REVIEW: LIT: Bend the Light - Xbox One

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

LIT: Bend the Light is a simple puzzle game, set in a time before electricity had been harnessed, and the world was taken forward by great inventors, you find yourself moving mirrors, prisms and glass shapes to reflect light from point a to point b. 

Each level has multiple ways to be completed, and with relaxing music, this is a game that should satisfy your average puzzle fan.

There are only about 30 odd levels, and you will complete the lot in about 2 hours, they have tried to counter this by awarding achievements for solving the levels in different ways, but still the game is very short and doesn't offer much more than a few hours of chill out music, and basic puzzle play.

The controls aren't the best either, and some levels need an almost pixel perfect lines, and some levels you will find you will complete almost by accident, and here is where the biggest problem lies, because of the lack of levels and the need for more than one way to complete a level, you can find yourself just completing levels by randomly moving things, thus taking away the skill, and unless you are the kind of gamer that wants to play properly even when a shortcut is glaring you in the face, you will find yourself doing this the moment you figure out it is possible. Not to mention that some of the multiple solutions to a level are near identical, and it is hard to remember which ones you have already used. 

The Good

Presentation is very good, everything looks great, and the soundtrack is very relaxing.

The Bad

Frustratingly short game, hampered by poor control mechanics. The game is unoriginal, and despite the best attempts to give it some kind of background in a time before electricity, at its base it is a laser reflection game which we have seen a million times before. And with only about 30 levels which you will complete pretty fast, you will be left feeling like you may have wasted money on this.

Overall

Fun idea, nice graphics, but spoiled by poor game mechanics, and limited levels.

I score LIT: Bend the Light on Xbox One a frustrating 4/10

Out now on Xbox on https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/lit-bend-the-light/9njqwh8z687x

REVIEW: Gravity Chase on Xbox One

Review by Jon Donnis

Gravity Chase is a futuristic racer from Repixel8, set in 2088, whereby transport and fighter craft have been converted into racing vehicles, to take part on "Hyperloop Circuits".

A sequel to the game Velocity G, (which I have never played) this is your typical anti-gravity racer but it does differ slightly from other games in the genre. The circuits in this game are enclosed tubes or tunnels, some races take part on the inside, and some on the outside. Due to this unusual style of circuit, the game does create an interesting challenge or making you need to choose the optimum line, if you want to complete a level faster. Throw in your usual pickups of boosters, power ups, shields and weapons, and you have an interesting little racer, that although not unique, does have some original ideas thrown in.

There is your single player mode, as well as split screen multiplayer. 16 tracks set across various themed areas, 10 craft for you to use and upgrade, and 3 separate modes of play.

First one is arcade mode, which your classic race against opponents, get to the finish line first to win, then there is combat mode, where you have to race, but can also fire weapons at your enemy. And finally, another classic mode in Eliminator, every 30 seconds the person in last place is thrown out, try to last as long as possible, or even outlast all of your opponents until you are the last one standing.

Each level can be played on beginner, medium or hard, more points for the harder settings, and as you collect points, this will unlock more tracks. Beating a track alone won't necessarily unlock the next track, this is done purely by points accumulated, so you might need to grind a few tracks to get points if you are struggling to win the harder mode. As well as get enough in game currency to upgrade your ships.

There are leader boards for each track, so you can compare your progress.

The menu is about as simple as you can get, you start the game, choose a track, difficult level and mode, and you are off. I hate complicated menus and this really was an easy to get straight into type of game. When I think of other similar racers, one of my biggest complaints is often the menu, on Pacer for example it was and still is a mess, but by keeping things simple Gravity Chase gives the game a true pick up and play quality.

The soundtrack is pretty decent, generic high pumping electronic music is perfectly acceptable, and I quite enjoyed turning it up.

In game sounds are simple, not distracting, not really noticeable.

