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This Week’s Steam Releases and Reviews-October 9th, 2015

With the number of daily Steam game releases increasing exponentially, it can be hard keeping up with the newest releases and picking the best gems out of all the clutter. This Week’s Steam Releases and Reviews is a weekly post series that attempts to do that work for you. We have looked over all of the games released on Steam for the week of September 3rd-October 9th, 2015 and picked out (and in some cases reviewed) the best games this week had to offer.

If you represent a game that is going to be released on Steam soon and would like to see it featured on Geeky Hobbies check out our contact page for details.

Reviewed Games

Other Notable Games

The Rest

Reviewed Games

We would like to thank Archive Entertainment (March of Industry), Filimundus (Inventioneers), Hammer Labs (Sky Arena), IMakeGames (Nubs’ Adventure), Mandragora (Skyhill), Mechabit Ltd (Kaiju Panic), Skyboy Games (Ookibloks), and Steel Crate Games (Keep Talking and nobody Explodes) for the free review copies used for these reviews.

Inventioneers

© Filimundus

Inventioneers

  • Release Date: October 5th, 2015
  • Genre: Casual Puzzle
  • Developer: Filimundus
  • Publisher: Filimundus
  • Retail Price: $6.99
  • Reviewed By: Eric Mortensen
  • Purchase on Steam: Inventioneers

Concept

The popular mobile app Inventioneers is now on Steam. The objective of Inventioneers is to build crazy/wacky machines that solve a problem in the most complicated way possible. For example to get a Teddy Bear to a crying baby, instead of just handing it to them you attach it to a balloon, use a fan to blow the balloon and then have a pair of scissors break the balloon so it reaches the baby.

At the beginning of each of the 112 levels you are presented with a simple problem that you need to solve. You are given some components that you need to use to build a contraption that moves an object to a different location in the level. Each level includes stars and presents which unlock extras if you can create a machine that collects them in addition to solving the problem.

Inventioneers also includes a level editor where you can create levels that you can share with your friends.

Review

What first interested me about Inventioneers was the Rube Goldberg machine gameplay. I have always found the idea behind Rube Goldberg machines to be interesting and the concept has worked well with games in the past. Inventioneers is no different. I had fun with the game. Inventioneers is the type of game that works well when you do a couple puzzles here and there.

You have to give the game credit for the number of puzzles included in the game. The game has 112 levels which should take you quite a bit of time unless you are amazing at these type of puzzles and solve them immediately. The game also includes a level editor which could provide quite a bit of additional content. At $6.99 you can get quite a bit of playtime out of Inventioneers if you enjoy these type of games.

Looking at the cutesy graphics you might think that Inventioneers might be for children. While some of the early levels are kind of easy, I would not say that the game is easy. Its not super difficult either but some of the puzzles will challenge you especially if you try to collect all of the stars. I found Inventioneers to be easier than Contraption Maker though. While there is some flexibility in how you can solve some of the puzzles, there is usually at max a couple different ways to solve any particular puzzle.

The only real problem that I had with Inventioneers is that it is not highly original. There have been quite a few games that require you to build Rube Goldberg machines. Inventioneers works perfectly fine and is fun but it kind of feels like more of the same. I wish the game would have done something new that would have distinguished itself from other games in the genre.

Should You Buy Inventioneers?

If you don’t like Rube Goldberg machine puzzle games or are currently sick of them, I don’t think you aren’t going to like Inventioneers. If you already own the mobile app I don’t know if it pays to buy the game on Steam because the Steam version is supposedly really similar to the mobile version of the game. If you like these type of games though and want more of the same, I think you will enjoy Inventioneers.

