Hello everyone, Simptaz here with another monthly blog of video game reviews. This entry marks the second anniversary of my blog. It’s insane to think that I’ve been writing about games for two years now. I’ve enjoyed this journey because it helped me explore and understand different ways of writing and how to explain my thoughts on games. I still have room to grow but have found my stride when it comes to these things, now I just need to stick to a consistent release window.
Now to talk about the games I’ve played. I spent most of May playing a single game, which is currently my game of the year, but I managed to squeeze in a small indie game on the last two days of May. I’m excited to talk about them so let’s get into it.
These are the games I played in May 2024.
Unicorn Overlord
Children of the Sun
Unicorn Overlord
Unicorn Overlord is a tactical RPG made by one of my favorite studios in the industry, Vanillaware. The game follows Alain traveling across five different nations as he builds an army to rebel against the tyrannical Zenoiran Empire that seized control years ago. Your time in the game is split into two halves; one half is spent traversing the world and interacting with the inhabitants, and the other half where you watch engagements between you and enemy squads play out automatically.
The time you spend traversing the world is pretty relaxing. You collect resources that are needed to help rebuild villages, engage in practice battles to see the viability of a squad, and learn about the abilities of new units. You can place units in villages that you restored to gain additional resources after battles. You can do some side-quests that allow you to treasure hunt, collect rare weapons on pilgrimages, and even take part in a tournament. Honestly, if I had any complaints about this game, it’s that the side quests tend to repeat themselves when you enter a new area, but they are so short and show up naturally as you explore each area that it feels natural to see them pop up, so I don’t consider it’s an issue but I would have enjoyed a bit more variety.
The other half, the combat, is pretty interesting. During combat, you can command your units to do anything you need them to but the actual fighting is done automatically as said before. What this means is that each unit has a list of actions that can done and you can set it up so that certain moves will take priority when the right conditions are met.
The system functions similarly to the “gambit system” from Final Fantasy 12, and just like that system it allows for some crazy complexity that I love. This system shined when I was able to complete the Coliseum with under-leveled units thanks to a very detailed list online that explains how to set up your actions to maximize your turn and prevent enemies from overwhelming you. If something like that sounds too much for you, you can let the game “optimize” your actions and be able to make it through the game without much trouble.
The game has 70 characters that you can recruit, with 22 that are missable if you don’t meet the requirements. The cast is there to cover all possible stories that you could write for a fantasy war. Honorable thieves, soldiers bound by duty, and heroes dropped to the depths with the loss of family, they have a lot of variety and you’re able to delve into their personalities by spending time with them. The writing may not be something you would be interested in since it’s a basic fantasy setting, but I found myself enjoying a lot of the story moments and if you enjoy this genre, you will be able to spot the references and influences that are throughout the game.
This game felt amazing to me on every level; the town stuff, the combat, and the voice acting are really good. The visuals and music stand out due to the talents of the studio and making sure that you are even stunned by the backgrounds because of the details they put in. I am a massive fan of Vanillaware, so any time they release a game, it tends to be my focus for a long time. I recommend this game if you like fantasy, tactics games or are a fan of beautiful art and music.
Children of the Sun
Children of the Sun is a puzzle/arcade shooter game that follows the story of a girl getting revenge on the cult that promised her family a better life. I don’t think the “puzzle” tag is on the Steam page for this game, but it should be.
This game is a blend of Psychonauts, Killer 7, and those sniper arcade games. You have one shot in your rifle, and you use psychic powers to control your bullet between each target. Finding the right path to take after your first kill is really fun, but it can get challenging if your first target is in a weird spot.
The arcade feeling becomes overt when you have to restart a level just to get the right shot and a higher score. Each level also comes with a challenge to boost your score, so the game has a lot of replayability, which helps its short campaign.
The game is really short, like three to four hours long at max. As I said you can replay levels for higher scores but for $15, I feel like it might not justify a purchase. I love the aesthetic and the harsh music so I felt like I spent my money well but I can understand why it would be a deal breaker for the average gamer.
I like a lot of what is in this game and it has inspired me to come up with a few ideas for some side projects I have, but I would caution someone looking to play this. Look at some videos about it, and see if you’re willing to spend $15 on a four-hour experience. Maybe wait until it’s on sale or a part of a “humble bundle” if you are interested.
Rankings for May 2024
Unicorn Overlord
Children of the Sun
Well everyone, thank you again for being a part of my journey as a newbie reviewer/blogger and I hope you all stick around for the next year. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in terms of games, June is already a stacked deck with SMT 5 Vengeance, Elden Ring DLC, and the new FFXIV expansion. Plus as of writing this, the Summer Games Fest had just shown a collection of trailers and announcements that got me excited. Anyway, thanks again, stay safe and I’ll see you next time.
Frantz Reports 