In the combat mode I did not really understand the shield and weapons, I'd collect ammo, but nothing happens when I press fire, I am hoping this is just a pre-release bug which will be fixed by release date. The shield as well, you collect shield power ups, and your shield goes down, but it all seems a bit pointless, if your shield runs out, you explode and re-join the race. That really is my only complaint about the game, I tend to prefer the general arcade style modes, so not a huge downer for me, but if you enjoy the combat modes of these types of racers, then this game fails on that.

The Good

A fun, simple, futuristic antigrav racer. I have asked many times for such a game, and now I have one. Is it perfect? No, but is it good fun, with a pull, to keep playing it more? yes.

The Bad

As mentioned, the combat mode is lacking. And the graphics in 2022 could be better.

Overall

An enjoyable racer, with a couple of issues that are hopefully easily fixed.

I will keep playing this game after writing this review, and that to me is always the highest compliment I can give a game, playing it when you don't have to.

I score Gravity Chase a strong 8/10

Review by Jon Donnis

Out on Xbox One and Steam on 21st January 2022

Pre-order on Xbox

REVIEW: Chivalry 2 on Xbox

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

I have had Chivalry 2 since launch day, and played it a fair bit, first thing I would say is that this is not a game for newbies, for a start the game has a complex melee system, and that is exactly how it has been advertised. Pretty much everything you can think of, is in there, and it is not just about bashing the buttons and hoping for the best, you need to time your attacks, as well as your blocks, you will lose stamina if you just hold the defend button down, so you do need to think and try to time things, as opposed to the old turtle approach.

Before I go on, I will say that this is an online, multiplayer game only. There is no single player mode, not even a tutorial, and you need to also pay for the Gold Subscription to play online, which is annoying, but sadly this is the state of affairs these days, companies and Microsoft especially are incredibly greedy. Whereas on PC you get online mode for free, on Xbox you have to pay.

Back to the game, you will face off in duels, but the real fun is when you play the huge 64 player objective battles. We are talking chaos to the extreme. And this alone is the selling point of the game, and the part you will enjoy the most.

There are 4 different classes to choose from. The Footman, The Vanguard, The Knight and The Archer. All are different, with benefits differing between the classes. Try each one and see which suits you best. The game has "class limits" in place, so that everything remains fair.

The customisation menus for your character are a bit lacking, everything is a bit samey, and there is not a great deal of choice for your armour.

The game is very gory, there is loads of blood, violence, everything you would expect in such a game. However, some of the animations are a bit dodgy, and the first time you see them, you will wonder why they allowed the intern to create them, and not the full paid animator.

On Xbox One the game runs at 30 FPS, and when the screen is very busy, there are framerate dips, and you need a solid internet connection too.

The Good

Fun chaotic gameplay, that you will come back to, everything just feels fun, if a bit complicated at first.

The Bad

Online only, no single player, some dodgy animations, and laziness in customisation factors. And you need a good internet connection.

Overall

If you have a good internet connection and subscribe to Gold, then give this game a go, it is a hell of a lot of fun.

I score the game a solid 7/10

Review by GamingCouchPotato.co.uk Staff

Chivalry 2 has an MSRP of $39.99 / €39.99 / £34.99 MSRP for the Standard Edition or (MRSP $49.99, €49.99, £44.99) for the Special Edition, with an ESRB rating of M for Mature and a PEGI 18 rating.

Xbox - https://amzn.to/3veUpZr

PS5 - https://amzn.to/3wq6xbi

PS4 - https://amzn.to/3wkNejr

REVIEW: Spooky Chase on Xbox One

Review by Jon Donnis
Spooky Chase may very well be the toughest platform game ever, and in part YOU are to blame! For your every move is then replicated by the monsters, over and over again. Imagine a game whereby you know exactly where the monsters will go, yet you still die!

The general idea of the game is to collect flags, when you collect the flag, the level resets and you start again, this time the flag is in a different place, but now there is a monster, and he is following the exact route you took in the previous level.

Suddenly you find yourself on level 10 in search of the golden flag and you have 9 monsters all repeating your previous routes to glory.