Kaiju Panic

© Mechabit Ltd

Kaiju Panic

  • Release Date: October 9th, 2015
  • Genre: Action Tower Defense
  • Developer: Mechabit Ltd
  • Publisher: Mechabit Ltd
  • Retail Price: $19.99
  • Reviewed By: Eric Mortensen
  • Purchase on Steam: Kaiju Panic

Concept

In Kaiju Defense a large meteorite has hit Earth. Strange alien creatures have started invading Earth and you need to try and save innocent survivors while trying to prevent the Kaiju from destroying the city. Kaiju Panic is a tower defense game with some other elements mixed in. You build towers in order to try and destroy the monsters. You also need to gather resources to build your towers and you need to rescue civilians who will help you fight against the monsters.

Review

Overall I had fun with Kaiju Panic. I would say that it is an above average tower defense game. I really liked that the game tried to add some new mechanics to the tower defense genre. The resource gathering and civilians add some interesting strategy to the game. While I have only played the game for a couple hours I think the game could last close to ten hours.

The art style is really charming but also kind of misleading. The game looks like it might be for children but it is moderately difficult. Getting three stars in every level is quite a challenge. If you just focus on beating each level the game is quite a bit easier.

A full review of Kaiju Panic will be posted on Geeky Hobbies within the next couple days so check back if you are interested in the game.

Should You Purchase Kaiju Panic?

If you don’t like tower defense games, you probably won’t like Kaiju Defense. If you only moderately enjoy the genre I would probably wait for a sale since the game does retail for $20. If you love tower defenses though and like the theme I think you could really enjoy Kaiju Defense.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

© Steel Crate Games

Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes

  • Release Date: October 8th, 2015
  • Genre: Co-Op Multiplayer
  • Developer: Steel Crate Games
  • Publisher: Steel Crate Games
  • Retail Price: $14.99
  • Reviewed By: Eric Mortensen
  • Purchase on Steam: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

Concept

In Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes a group of players work together to try and disarm a bomb. The players have the manual for the bomb but conveniently the only player that can disarm the bomb can’t see the manual. The players that can reference the manual can’t see the bomb. This forces both groups of players to talk with each other sharing information that is needed in order to figure out how to disarm the bomb. To disarm the bomb players need to complete several little challenges/puzzles. Act quick though or the bomb will explode.

Review

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a game that came out of nowhere and really surprised me.

The main reason I loved the game is that it is a truly unique experience and actually requires co-op. In a lot of co-op games one player can do everything while the other player(s) just tag along. In Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes everyone needs to work together since no one has all of the necessary information to disarm the bomb.

What really surprised me about the game is that both roles are equally fun. I thought that the manual job could have been boring since all you are doing is looking through a book. The role is fun though because the manual players actually have to do a lot of the puzzle solving. I think I might have preferred the manual role over the disarming role.

While I have only played the game for a couple hours, I have really enjoyed the game. I plan on continuing to play the game until I complete all of the missions.

Full Review

Should You Purchase Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes?

If you don’t have any friends or family members to play the game with, you aren’t going to get a lot out of the game. If you are looking for a fun original co-op game though you should have a blast with Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes.

March of Industry

© Archive Entertainment

March of Industry

  • Release Date: October 7th, 2015
  • Genre: Simulation
  • Developer: Archive Entertainment
  • Publisher: Archive Entertainment
  • Retail Price: $9.99
  • Reviewed By: Eric Mortensen
  • Purchase on Steam: March of Industry

Concept

In March of Industry you play as the boss at a weapons manufacturer. Your goal is to build assembly lines that combine different materials together in order to make weapons that you can sell for cash. You use this cash to build more assembly lines and build more complicated weapons.

Review

Since I did a full review of March of Industry (see below) I am going to just touch on the most important things from my review of the game.

I had fun with March of Industry. If you like these type of games you should enjoy your time with March of Industry. It is fun creating assembly lines and discovering the various “recipes” for new materials and weapons. The game allows you to create some complex assembly lines which allow you to make complex weapons without doing anything more than providing the machine with the starting materials.

The game has two problems though. First I wish there was more control over the materials in your factory since materials can regularly get stuck on conveyor belts and you have to manually unclog them. The other issue is that the game doesn’t give you a lot of direction. The game pretty much just lets you build a factory and gives you no other goals other than making money. This means that the game can get kind of repetitive since you just make machines that make you more money which lets you build more machines.

