It's May! Well, it was May. By the time you read this it'll be June, but May happened at some point. And you know what grows in May? Flowers. Because it rained all April or something, and April showers brings May flowers. That's how it goes I think. You know what other sorts of things grows when it rains? Our opinions.

Yes, it’s the TechRaptor Game Review Roundup! Here we collect all of our reviews, impressions, and previews into one easy to digest article. So let’s dive right in and show you what we hit up in the magic month of May.

Reviews

Rainswept

by William Worrall

Summary: Rainswept has an interesting plot, well-written characters and a distinctive visual style, although a few bugs and overly simplistic gameplay do let it down a bit. 6.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Staxel

by Robert N. Adams

Summary: Staxel has some solid fundamental systems, but it doesn't feel like a fleshed out, finished game. 5.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

by Richard Costa

Summary: Months after the final release, Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is still going strong. The minigame-turned-esport continually goes through iterations and patches, shedding skins and morphing into a real beast of a card game. It has a wistful past, a solid present, and a bright future. 9/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Jupiter & Mars

by Samuel Guglielmo

Summary: Jupiter & Mars is lovely to look at and listen too. I just wish it was actually fun to play. 4.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Mortal Kombat 11

by Dan Hodges

Summary: Mortal Kombat 11 offers a fantastic middle ground of depth and accessibility, providing tactical excitement in a beautifully presented, densely packed, and easily digestible package. NetherRealm's latest title is a resounding success. 8.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

World War Z

by Kyle Johnson

Summary: A surprisingly deep and fun co-op shooter, World War Z proves that killing hordes of zombies is still fun, years after the genre hit its peak. 8/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Tales of the Neon Sea

by Brandon Curran

Summary: Tales of the Neon Sea is a promising cyberpunk puzzler marred by an underbaked story and a host of small annoyances. Although it boasts engaging puzzles and beautiful visuals, Neon Sea drags and loses its direction as it progresses. It's a game that has potential, but it just can't seem to capitalize on it. 6/10. You can read our full review here.

Dark Devotion

by William Worrall

Summary: While Dark Devotion suffers from several easy-to-fix flaws that stop it being perfect, it remains a deep, dark and engaging action RPG. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

 

The Death of Erin Myers

by Joe Allen

Summary: The Death of Erin Myers is short, but it's as long as it needs to be. Its bleak, miserable tone might be too much for some, and its puzzles aren't head-scratchers. Still, it's atmospherically sound and certainly enjoyable enough to pass the two hours it needs to tell its story. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Konami Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection

by Alex Santa Maria

Summary: With a scattershot selection of games and a slapdash presentation, Konami Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection misses the mark. The games are playable, but this doesn't feel like the definitive way to preserve these classics. It instead feels like a school project thrown together during an all-nighter. 6.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

SiNKR 2

by Robert Scarpinito

Summary: SiNKR 2 improves on its predecessor in many ways, offering many difficult, engaging puzzles. Figuring out every solution is its own reward. On more portable devices, the game makes an excellent way to kill short bursts of time. 7.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Close to the Sun

by Trevor Whalen

Summary: Close to the Sun is a lackluster and subpar example of first-person immersive horror. It fails to realize its potential by relying on cheap scares and gore without strong atmosphere and narrative to back it up. You can find better. 4/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Sniper Elite V2 Remastered

by Alex Santa Maria

Summary: Sniper Elite V2 Remastered brings a classic into the modern age. There are plenty of new bells and whistles, but the core gameplay and design remain the same. For better and worse. 7.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Days Gone

by Samuel Guglielmo

Summary: While it tries a few unique things, Days Gone's awful writing, abundance of glitches, and boring cookie cutter gameplay doesn't really make it worth spending time on. 5.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

A Plague Tale: Innocence

by William Worrall

Summary: A Plague Tale: Innocence presents a tightly constructed linear journey which is more enjoyable than many open-ended experiences.  8/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Whispers of a Machine

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: With a promising premise and great voice acting, Whispers of a Machine starts out on the right foot but is brought down by poor puzzle design and shallow writing. 6/10. You can read our full review here.

Life is Strange 2 - Episode 3: Wastelands

by Dan Hodges

Summary: Life is Strange 2: Episode 3: Wastelands provides some much-needed breathing room for Sean and Daniel, allowing them to unwind and relax a little. The result is the tightest, most rewarding episode yet with a top-notch cliffhanger. 8/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Rage 2

by Alex Santa Maria

Summary: Rage 2 has incredible gunplay and brilliant graphics, but that spit and polish can't hide its lame open world and generic characters. It all adds up to a paint by numbers open-world shooter that players will forget about as soon as the credits roll. 6/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Observation

by Samuel Guglielmo

Summary: Observation combines weird sci-fi and cosmic horror with clever adventure gameplay and amazing atmosphere. 8.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Kurr Snaga

by Ron Welch

Summary: Kurr Snaga wants to be a fun and fast fantasy brawler, but it feels unfinished. The pieces are here for a satisfying melee combat game, but it needs to be further developed. The AI is weak. The combat is clunky and repetitive. The maps are buggy. Even the 30-second music loop feels unfinished. In its current state, Kurr Snaga feels like a pre-alpha proof of concept. 3/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Figment

by Kyle Johnson

Summary: Boasting surprising depth and an engaging world, Figment is proof that something that looks geared towards a younger audience can be enjoyed by everyone. 9/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Layers of Fear 2

by Dan Hodges

Summary: Layers of Fear 2 is an unnerving and memorable descent into madness that reminds us why Bloober Team are the masters of first-person psychological horror. 8/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Bubsy: Paws on Fire!

