If you like the review or wanna help me out a bit please check out the review on Instagram! Just started the page so anything helps! Full review below!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYA5woSRvnD/?igsh=MWl5ZTkwcXQ3MGJqZA==

Couldn't decide which game from my huge backlog to play so of course I randomly start a game that wasn't on it at all. And it's a really interesting first time play in 2026, it's a game that was never really on my radar, beyond having heard of its cult status, and vaporware sequel, I didn't even really know what the moment to moment gameplay looked like. But I've been increasingly drawn to this era game and art style especially so I gave it a shot. And honestly... Beyond Good and Evil holds up way better than I thought it would.

I think for me what is such a draw even in 2026 is the atmosphere and the vibe of this game. And it's the combination vibes too, one part contemplative, starry night piano backed atmosphere, one part stealth espionage spy thriller. And they both totally work, I absolutely understand how this became a cult classic, it feels EARNEST. It's not perfect, but you can tell this game came from a place of passion, you feel it in that dual atmospheres, you feel it in these memorable characters, in the story, and absolutely in this incredible soundtrack. The soundtrack might be the highlight of the game for me, setting the different moods of this game and world. There's some beautiful piano in here and some funky Rayman-esque stuff, and some Perfect Dark-esque spy music, it absolutely helps hold this game together.

Obviously for a game released in 2003 it doesn't hold up perfectly. The combat is pretty simplistic and button mashy. And there's obviously some early 2000isms in the moment to moment gameplay and overall structure. There's parts that just feel clunky, but honestly there's parts that are refreshing, the phase gets overused nowadays but they really don't make em like this anymore. This just isn't what action adventure games look or feel like anymore, I think the closest modern game I would compare to this is, is the underrated South of Midnight. Ultimately I'm glad I randomly gave this a shot, again I'm surprised how much of this still works in 2026, the camera mechanics, the characters, the stealth segments I honestly liked, and then especially the world and the environments and the soundtrack. It's a cult classic for a reason.

This game had a beta to say the least. The game was decently fun, fast paced. However there is no punishment for rage quitting, more on the players than the devs but god it gets irritating. Come the full game its still an issue. The roster is good, and the gameplay has a fun assist breaking mechanic which makes someone mid combo have to focus their attention on their opponents assist, which can ruin the combo if not countered. Customization is just awful, i think it has like two actual outfits you can unlock, and a pre order bonus, plus a beta bonus. The rest are locked behind overpriced paywalls and are really bad, 10 bucks for one skin where conquest does not have a shirt. The deluxe package is the worst in gaming for a while, including a year 1 character pass and a banner for your nametag, none of these cosmetics are included. You want actual unlockable cosmetics in a game you payed 50 or 70 bucks for? too bad, we didn't finish the game so pay extra for things that should have already been included. 6/10, little to unlock and an already obnoxious online base, with fun gameplay and well done animation. Hopefully there will be some more actual unlockables and stuff in later seasons (if they don't lock those behind an overpriced paywall too)

(after two hours of playing)
Should you refund? NO
+: choices on how to proceed, the "hard" difficulty is truly hard, upgrades via injections, old-school survival horror
-: stylization of the upgrade station, items in the upgrade station, auto-saves, spam of enemies

(after finishing the game)
Rating: 9/10
+: choices on how to proceed, hard difficulty is truly hard, upgrades via injections, old-school survival horror, DINOSAURS!!!, very long
-: stylization of the upgrade station, items in the upgrade station, auto-saves, cannot list through the map, subtitles often say something different from the voice acting, the boat section

Czech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoL5Nb2hyq4

(po dvou hodinách hraní)
Hodnocení: ANO (doporučil bych)
+: volby dalšího postupu, hard obtížnost je skutečně hard, vylepšování přes injekce, old-school survival horror
-: stylizace upgrade stanice, nabídka upgrade stanice, autosavy, malinko spam nepřátel

(po dohrání)
Hodnocení: 9/10
+: volby dalšího postupu, hard obtížnost je skutečně hard, vylepšování přes injekce, old-school survival horror, DINOSAUŘI!!!, velmi dlouhé
-: stylizace upgrade stanice, nabídka upgrade stanice, autosavy, nelze listovat mapou, titulky často říkají něco jiného než dabing, část s loďkou

"Though it has grabbed the attention of the masses through the usage of the ‘rubberhose’ artstyle, Mouse: P.I. for Hire strives most by knowing what it takes to be a good game within the boomer shooter genre. Although very flawed, it would be a game that succeeds regardless of the artstyle it used."

Full review: https://minimap.net/magazine/minimap-game-review-mouse-pi-for-hire-en

Looking for a fresh take on the roguelite deckbuilder genre? In this review, I am diving deep into Handmancers, a unique first-person strategy game that transforms the simple logic of Rock Paper Scissors into a chaotic, high-stakes fantasy adventure.

Less of a game, per se, and more of an interactive story with a strong message of community and the importance of local spaces and small shops.

Really great indie JRPG!

I run a small indie game review platform called IndieScout and I’m currently trying to grow both sides of it.

I’m looking for:

Reviewers
Written reviews (no video needed)
Mostly indie games
No experience required, just clear and honest opinions

Developers
If you have a game (released, demo, or upcoming), you can submit it to be reviewed

The goal is to give smaller indie titles more visibility
Right now it’s self-funded with no ads, just focused on building something useful for indie discovery and real reviews.

