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The videogames on sale thread


RedRooster

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Picked up Assassins Creed: Valhalla for 25 quid on the Ubisoft sale, it’s pretty good.  Pushes this last gen console to its limit but it will keep me busy till Christmas!

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4 hours ago, scratchdj said:

Football Manager 2022 is currently free with Amazon Gaming, along with AC Origins and Shadow of Mordor.
 

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/pc-assassins-creed-origins-football-manager-2022-nfs-heat-shadow-of-mordor-goty-edition-more-free-at-amazon-prime-gaming-3986099

Couldn't find Shadow of Mordor - is it a timing thing?

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I thought I'd put together another Switch sales post, partly because I'm bored, partly because one of my favourite Switch games is on sale and I think more people should play it. With that in mind, here are a few bargains I'd suggest you check out...

The House in Fata Morgana (£23.61, 25% off)

w500.jpg

This is a visual novel, and it's pretty dark at times; but I also think it's one of the best stories told on the Switch. The plot kept me gripped from beginning to end, and the soundtrack is haunting, in the best possible way; enhancing the way you feel about each moment as it happens. There are one or two Japanese tropes in there, but that didn't bother me in the end. If you like good - but very, VERY dark - stories, I don't think you'll regret playing this. There's little in the way of gameplay, but the story stays with you. 

Phoenotopia: Awakening (£8.99, 50% off)

Phoenotopia : Awakening | Nintendo Switch download software | Games |  Nintendo

Have you ever played a game, and felt really confused as to why more people aren't talking about it? That's how I feel about Phoenotopia. It's kind of like Zelda 2 - a 2D RPG, with lots of exploration and things to do. It can be quite challenging, but I enjoyed that aspect of it. If you enjoyed Tunic, Death's Door, or even Breath of the Wild, there are similarities. Having said that, clearly this game is very different - and it's an experience I wish more people had enjoyed. I suspect the non-sale price has been off-putting for some, but trust me when I say £8.99 is a bargain. 

Grapple Dog (£8.03, 33% off)

Grapple Dog on Steam

It's a 2D platformer, where you're a dog with a grappling hook. What's not to like? Honestly, it's rather wonderful and I played through the whole thing with a big smile on my face. It's nostalgic but modern; and challenging, yet never frustrating. And the grappling hook is so fun to use! I loved this. 

Cthulu Saves Christmas (£5.69, 50% off)

Cthulhu Saves Christmas on Steam

This has been cheaper in the past, so it's not an all-time low price; but I'd still say £5.69 is good value. It's a JRPG-style game, where you play as Cthulu, as you try to save Santa. It's a short game - around 6/7 hours - but that's a selling point in itself for me these days. The game is fun, and the dialogue is often really funny. If you like a good JRPG or are looking for something on the light-hearted side, it's worth checking out. 

 

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Some decent discounts in Nintendo's Christmas sale. Borderlands Ultimate Collection is £8ish, the Megaman collections are reduced. Sonic Origns is £16 odd, Formula Retro Racing is £2, a nice little arcade racer in the style of Vietua Racing. There are 1600 games reduced on there. Obviously a LOT of shovelware, but some gems in amongst them. There's even a remake of Head Over Heels for a fiver. If I get some money over the festive period I may grab myself an eshop voucher and pick up a few games. 

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Kaze and The Wild Masks (Xbox)
£24.99 £8.24

kaze1.thumb.jpg.e383d14325fbcf4e6583aa8ca2f4150d.jpg

An excellent debut game from Brazilian developers PixelHive. Kaze is a platformer that takes inspiration from a multitude of 90's 16-bit classics but feels derivative of none of them (though at times it walks a very fine line). Kaze adds its own style and features to create a game bursting with a blend of originality and nostalgia.
Playing as the rabbit Kaze you have to hop, bounce and spin through an army of mutated vegatables to try and rescue your friend Hogo from a curse engulfing your home of the Crystal Islands. Each world has a unique look (though I've only seen the first two so far which as Grassland and Snow) but the variety between each level keeps the theme fresh; for example the Grasslands has a level where you wear one of the titular Wild Masks and morph into a shark to tackle an underwater stage, it also has a Donkey Kong Country-style Lights On/Lights Off level. Another stage saw me wear an eagle mask and soar upwards through a hollow tree full of tomatoes armed with cannons.

Replayability is high with each level providing medals for several things including finding all the collectables, completing both hidden bonus rooms, and finishing the stage without taking damage. Getting all the bonus gems in a world unlocks a secret challenge level; the first being a stage where all of the platforms are invisible so you have to rely on enemy placement and strategically positioned gems to know where to jump. The reason I'm only in World 2 after a couple of hours with the game is because I kept going back to do all the challenges and secrets!
The sound design is clearly inspired by the same source materials but no tracks have jumped out as being overly memorable yet, though it's a nice enough soundtrack. The highlight so far has been the jingle of collectables and the grunts and growls of the enemies as you smash through them. Along with the large-eyed cartoonish animation on them, it makes basic enemies like carrots and peas stand out as something fun to interact with.

Most importantly for an indie platformer, and something a lot of them get wrong, is the game handles almost perfectly. The movement is slick, the bounces are meaty and charging through the stages over and over again to beat the time trials on each level feels fluid and responsive. It made repeatedly falling down pits trying to time trial the invisible floor level a huge rush rather than a slog.
PixelHive have taken the formula of games like Donkey Kong Country, Sonic, and Rayman and tweaked it just enough that Kaze feels like a fresh take on an old classic. There are ideas clearly lifted from the aforementioned games, most obviously the former, but it does a better job of it than even some of the indie juggernauts like Yooka-Laylee. It looks great, handles great and has a mascot character that isn't embarrassing which is always a boon. It doesn't quite hit the huge highs of the games that inspire it (at least not yet) but if you're looking for a retro platformer that offers up some nice challenge and fun gameplay then you could do much worse.
The verdict is still out if it's worth the full asking price but i'm confident it will be. It's definitely worth the £8.24 sale price though.

Kaze2.thumb.jpg.b8522e8a660cefa4a27093f088493f38.jpg
 

kaze3.webp.b96e26773d3a3b59dcbb93cf9ed3d48d.webp

Similar games on sale:

Rayman Legends (Xbox)
£23.99 £5.99

Yooka-Laylee Buddy Duo Bundle (Xbox)
£39.99 £7.99

Sonic Mania (Xbox)
£15.99 £6.39

Sadly the sale ends in 1 day!

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