viridi: Gameplay - This title does not boast much in terms of complexity, yet does it require such a pronouncement. In Viridi, the player selects a set of seedling that they have the intention of nurturing in a gardening pot, with the option of purchasing additional seeds from the title’s storepage. Positioned seeds and formed plants require watering, the pulling of surrounding weeds, and-with a calming soundtrack to accompany-singing to in order to retain a healthy status. The player may also maneuver and remove items in the pot, as well as the slow...

***I would like to give a special thanks to RoosterTheRed for proof-reading this review. E.Y.E is a first-person shooter roleplaying game set in a futuristic society in which several factions compete for resources and overall control. You play as a custom character comprised of a chosen set of skills, races, and equipment; as with many other roleplaying titles, these attributes can be altered during the game’s course. Though complex in the beginning, E.Y.E delivers a fantastic overall theme that only enhances the gameplay and in-game decisions. This game includes solo, cooperative, and competitive play options, though it is recommended to play this game with friends or other individuals you know given the fact that the online community is quite scarce in number; this should not be too much of an issue since the base game presents a wide array of playability. Here are just a few things I found of interest in Blat-Blat: Sneaky Shiz (inside joke): Roleplaying Aspects - Within E.Y.E’...

First of all I would like to give a special thanks to an anonymous friend who purchased Project Zomboid for me some time ago. To be honest, I do not believe anything I say can bring justice to how fantastic this game is to me. Though I will attempt to keep this review as professional as possible, I do apologize if there are outbursts of bias within the contest. Project Zomboid is a top-down zombie survival game in which the player must create a character destined to die in the world with the goal of determining exactly how long they survived during the grueling face of an overrun population, with plagued populations of undead serving as the opposing force. Since this game is currently in Early Access at the time of this review’s posting, it does not yet contain all of the features that are planned for the full release. However, in its current build, I would recommend it at its current sale price. Here are just a few of the things that make Project Zomboid such an amusing title: The...

Brought to you by the minds at Playdead, LIMBO is a bleak puzzle-platforming title that follows the bizarre trials of an unnamed adolescent as he journeys through perilous territories. Though the boy is simplistically presented, portraying no characteristics of audio cues, and the puzzles require much experimentation to achieve completion, the story it has to tell is engaging, as the protagonist perils through increasingly difficult struggles that occur subsequent to each other in a search for his lost sister. Here are a few items that I enjoyed about LIMBO: Gameplay - LIMBO holds a striking comparison to other Indie titles when it comes to the control layout: it is entirely straightforward. As you may or may not have experienced in prior games, this title utilizes the directional keys for basic movement-with down allowing your character to drop down and grab onto a ledge-, the Space Bar to jump, and the Control key to interact with objects and the environment itself; others have s...

“Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader-not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.” -E.L. Doctorow With a style reminiscent of classic roleplaying titles, Greyfox is a story-driven game in which players control a young woman who has just recently retired from her career to live in the modest town of, aptly named, Greyfox. This game was created with RPG Maker and involves making difficult decisions while progressing, and with much more to discover throughout the township. Though rather short in duration, it is quite enjoyable, and the dialogue is impressive. Here are a few items that I enjoyed and found compelling about Greyfox: Story - As explained, Greyfox is centered around a young woman who is relieving herself from work for the final time to retire in a the remote town of Greyfox. The player discovers secrets within the community, as well as between its members, in a well-written adventure that spans over several periods; the di...

This review will be a bit shorter due to the overall lack of reviewable content within this title, as it took me seven minutes to complete my first playthrough. This was also done offline, hence why I have few hours posted according to Steam. the static speaks my name is a highly simplistic title that presents a night in the life of Jacob, a thirty-one year old male whose fate is outlined before the player takes control of the individual. This title is very short in duration, but required a few playthroughs by myself to investigate the area more intricately. The game does well to retain an eerie feel while also not sacrificing sadistic messages throughout; the final objective is inevitable and known from the beginning. I would recommend this title to anyone who enjoys short duration exploration-themed titles, and urge players to investigate the area thoroughly before completing said final objective. Do you feel this review helped in any way? Feel free to visit my Curator Page at Sp...

