October 2019 Review Roundup

Published: November 7, 2019 1:00 PM /

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game reviews october 2019

Hey guys, guess what's cool? It's been a year of me writing Game Review Roundups. Also cool? October ended and I didn't have a scare-related heart attack. So small victories. In the meantime, we played a lot of video games, and wrote about a lot of video games, and other stuffed a lot of video games. So prepare for one thing that will give you a heart attack: 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 scary month of October.


Reviews

Blasphemous

by Luigi Savinelli

Summary: Blasphemous is a solid, beautifully haunting metroidvania. Some rough spots prevent it to really shine but it's still a great experience if the theme interests you. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

Overland

by Nick Maillet

Summary: Overland is a strategy horror roguelike that's as difficult as it is rewarding. Its storytelling and presentation rivals the AAA sphere and raises the bar for what indie horror games can be. 8/10. You can read our full review here.

Code Vein

by William Worrall

Summary: Code Vein provides a very casual Souls-like experience which will be perfect for the right sort of person. Minor bugs, and clunky JRPG-style exposition aside, the game is a breeze to play through. 6.5/10. You can read our full review here.

Cities: Skylines - Campus

by William Worrall

Summary: Campus adds a huge plethora of options for those looking into building elaborate college campuses. Just be prepared for the build up to getting started. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince

by Joseph Allen

Summary: Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince's bad combat and clunky controls can't bring down an immensely satisfying experience. With excellent puzzles, clever new mechanics, and sumptuous visuals, Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince is another superlative entry into an increasingly underrated series. 8/10. You can read our full review here.

Trine 4

Indivisible

by Samuel Guglielmo

Summary: Indivisible has some fantastic art and one of the most fun combat systems I've gotten to play with in an RPG. It's a shame it's brought down by a boring story, terrible writing, confusing moments, and some absolutely atrocious platforming. 5.5/10. You can read our full review here.

GRID

by Robert Grosso

Summary: A solid racing experience, GRID has enough under the hood to appeal to both hardcore and newcomer racing fans. 7.5/10. You can read our full review here.

The Bradwell Conspiracy

by Robert N. Adams

Summary: The Bradwell Conspiracy does a fantastic job of creating a compelling world, but it fails to do anything meaningful with it. 4/10. You can read our full review here.

Neo Cab

by Robert Scarpinito

Summary: Neo Cab takes a dark, cynical look at a near future dominated by one megacorporation. For as bleak as it is, there's a level of catharsis to be found in its narrative, which mostly unfolds in the backseat of the protagonist's car. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

Stranded Sails - Explorers of the Cursed Islands

by Robert N. Adams

Summary: Stranded Sails is a great survival experience for young gamers or people new to the genre, but experienced players will find little in the way of appreciable challenge. 6.5/10. You can read our full review here.

Felix the Reaper

by Samuel Guglielmo

Summary: More puzzle types would have done Felix the Reaper a lot of good, but what's here is extremely charming and quite a bit of fun. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered

by William Worrall

Summary: While it hasn't aged gracefully, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is still a fun time. Crappy AI aside, the combat, puzzles and collectables make it worth playing. 6/10. You can read our full review here.

The Jackbox Party Pack 6

by Andrew Stretch

Summary: The Jackbox Party Pack 6 comes in with some great games, and a few really forgettable ones. Push the Button does well as a complete departure from the traditional Jackbox Style and Trivia Murder Party 2 and Role Models are a great laugh for a party. 7/10. You can read our full review here.

Jackbox Party Pack

The Division 2 - Pentagon: The Last Castle

by Anson Chan

Summary: The Division 2 - Pentagon: The Last Castle meets the bare minimum for post-launch content, offering little of substance other than a few new boss mechanics and a balancing/loot update that should've been released long ago. 6/10. You can read our full review here.

The Outer Worlds

by Robert Scarpinito

Summary: Obsidian created a universe that’s easy to get lost in. The Outer Worlds oozes personality and charm, and the robust character creator encourages multiple playthroughs just to see how different archetypes affect the gameplay. 9.5/10. You can read our full review here.

Disco Elysium

by Robert Grosso

Summary: An intense role-playing odyssey, despite some overstuffed writing, Disco Elysium is an experience that has to be played to be believed. 9/10. You can read our full review here.

Afterparty

by Jack Waibel

Summary: Night School Studio delivers a funny, compelling narrative. A few spills aren't enough to water down a great experience. 8.5/10. You can read our full review here.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD

by Joseph Allen

Summary: Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is a respectable entry into its series. The gameplay is as fun as ever, but camera issues and brevity keep it from becoming a true classic. 6/10. You can read our full review here.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

by Anson Chan

Summary: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a no frills upgrade of the game that shaped a generation of FPS, featuring a surprisingly good story and deep weapon customization. 8.5/10. You can read our full review here.


Previews/Impressions

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

by Jeffrey Lerman

Summary: The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners already blends smooth VR combat with interesting story decisions. I’m curious to see how creative Skydance is with other decisions and ways of approaching them. As long as the full game represents the experience I got from this demo, it could be the reason I buy into VR. You can read our full preview here.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

by Andrew Stretch

Summary: Like any mini-game collection, there are some standouts and some that will likely collect dust. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 tries hard to work in a story, but the experience just might not be worth it. For those wanting to get competitive for game night, this could be a fun title to get into. The conclusion of the story may redeem itself, but it seems more likely that the pacing issues will bring it down. A title like this really comes down to how much you're in the mood for some light-hearted fun. You can read our full preview here.