by Samuel Guglielmo

Summary: At its peak, Bubsy: Paws on Fire! is a generic runner that brings nothing new to the genre other than messed up hitboxes, poor controls, and awful padding. It also tries to be a boring SHMUP for some reason. 2.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Draugen

by Richard Costa

Summary: Draugen is a short exploration game with not a whole lot to explore, but its majestic Norwegian vistas and its amusing companion engagement make it worth the trip. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

Void Bastards

by Austin Suther

Summary: Void Bastards is a work of art, not only in its visuals but also in gameplay. The progression is strong and the gameplay is a blast. Exploring each derelict ship was a treat, and I can't wait to dive back into the Sargasso Nebula for more fun. 9.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Castlevania Anniversary Collection

by Joe Allen

Summary: Castlevania Anniversary Collection is a disappointing reunion for some of gaming's greatest titles (and a couple of its worst). New players will love the vampire-killing action on offer, but returning fans won't find anything to tempt them back. 6.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Vambrace: Cold Soul

by Kyle Johnson

Summary: Packing some serious challenge, Vambrace: Cold Soul grips you with atmosphere and gorgeous visuals, even as the combat isn't as deep as it could be. 9/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Blood: Fresh Supply

by Trevor Whalen

Summary: Blood is a classic FPS game. Its level design, animation, movement, arsenal of weapons and monsters are as delectable today as they were in 1997. Fresh Supply is a solid way to experience it all, though there isn't enough to win over longtime Blood players from their favorite sourceport. 8/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Unruly Heroes

by Robert Grosso

Summary: A solid platforming experience, Unruly Heroes biggest issue is less its mechanics, and more its overall presentation. Stylish to a point, even its cartoonish aesthetics can't help but see it struggle to stand out. 7.5/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Gato Roboto

by Austin Suther

Summary: If you can get over the fact that Gato Roboto doesn't revolutionize the Metroidvania genre, you're in for a fun time. With an incredibly charming art style and genuinely fun gameplay, you won't regret aiding Kiki on this action-packed adventure. 8/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Warhammer: Chaosbane

by Dan Hodges

Summary: Warhammer: Chaosbane is a fun and satisfying hack-and-slash with enough combat variety and hokey charm to make this casual Diablo-like worth a look. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

Team Sonic Racing

by Andrew Stretch

Summary: Team Sonic Racing uses an interesting team mechanic to shake up what is otherwise a pretty average arcade racing title. If you're really into the genre or have two dedicated friends to play with it might be a fun experience but you aren't going to get anything here you don't already have from somewhere else. 6/10. You can read our full review here.

 

Previews/Impressions

Homo Machina

by Jack Waibel

Summary: Clever writing and some genuinely humorous moments kept me entertained even when some sagging puzzles couldn’t, and the Kahn-inspired rendition of the human body never stops being cool to look at. And like all good tours, Homo Machina ends well before it overstays its welcome. The game is completable in a little less than an hour. This makes for a low-risk, low-commitment experience that ends at the right time to leave you wanting just a little a bit more. So although Homo Machina’s puzzles may not challenge you, it’s charming visual style and clever writing will keep you entertained throughout this short experience. You can read our full impressions here.

 

Jump King

by Ron Welch

Summary: Jump King is all about mastering the minimal. It’s a charming little adventure full of tricks that prods you into gritting your teeth and trying again, no matter how many times you fall. The platforming is difficult but satisfying and the world design is superb.  Jump King is hard. It might even feel unfair, but it never feels frustrating. You can read our full impressions here.

 

Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth

by Robert Scrapinito

Summary: Persona Q2 was built from the ground up for the Persona faithful. If you aren’t a fan, this game won’t change your mind. No one really explains the power of persona, and a lot of the humor relies on the player remembering jokes from previous games. For the most part, if you enjoyed what Persona 5 offered, this dungeon crawler is worth a shot. Most of the story so far is told from the perspective of the Phantom Thieves, so knowing the older characters isn’t as crucial. However, if you’ve beaten every mainline game since 3, you owe it to yourself to keep an eye on Persona Q2. You can read our full preview here.

 

Night Call

by William Worrall

Summary: Overall, although my time with Night Call may have been short, it certainly got me ready to know more. The game handles discussion of some pretty dark themes in a very delicate way, mainly by having the protagonist at the center of said discussion. The noir style and prioritizing choices over challenges is an approach that not very many games have pulled off. It seems that Night Call might just be the first game to make the style work. I for one cannot wait to discover more about this game. You can read our full preview here.

Mable and the Wood

by Robert Scrapinito

Summary: Mable and the Wood’s novel approach to combat and movement melds both together in a wonderful symphony of locomotion. You decide how to use all the tools given to you, and in turn, that dictates Mable’s tempo and cadence. In other words, the game moves as quickly as you want it to. Combine that with a promise of a mysterious story and multiple endings and you’ve got yourself an indie game to look forward to this year. You can read our full impression here.

 

Nightmare Reaper

by Joe Allen

Summary: Despite these flaws, Nightmare Reaper is a consistently good time. The combat here is punchy enough to forgive myriad minor niggles, which is all there is to complain about. Every time I feel myself getting frustrated, I blast an enemy into oblivion with the pump-action shotgun and all is well again. Retro FPS games live and die on their combat, and Nightmare Reaper more than delivers in this area. I’m super-excited to play more when the game launches this summer. You can read our full preview here.