From Blue Manchu comes the simple and fun free-to-play turn-based strategy game, Card Hunter. This Dungeons and Dragons-themed title melds customizable characters and roles with a combat systems that can be learned with very little play time. There are little-to-know pay-to-win features, utilizing the in-game currency (pizzas) for mostly cosmetic character items; pizzas can also be earned at certain points of the game, and players should not find it truly necessary to purchase theses pizzas unless they wish to support the developers in this admittedly fun title. This game can be quite humorous, and the dialogue and text can be quite interesting, so that is another plus. Here are just a few reasons to Roll for Initiative in Card Hunter: Gameplay - Card Hunter utilizes a grid in which to structure battles. Depending on which stage the characters find themselves in, hostile figures, obstacles, and backdrops will differ from previous encounters. There-in lies a question directed from n...

17.8 hrs on record Set in Columbia, an impossible floating city comprised of a multitude of structures, Bioshock Infinite approaches a similar layout to the first game in the series-not taking into account the System Shock video games-and redefines it from a horror-based open-world story set in the underwater city of Rapture to a more linear swashbuckling adventure with intricate combat sequences as well as platforming elements. I understand that a lot of individuals who favored the first game did so because of very specific ideals-myself being one of them-but I must admit that Bioshock Infinite is still a solid, enjoyable experience; they are both special in their own ways, and should both be given a chance. You play as Booker Dewitt as he travels to said city of Columbia in search of a young woman, Elizabeth, whom he plans to hand over to wipe away a debt he owes; this results in an exciting tale of hardship and intense action. Here are just a few of the features that I enjoyed ab...

Brought to you by The Behemoth development crew, Castle Crashers is a four-player hack ‘n’ slash three-dimensional side-scrolling title that rivals and is reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara…well, if it held a different tone. Castle Crashers retains a resonance with the cast of the game, featuring the likes of Dan Paladin, Will Stamper, and several others, and mashes comedy into the classic ‘your princess is in another castle’ story arch. This title features four base knights-green, blue, red, and orange-with varying powers, and adds Hatty Hattington to the roster if you own BattleBlock Theater for Steam; there are also twenty other unlockable characters as well as two purchasable knights, but I will speak further on the said two in a later section. Here are a few things that I find interesting about Castle Crashers: Leveling System - Players have to put in some work to level up, as experience is granted based more-so on enemies routed and hits connected than...

Heavily resembling an earlier 8-bit game-hence the name-, Retro City Rampage DX is an open-world top-down self-aware adventure filled with popular culture references from the 1980s. The player takes the roll of a character name Player who resembles a greaser ‘cool kid’ from its said zone of reference. With heavy influence from the Destructoid crew (back when Jim Sterling was involved), this game features an abundance of weapon types, game and player modifications, and humorous themes. Apart from the content I would like to feature in the exposition of this review, a very noteworthy act by the creators of Retro City Rampage was the free update involving the Director’s Cut (DX) edition, which was supplemented to each other platform as well as Steam. Here are just a few reasons to give this game a try: Open World - Similar to the first two Grand Theft Auto titles, Retro City Rampage DX utilizes a top-down open-world approach, which permits the exploration of the vast overworld on foot...

”Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you?” -Master Yoda Tiny and Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers is a relatively short Indie title that follows the story of an individual-with a murmuring voice similar to that of Tom Kenny's cartoonish stylings-named Tiny as he embarks on a journey to seek the only heirloom his late grandfather bestowed upon him: a pair of all-powerful underpants that the main antagonist, Big, obtains. I know how this sounds, and you have every reason to be skeptical because of this description. However, the relentless rivalry between Tiny and Big’s primary protagonist and antagonist-aptly named Tiny and Big-is a very amusing struggle. Tiny is equipped with a radio that seemingly has a mind of its own, as well as a set of three gadgets-rocket attachments, a cutting tool, and a hooked rope- that aide in manipulating the environment. Here are just a few reasons to give Tiny and Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers a chance: Gameplay - This title is a physics-he...

Risk of Rain is a strategical Indie arcade-style shooter in which the player endures a constantly increasing difficulty of enemy forces while gaining experience to level-up, purchasing items and upgrades, and searching for a teleporter device that forces the player to survive a boss fight. The game shares an intriguing element with other titles in that the further you go and the more time it takes to get there, the more progressively powerful the endless waves of enemies become. Here are several reasons to give Risk of Rain a run while running for your life in-game: Leveling System - What was originally a foreign element to me now retains some clarity. I will be honest, I did not notice the fact that characters had a level when I began my first trek into the Risk of Rain world, especially since I was so overly focused on surviving the merciless onslaught of consistently spawning hostiles. It was only after my first few playthroughs that I truly noticed the leveling system’s effect ...