Full Review

Should You Purchase March of Industry?

If you like these type of “machine” building games and find the theme interesting, I think you will enjoy March of Industry. If the concept doesn’t really appeal to you, you should probably pass on March of Industry.

Nub's Adventure

© IMakeGames

Nubs’ Adventure

  • Release Date: October 9th, 2015 (Delayed to October 12th, 2015)
  • Genre: Platformer
  • Developer: IMakeGames
  • Publisher: IMakeGames
  • Retail Price: $4.99
  • Reviewed By: Eric Mortensen
  • Purchase on Steam: Nubs’ Adventure

Concept

In Nubs’ Adventure you play as Nub. After his home is destroyed by some bullies, he must search for a new home. After he runs into a fairy he finds out that if he can find enough diamonds the fairy can extract enough energy from them to build him a new house.

Nubs’ Adventure is a pretty typical platformer. You jump and try to avoid obstacles. You have a boomerang which you can use to defeat the enemies that are in your way. The main objective in the game is to collect the diamonds since you need to collect a certain number of diamonds in order to progress to the next stage of the game. Like a lot of Metroidvania games, Nubs’ Adventure is set up in a way where you gain new “abilities” which allow you to access new areas in locations that you have already explored.

Review

With the rise of indie game studios, the platformer genre in particular has seen a huge surge in new games. Every week it seems like several new platformers are released. With so many games being released in the genre it becomes hard to determine which ones are worth playing since it would be almost impossible to play them all. This week Nubs’ Adventure was released and while it is not the best platformer I have ever played it is probably in the better half of platformers on Steam.

While Nubs’ Adventure doesn’t really do anything particularly original, it does a good job at what it is. The controls are tight. Most of your deaths will be due to your error and not the controls. The game has some interesting platforming sections and the levels are well designed. If you like platformers you should enjoy Nubs’ Adventure.

Being a Metroidvania game I knew the game was going to have some backtracking since that is one of the main concepts from the Metroidvania genre. The backtracking got a little frustrating though. At times it seems like you are spending more time repeating platforming sections over and over again than you spend with new sections of the game. If you hate backtracking this might drive you crazy and the game will not be for you. If you like the backtracking in Metroidvania games though I think you are going to love this aspect of Nubs’ Adventure.

Lengthwise I would estimate that the game is around 5-6 hours. I have played the game for around four hours and I believe I am on the last section of the game. If you want to 100% the game it might take a while longer. The game’s length is fine in my opinion even though I wish a little less time was used for backtracking.

I would say that Nubs’ Adventure is moderately difficult. You will die in the game. It is not the type of game where you are constantly dying though like a Super Meat Boy. You will miss some jumps but you will quickly learn what you did wrong and move on.

A couple quick notes:

  • While the game looks kind of cute, the game might not be for children. Some of the deaths are a little gruesome which includes a little blood. The game is probably deserving of a E 10+ or a Teen rating.
  • While the story doesn’t have a big impact on the game, it is not bad. The environment is interesting and has a nice 8-bit/16-bit style to it.

Should You Purchase Nubs’ Adventure

If you hate platformers or backtracking Nubs’ Adventure is probably not for you. If you really like platformers especially Metroidvania style games I think you could really like Nubs’ Adventure.

Ookibloks

© Skyboy Games

Ookibloks

  • Release Date: October 8, 2015
  • Genre: Puzzle, Action
  • Developer: Skyboy Games
  • Publisher: Skyboy Games
  • Retail Price: $7.99
  • Reviewed By: Adam Mortensen
  • Purchase on Steam: Ookibloks

Concept

Ookibloks is an action puzzle game where you play as Ooki the Monkey, who is attempting to collect all of his stolen bananas while avoiding enemies. Ooki can only move in a straight line (either left, right, down, or up). The goal of the game is to touch every banana block in the level without being hit by an enemy, “ringing out” (going off the course), or running out of time and being hit by the Devil Cat. The game has over 100 levels in nine different worlds as well as “Banana Chase,” an endless mode where you try to get the highest combo.