It is insanely hard, but in a really good way, because you are in control of where the monsters will go, it really makes you think and plan where you will go. Add to that the difficulties of levels that are half in darkness, or smoke covering holes in the ground, traps, trap doors, and so much more, and you have a challenge that I don't think I have ever found before in a platform game.

The graphics are fun and simple, very retro style, the music is annoyingly catchy, the controls work perfectly. There are various areas to complete levels in, Graveyards, castles, dungeons and so on, and extra things to collect to keep you busy.

All in all, a very fun, but deviously difficult platform game.

I loved it. Make sure to check out my gameplay video below.

8/10

Review by Jon Donnis

Available now on multiple formats, here is the link to buy it on Xbox. Worth checking out.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/p/spooky-chase/9p45tq1d1pt1

REVIEW: Tinker Racers - Xbox One

Review by Jon Donnis

If you grew up in the 1990s, there is a good chance you played a top-down racing game called Micro Machines. And when you load up and start playing Tinker Racers for the first time, that is exactly what will come to mind. But Tinker Racers is much more than just a MM clone. It has its own personality. 

The general idea of the game is that you are in control of a Mini RC racer. And you are racing around in your house. On top of kitchen tables, in the office, on the floor etc. The track itself might be drawn with chalk, or ketchup, it doesn't really matter how, just that you can. The view is top down as previously mentioned, although that view itself is not set, and you will automatically zoom in and out somewhat depending on your location to other racers.

The main campaign mode of the game is not necessarily about reaching the finish line after a set number of laps, instead it is more of a Survival game, similar in a way to the elimination modes you encounter on other racing games. You need to stay within the same screen as whoever is in first place, if you are in first place, then you need to get far enough ahead of the competitors so that they get eliminated. When you are the last person on the screen, you win the round, as the levels progress things get more and more chaotic, making everything all the more difficult.

The other thing you need to worry about is your damage level, each car starts off with 100%, if you get to 0% then it is over for you. So, if you fly off a table, you will regenerate but you will have lost 20% points. If you hit various obstacles, you will also be damaged, so there are quite a few things to keep an eye out for. Hitting some bursting popcorn may not cause you much damaged, but having a beach ball land on your head will.

Each area has a set amount of levels, beat those levels and you will move to the next room. There is even a dark mode you can unlock, whereby the lights in the room are turned off, and you just have the tiny headlights on the car to see. That mode is tough and does give a whole new challenge.

It is all pretty much straight forward, there is a very good learning curve, and the controls are exactly how they should be, this is one of my bug bears with games like this that on some games you push a direction on the controller and that is the way the car goes, I HATE THAT! Luckily on Tinker Races it has the classic control method of pushing left and right on the joystick and that controls which way the car goes, just as if you were controlling the car with a real RC Car Remote, I am much more used to that method, and in my opinion that is the correct method.

There are multiplayer modes with split screen, but since we are on lockdown, I am unable to test this properly. But having a quick look it does seem fine.

Other than the campaign mode, there are a few other modes.

"Free For All" is purely about racing without worrying about any scores, or damage. Just race against your friends for fun.

"Single Race" is your classic 5 lap race, and whoever is in first place wins. You can choose to play any of the levels that you have unlocked through the Campaign mode. It is good that they put this mode in there, despite the main part of the game trying the different "survival" style of play.

"Time Trial" Do I need to explain this? I will say that there is a challenge element to the Time Trial as you will have a "Developer Score" to try to beat. This is a touch time, that if you can beat it, you are awarded more points to your overall game score. Very much need if you want to unlock those all-important Achievements!

The Good

Clean, simple graphics, fun addictive gameplay, easy to just pick up and play. 

The Bad

The music as you play is catchy but I'd like to see more choice in there. And the general game sound effects are not the best, you might find yourself turning down the volume and just listening to music when you play instead.

Overall

This is a fun game. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and I will keep playing it. Tinker Racer succeeds where many similar racers have failed.