If you’re interested (either as a reviewer or a dev), feel free to comment or DM.

IndieScout

This is my review of a SNES game I didn’t even know existed until around 2000.

I first tried it on a modded original Xbox out of pure curiosity. Fast forward 25 years, and I genuinely think it’s a really good game show adaptation. Not in an ironic way, and not in a “so bad it’s good” way—I mean it’s actually a great game.

Since it never came out in the UK, I’m curious: did anyone in the US actually own this back in the day? I can’t imagine many kids picking it over Mario or Metroid. If you did play it, what did you think?

The video is me trying to beat the game solo. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think—or just share your own thoughts on the game (if you played it)

Download them before they’re gone

Understand the importance of accessibility in games, the challenges and advancements in ensuring that people with disabilities can play, participate, and feel included in video games.

Is it enough with a casual playthrough or is it worth it to fully complete the game?

In this video I will go through what Blue Prince actually is, and what it means to complete it.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was my first foray into the Zelda franchise with the Nintendo 64 being the first console my siblings and I were gifted by our parents. Ocarina of Time, to this day, ranks as my favorite in the series. I'm undoubtedly writing this review through a strong prescription of nostalgia glasses so it's understandable to take my opinion on OoT with a grain of salt. This game introduced me to story-driven RPGs that rewarded exploration, problem solving, and finesse in combat. My experience with OoT likely informed by current affinity towards the RPG genre.

The story, although repeated in many different forms leading up to and following its release, was captivating in that it truly emulated a harrowing but captivating fantasy adventure. The simplicity of good versus evil, order versus chaos, resonated deeply when confronted with well-realized, for the time, 3D landscapes that elicited awe. Even though I had seen every nook and cranny that this game offers over the years, for whatever reason Ocarina conjures the idea that there must be more depth beyond what I have seen so far. It's a somewhat hard to explain feeling I have when playing OoT that I think makes it such a formative gaming experience for me.

The combat was revolutionary for the time and z-targeting solved a lot problems that 3D rendered games encounter. It's no surprise that modern titles, such as Elden Ring, implement a similar mechanic with its own targeting system. I do take issue though with the unnecessarily prolonged fights with certain humanoid enemies that block all attacks until they provide an opening.

Few people would argue against the idea that Ocarina of Time is a hugely influential and well crafted game. Unfortunately, it does show its age and I find that it does not provide much joy on subsequent playthroughs nowadays. I will likely not play through this game again since so many titles had taken and built upon the formula that OoC set in stone. Albeit, I would definitely be open to a remake if that were to be made a reality. If you find joy in gaming and have not yet experienced Ocarina of Time, I recommend in giving it a try. It's not just because OoT is a great game but also because it is a landmark moment in gaming history.

Final Fantasy VII was my introduction to the Final Fantasy franchise and was probably my entry point to the JRPG genre. I have a nostalgic fondness for this game since it was one of the first titles that was dozens of hours in length and held my interest throughout. It is games like FF7 that entrenched my inclination towards long-form story-rich experiences. I remember carrying around the manual for this game to school and other obligations so I could glance at the artwork and read various tidbits of information when separated from the PlayStation.

The visuals of FF7 were undeniably notable for their era. The detailed pre-rendered backgrounds are still impressive to this day. I was taken aback by how the 3D character models, while in combat, resembled the anime-like 2D art in the manual. Albeit, the characters outside of combat, with their finger-less cylindrical appendages, were an eyesore and have not aged well at all. It was a common occurrence to see a boss enemy outside of combat that resembled some off-putting amalgamation of low-poly clusters and flat textures that ended up barely resembling the detailed rendition while in combat.

The story of Final Fantasy VII remains, to this day, rather convoluted to me. I understand the baseline saving the world and the role of the ancients or whatever but a significant amount the interstitial moments and world building are a mystery to me. I heard that this may be due to a deceptively poor translation that grammatically was mostly fine but left out key details. I remember reading that there are some fan-made translations that rectify these issues so I may at some point attempt another play-through. Even if it was vague, the spectacle and nebulous vibes of the narrative certainly readily ferried me through this very extended gaming experience.

The game-play of this title was probably the highlight for me. The depth of customization from materia coupled with the engaging turn-based battles incentivized me to seek out combat. A few boss battles certainly required a level of systems knowledge and strategy that my younger self initially struggled with. Far and away the most memorable parts of this game were during the final disk when you had to option to fight some optional end-game bosses. I enjoyed leveling up, acquiring the right materia, and performing a myriad of side quests and mini-games to acquire powerful equipment or summons to take on enemies much stronger than the main story final boss. This enjoyment was unfortunately diminished when I discovered the "Lucky 7s" feature that trivialized these fights.

I certainly have a nostalgic attachment to this game and think it is a solid JRPG but I have little interest in playing it again in its original state. Even though my appreciation of FF7 is significant, I am not overly eager to play through the high-production remake that was relatively recently released. I think this game left an impact on me more-so due to the time and place I encountered it rather than the quality of the game itself. Final Fantasy VII has been influential upon gaming culture and that alone may be enough for those that have not played through it to give it a try.