Review

While Ookibloks is a mobile port and a pretty basic game, I actually thought it was pretty fun to play and a nice solid casual game. Most of the puzzles are relatively easy but there are some that can be somewhat difficult (you might have to think things out so you don’t ring out or hit an enemy). However, the easy to moderate difficulty of the game makes it perfect for casual gamers and kids (and the game is definitely family-friendly). Ookibloks have a very cute style but the presentation is pretty average overall. The music is alright and the art is solid but neither are particularly notable.

Should You Purchase Ookibloks?

$7.99 might be a little high for a mobile port but Ookibloks does come with over 100 levels (and is pretty replayable since you will want to get better scores on the levels you didn’t do as well on). I played the game for an hour and a half before writing this review and I only got through about a third of the levels (and the later levels are likely going to be more challenging and thus more time consuming). I estimate that you should get at least four or five hours out of the game and that would be a little more than a dollar per hour (not too shabby) from a price to play time standpoint. However, I think I would wait for a slight sale (or if you are price conscious maybe wait for a bundle) because even though the game is fun, it is pretty basic and not particularly unique. Obviously casual gamers (as well as kids) are going to get the most enjoyment out of Ookibloks but I think all puzzle game fans should at least get some fun out of it.

Sky Arena

© Hammer Labs

Sky Arena

  • Release Date: October 5th, 2015
  • Genre: Early Access Spaceship Combat
  • Developer: Hammer Labs
  • Publisher: Hammer Labs, Deck13 Interactive GmbH
  • Retail Price: $14.99
  • Reviewed By: Eric Mortensen
  • Purchase on Steam: Sky Arena

Concept

Taking a lot of inspiration from the old Star Fox games, in Sky Arena you play as one of up to four players competing in a aerial dogfight. Basically you try to shoot down the other ships while collecting power ups and special weapons. At this stage the game only has a multiplayer mode which supports local multiplayer or online matches with your friends (currently there are no matchmaking features in the game).

Review

Star Fox has a loyal fanbase that has been looking for a new game in the franchise for quite a while. Sky Arena is trying to fill in that gap. I personally wouldn’t consider myself to be a big fan of the Star Fox franchise since I have played very little of any of the games from the franchise. I am just not a big fan of the aerial combat genre.

After receiving a review copy from the developers I decided to give the game a shot. Unfortunately the game didn’t really change my opinion about the genre. This doesn’t mean that the game is bad but it didn’t really do anything to make me care about the genre. I had a little fun with the game but I got sick of it after a while and I don’t see myself playing the game for extended period of time.

Now that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t pick up Sky Arena. If you like games like Star Fox, the multiplayer in particular, I think you can have a lot of fun with the game. You can quickly tell that Sky Arena took a lot of inspiration from the franchise. The controls are pretty simple and are pretty precise.

Being an early access game it is not that surprising that the game doesn’t have a ton of content at this time. The game is not expected to come out until summer 2016 after all. The game currently only has four stages which might get a little repetitive after a while. It looks like the game has eight characters with four of them having to be unlocked. As the game is further developed I am guessing quite a bit more content will be added to the game.

I tested the game online and it works fine. I encountered a little lag but that is to be expected from a game so early in the Early Access process. The one strange thing about the multiplayer at this stage is that you can only play with friends. In order to enter an online game you need to enter a group of symbols that matches symbols created by another player.

Should You Purchase Sky Arena?

Do you like 3D aerial combat games like the classic Star Fox games? If so I think you will enjoy Sky Arena. Otherwise I would probably wait to see how the game develops over time.