Review By Jon Donnis

Available now on Xbox One

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/p/Tinker-Racers/9NTX0QCWLTR5

REVIEW: Freddy Spaghetti on Xbox One

Review by Jon Donnis

You have never played a game like this before. You just haven't! Accept that fact now! Ok, onto the game.

You play as a piece of Spaghetti that was created in a lab by Dr. P Starr, not the deepest of plot lines I know, but let's not worry too much about that, this is a simple game whereby the aim is to get from Point A to Point B, but there are things to do in between. Those things might be obstacles, or things to complete, for example in one level you have to run away from cops, in another you have to set off car alarms, in another you need to avoid falling off a table, or even smash everything on a table. Get the idea?

Think of your piece of Spaghetti as more of a rope, the game uses rope physics (apparently this is a thing), you control your Spaghetti in 3 ways, first the direction in which you want to move, and then the left and right bumpers on your gamepad control each end of the Spaghetti, hold down the bumper and you will make that end jump.

This truly is a bizarre and original game, it is fully narrated as you play, it's funny, interesting, did I say bizarre? Oh yes.

Check out this video of me playing the game.

The Good

Pretty and clear graphics, incredibly original game play, and a new idea which is very rare in the video game world.

The Bad

I am not keen on the bumpers being used, and I can't see a way to map these to other buttons, it just takes some getting used to.

Overall

I've never played a game like this before, and neither have you. It is something different, and I score it 8/10

Review by Jon Donnis

Freddy Spaghetti will be priced for 4.99 $ / € for all platforms, and it will launch on:

PS5/PS4 America: December 15th

PS5/PS4 Europe: December 16th

XBOX (One + Series X): December 16th

Nintendo Switch (NA & EU): December 18th

* PS4 and PS5 versions will be cross-buy, as well as Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

Another video of me playing the game

REVIEW: Rusty Spout Rescue Adventure on Xbox One

Review by Jon Donnis

Many of us grew up in the 90s, and of those of us who did we all remember Puzzle Bobble (also known as Bust-a-Move), a simple bubble bursting game.

And over the years there has been 100s of clones and re-imaginings of this format. Well, the latest attempt at just that is Rusty Spout Rescue Adventure.

For those of you who do not know the drill, these types of games work on one main principle, you fire bubbles up the screen and try to hit other bubbles of the same colour, get 3 or more in a row and they burst, once the screen is clear you win. Simple as that. Throw in bonus bubbles like bombs etc and there ya go.

Now before we go any further, let us all admit that Rusty Spout Rescue Adventure is an excellent name. 

Rusty Spout is the name of a pirate, he sails around in his ship, looking for adventures and a desire to help people. Cocco is an evil pirate or has kidnapped all of the children from Rusty's village, so Rusty needs to defeat Cocco and he needs your help to do it.

That is the story, and in the story mode the game includes 5 different worlds, each with 10 levels, and a boss fight every 10 levels.

As you progress through the story mode you will unlock new characters which you can then use in the Endless Mode and the Battle mode.

This is all pretty standard stuff, the endless mode is exactly what you think it is, just an endless game whereby you try to rack up as high a score as possible, and the battle mode is the multiplayer mode.

A special mention also needs to go out to the "Colour Blind Mode", this simply puts numbers on all the different coloured bubbles which makes it much easier for people to differentiate the bubbles, not to mention easier if your TV is a bit dodgy, or you just want that extra certainty.

Here is a video I made showing the colour blind option while playing Endless Mode.

The Good

This is a classic style of game, and it is done well, nice and clean graphics, simple gameplay, easy to pick up and play.

The Bad

The cannon that you fire the bubbles from seems a bit slow when you move it, and you then have another button to slow it down further for more accuracy, surely this would work better other way around? Also the fact that the bubbles drop based on time passed and not bubbles shot, this makes this a game of timing and not skill, I would prefer an option where you could choose, in fact both of these complaints some people will prefer, so why not give people a choice?