Wasteland 3

by Robert Grosso

Summary: If the whole game matches this demo, I wish it nothing but the best. Wasteland as a franchise already has a well-loved legacy, but it's often overshadowed by its spiritual successors. InXile seems to have finally found a blend of familiar and new mechanics that help elevate the game into modern times, and that will hopefully be the recipe for success Wasteland 3 needs. You can read our full preview here.

Wasteland 3

Planet Zoo

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: Overall, Planet Zoo left me excited yet trepidatious. It’s not a game for those looking to throw down a couple of giraffes and run a zoo, and the overcomplication can get confusing. At the same time, it’s clear that a lot of thought went into the systems and the educational aspects. They are logical in their execution and all work coherently together. It’s not impossible to learn, but there’s a steep and lengthy curve. I’m interested enough to jump back in upon release, but probably with a blank notebook to take notes as I go. You can read our full preview here.

Project Resistance

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: Project Resistance was a fun experience overall. Was it worth waiting in line for two hours for a 15-minute demo? Maybe not, but I’d say it’s definitely worth checking out when it releases, especially if you have a good team to play with. On the other hand, I can see plenty of potential for wrecking havoc in random players’ lives as the Mastermind, no teamwork required. You can read our full preview here.

Beyond a Steel Sky

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: So far, I was impressed by what I saw in Beyond a Steel Sky. As someone who never played the first game, I was hesitant about how much I’d be able to understand, even though I was assured that the game is meant to be accessible to both old and new players alike. I find that’s usually a toss of the coin, which landed right side up in this case, and I’ll be keeping an eye for upcoming development news, personally. You can read our full preview here.

Mark AR

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: While I’m not sure that Mark AR is something I would personally use, I can definitely see it having a dedicated user base. After all, graffiti is awesome when it’s not being used for nefarious purposes. Plus, who doesn’t love hidden messages? You can read our full preview here.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: Overall, Zombie Army 4 was fun. Was it the type of game I’d go out and buy? No, probably not, because I was absolute rubbish at it, but if you’re looking for a solid shooter with lots of enemies and some zombies to take out your frustration on, this might be your cup of tea. You can read our full preview here.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

by Nick Maillet

Summary: After playing for a little over four hours, I can confidently say that between its incredibly well-executed narrative bits, fun and engaging combat, intuitive puzzles, and promise of an original Star Wars story that's genuinely interesting, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is shaping up to be one of the best entries in the Star Wars series in a very long time. You can read our full preview here.

Star Wars

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: By the end of the demo, it was pretty clear that Pirate Warriors 4 was made for fans of the anime and the manga. Did I enjoy the game still? Yeah, it was fun knocking down enemies and using Luffy’s Gum Gum powers. But the story was totally lost on me, and I was starting to suspect that musou fights are more fun to read than to play. That being said, if you’re a fan of One Piece or of the other Pirate Warriors games, there’s plenty of fun here to dive into. You can read our full preview here.

My Hero: One's Justice 2

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: My Hero: One’s Justice 2 is definitely aimed at fans of the anime and manga. If you’re not into that world, it’s easy and fun enough to pick up the game for a few rounds, but it’s made much harder by not knowing the character’s abilities and weaknesses, which it seems like the game expects you to. If you enjoyed the first game, you’re sure to enjoy this too, but there was nothing so far that stood out to make it appeal to a wider audience. You can read our full preview here.

Predator: Hunting Grounds

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: Predator: Hunting Grounds may not have been ground-breaking, but it was fun. It was definitely the 4v1 experience I enjoyed most from New York Comic Con, although it lacked the sophistication and depth of other entries. And I’m not just saying I enjoyed it because I got to shoot the Predator either, although that is a definite bonus. You can read our full preview here.

Doraemon Story of Seasons

by William Worrall

Summary: Overall, Doraemon Story of Seasons does exactly what it sets out to do. Successfully replicating the Story of Seasons formula wrapped up in a Doraemon skin. Not only retaining the laid back attitude which the series is famous for, this new installment uses the soft visuals of the anime to give the entire game a new coat of paint, making it feel fresher than any other recent entries have done. While the intro might put you to sleep, once it's done you're left completely to your own devices. Just make sure you keep up your social life if you plan on ever 'finishing.' You can read our full impressions here.

Blacksad: Under the Skin

by Courtney Ehrenhofler

Summary: An hour into Blacksad really felt like just a half an hour had gone by. While there were definite shades of influence from The Wolf Among Us, it felt unique, partly because of the animal cast. Without having read the comic, it was easy enough to jump into, but it’s also not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for an interesting take on a noir adventure and don’t mind some excessive violence, this one’s for you. You can read our full preview here.

Spin Rhythm XD

by Chris Anderson

Summary: For now, all potential remains hypothetical. But what's there makes me excited to see where they could go with this. It's a cleverly designed game with a neat aesthetic that is easy to get in to but hard to get good at. The MIDI support is a rather unique addition and the promised upcoming custom track support will go a long way into ensuring Spin Rhythm XD can go the distance. You can read our full preview here.

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


Samuel Guglielmo TechRaptor
| Reviews Editor

I'm Sam. I have been playing video games since my parents brought home a PlayStation whenever that came out. Started writing for TechRaptor for 2016 and,… More about Samuel