Skyhill

© Mandragora

Skyhill

  • Release Date: October 6, 2015
  • Genre: Roguelike, Point & Click, RPG, Crafting
  • Developer: Mandragora
  • Publisher: Daedalic Entertainment
  • Price: $14.99
  • Reviewed By: Adam Mortensen
  • Purchase on Steam: Skyhill

Concept

Skyhill is a roguelike point & click game with elements of both RPGs and crafting games and a light horror theme (the game is creepy but not particularly scary). You play a character stuck in the top penthouse (on the 100th floor) at the Skyhill Hotel when World War III strikes and a bio-weapon gives birth to mutants. Your character is running out of supplies and must make his way through the rooms, hunting for weapons, food, medicine, and things he can use to craft other items. Along the way, he will have to fight off mutants (in turn based combat) and gain experience if he wants any chance to survive this hotel. Eventually he must make his way all the way down to the first floor and escape.

Review

I’m not really a big point and click fan (I didn’t realize that was one of the main mechanics of the game) but I quickly became addicted to Skyhill. I thought the game would be solid but I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. One of the best things about Skyhill is that it is spooky but not particularly scary (I haven’t encountered any jump scares or anything like that so far). I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to horror games but I’m not sure if I would even consider this to be one. However, it is very atmospheric and the music and art style definitely help set the mood (and the art is pretty impressive in my opinion). While I’m sure some people would prefer it to be super scary, I greatly prefer this style of horror game (atmospheric but not scary).

Skyhill is pretty hard, I did a few runs on moderate difficulty and I couldn’t even get to the 80th floor. I’m currently doing an easy difficulty run and while it is still moderately difficult, it seems like it will be much more reasonable to complete the game. Skyhill is a roguelike (all of the rooms are randomly generated and you will get different items each time you play) so it should be difficult and it is. However, it is nowhere near as difficult as some roguelikes so if you prefer roguelites, Skyhill will probably be a pretty good choice.

Should You Purchase Skyhill?

I think the game is pretty fairly priced at $14.99 (currently on sale for $13.49 until October 13). I’ve only played the game for an hour and a half so far but I’m having a lot of fun. I wish there was a little more depth (more enemy types and unique things to do would be nice) but if the concept sounds interesting to you, I think you will enjoy it.

I am in the process of writing a full review of Skyhill and will likely post it sometime early next week so if you are interested in reading a complete review, check back soon.

Other Notable Games

Awe

© Badland Development Studio

Awe

  • Release Date: October 9th, 2015
  • Genre: Puzzle
  • Developer: Badland Development Studio
  • Publisher: Badland Indie
  • Price: $0.99

While it is kind of hard to figure out exactly what you do in Awe based on the trailer, the game looks interesting. The game is supposedly a puzzle game where you act as a god that can shape planets to your will. While minimalistic I really like the art style in the game. The best part of the game might be the price. At only $0.99 you don’t have to take much of a risk on this game if you decide to pick it up.

Cryptark

© Alientrap

CRYPTARK

  • Release Date: October 7th, 2015
  • Genre: Early Access Rougue-Like Shooter
  • Developer: Alientrap
  • Publisher: Alientrap
  • Price: $12.99
While there are a lot of rogue-like shooters out there, Cryptark looks to already be on the right path despite only recently being added to Early Access. The gameplay looks fast and the artwork looks really nice. Based on the early reviews, the game seems to already be polished and appears to have quite a bit of depth. If you like rogue-like shooters I think You should consider looking at Cryptark.
  • Release Date: October 8th, 2015
  • Genre: Early Access Action RPG
  • Developer: Team Monkey
  • Publisher: Team Monkey
  • Price: $14.99
It is hard to judge Early Access RPGs but Divinia Chronicles: Relics of Gan-Ti looks interesting. The art style looks nice and the combat looks interesting. If you are looking for an interesting action RPG you may want to take a look at Divinia Chronicles: Relics of Gan-Ti.
Pool Nation FX

© Cherry Pop Games

Pool Nation FX

  • Release Date: October 8th, 2015
  • Genre: Early Access Sports
  • Developer: Cherry Pop Games
  • Publisher: Cherry Pop Games
  • Price: $12.99

The latest game in the Pool Nation franchise. If you are looking for a pool game, Pool Nation FX is probably it. Based on the early reviews Pool Nation FX has apparently improved on most of the features from the original game. If you really like pool or liked the previous Pool Nation you should take a look at Pool Nation FX.