I would also note that this game really does increase in difficulty pretty quick, the story mode which you need to progress in to unlock the other modes, including the battle mode, is pretty tough, and once your lives run out, you have to start all the way from level 1 again. 

Overall

Rusty Spout Rescue Adventure does a decent job within the bubble bursting genre, although it is not without its problems.

It is only £5.79 on the Xbox store so it is not going to break the bank, if you enjoy these types of games, then give it a shot.
I score this game 7/10

Review by Jon Donnis

REVIEW: Concept Destruction - On Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Steam

Review By Jon Donnis:
I was sent a review copy of Concept Destruction by Ratalaika Games S.L.
And I was rather excited to receive it after I had seen the trailer. The first thing I thought was that we finally had a successor to a game I loved over 25 years ago on PS1 called Destruction Derby.

First thing you can do is check out this short game play video, and make sure you subscribe to my YouTube Channel as well. Youtube / JonDonnisShow

If you are old enough to remember that classic, much like me you are probably baffled as to why we never got a remake. Well now you don't need one as we have Concept Destruction. The idea is basically the same, you drive around in a car, you have multiple opponents and the winner is the last car standing. But with this game made by Thinice Games, the cars are made out of cardboard, and you play on a table top. It's a nice twist on the genre which as far as I can recall is completely unique.

You have different modes, of course you have a championship mode, whereby you have to play on various tracks, accumulate a score, and try to position as high as you can. Pretty straight forward. You also have a simple School mode, which helps you learn the basic controls, a Survival mode, which is exactly what you think it is, and a tourism mode, whereby damage is off and you just drive around destroying other cars.

Overall it is a simple concept which works really well. The game is incredibly fun, highly addictive, and has enough in it that will keep you coming back. I am not sure if they will release updates with new tracks, cars etc, I really hope they do, but I guess that will very much depend on the popularity of the game. But for just a fraction under 5$/€ on all formats, this game is cheap enough that it should be a huge hit.

I really loved the game, and with the multiplayer options on there as well, which unfortunately I was unable to try, this is a game that can only grow over time.

So lets quickly go over the Good and the Bad.

The Good, Pretty much everything, the graphics are great for what they are, perhaps more background work could have been done just to make things prettier, but for the actual game play the graphics are as good as they would need to be, the sound effects, music and all of that are also of a high standard, and most important of all the game play is a lot of fun.

The Bad, the only thing I can really complain about is that I want more, I want more tracks, more cars, more modes of play. The fact I want more is a testament to how good this game is.

Just scroll down and watch the trailer.

Summary:
BUY THIS GAME! It is awesome - 10/10

Review by Jon Donnis

‘Concept Destruction’ will be priced for 4.99$/€ for all platforms and is out now!

Features:
Crash destructible cardboard cars, each with a unique driving style
Pick from 4 different modes to bring total destruction
Expeience unique 3D cardboard car designs
Customize how you play!
Listen to a heavy metal soundtrack while bashing cars

REVIEW: Bucket Knight on Xbox by Jon Donnis

I was sent a copy of Bucket Knight to review by SometimesYou, and as as 40 something male who grow up playing run and gun platform games such as Ghosts 'n Goblins, I couldn't be happier.

The basic story of the game is you play the part of a brave Knight who is looking to find the Holy Grail and then sell it. You go through the game, level by level, exploring dungeons, while killing your enemies, avoiding traps and collecting loot and food to stay alive along the way.

There is no on screen text, no real instructions, you just start to play and figure things out. Now although that is a bit frustrating at first, you will soon figure it out and get into the swig of things.

For you gamerpoint whores out there, the gamerpoints come quick and fast as you complete each level.

The game itself is quite short, but it has great pixel graphics, decent sounds, and overall fun gameplay.
Only negatives would be that its quite easy and you will finish it pretty quick, but for its low price, it is a good simple game that will give you enjoyment for the few hours you play it.

I score Bucket Knight at 7/10

Review by Jon Donnis

Bucket Knight will be released on Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®Vita on February 28’th!

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