Prison Architect

© Introversion Software

Prison Architect

  • Release Date: October 6th, 2015
  • Genre: Simulation
  • Developer: Introversion Software
  • Publisher: Introversion Software
  • Price: $29.99
After over three years in Early Access, Prison Architect has finally been fully released and I am really excited. Having gotten the game in a Humble Bundle a while ago, I have only played the game for over 25 hours. I haven’t played the game in a while but I am excited to see what has been added to the game since the last time I played it. If you don’t already own Prison Architect and you like simulation games like Theme Hospital, I highly recommend you pick up Prison Architect.
  • Release Date: October 8th, 2015
  • Genre: Turn Based Strategy
  • Developer: Firaxis Games
  • Publisher: 2K
  • Price: $29.99
The latest expansion pack for Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth. While I have yet to play Beyond Earth I have been a big fan of the Civilization franchise. Usually Civilization expansion packs add quite a bit to the game so Rising Tide could be a good addition to Civilization: Beyond Earth.
Transformers Devastation

© Platinum Games

TRANSFORMERS: Devastation

  • Release Date: October 6th, 2015
  • Genre: Action Fighter
  • Developer: PlatinumGames
  • Publisher: Activision
  • Price: $49.99

Fans of Transformers should be excited for Transformers Devastation. Despite not being a huge fan of Transformers, I still think the game looks pretty good. The game currently has a really positive rating on Steam right now so that is a good sign. If you are looking for a good Trasformers game I think Transformers Devastation might be it.

The Rest

Amos From Outer Space (Educational)
Anode (Puzzle)
Axes and Arrows (Early Access Multiplayer Action Platformer)
Ballistic Overkill (Early Access PVP Shooter)
This Book Is A Dungeon (Dungeon Crawler)
Caffeine – Season One (Horror Puzzle)
Castles (Puzzle)
CHAOS – In the Darkness (Adventure RPG)
Counter Spell (Action RPG)
Devils & Demons (Turn Based RPG)
Fairy Tale Mysteries 2: The Beanstalk (Hidden Object)
Fire & Forget – The Final Assault (Combat Racer)
Goggles – World of Vaporia (Co-op Arena Shooter)
The Grand Canyon VR Experience (Early Access VR Experience)
Hidden Object Bundle 4 in 1 (Hidden Object)
Krai Mira (Early Access Adventure RPG)
Last Days of Spring Visual Novel (Visual Novel)
Legena: Union Tides (Turn Based RPG)
Legend of Mysteria RPG (Turned Based RPG)
Lucky Rabbit Reflex! (Dating Simulator)
Masochisia (Point and Click Horror)
Normality (Action Adventure)
Novus Inceptio (Early Access MMO Adventure Survival)
One-eyed Jak (Rogue-Like FPS)
Poppy Kart (“Mario Kart” Racer)
Press X to Not Die (Early Access Interactive Movie)
Read Only Memories (Adventure)
Sayonara UmiharaKawase (Fishing Platformer)
Slipstream 5000 (Racing)
Soccer Manager 2016 (Free Sports Simulation)
Sublevel Zero (Rogue-Like Shooter)
There Was A Caveman (Platformer)
Tiki Galore (Multiplayer Arena)
Trap Them – Sniper Edition (Puzzle Shooter)
Trigger Saint (Side Scrolling Shooter)
Velocity Stream (Racing)
Vortex: The Gateway (Early Access Adventure Survival)
WRC 5 FIA World Rally Championship (Racing)

This Week's Steam Releases and Reviews-October 16th, 2015 | Geeky Hobbies

Friday 16th of October 2015

[…] Nub’s Adventure was originally expected to come out last week so I posted my review of Nub’s Adventure on last weeks post. Check out the review here. […]