Recent reviews by Lazy Sausage

Peak has got to be my favourite game this year. It's mechanically simple, and can be pretty challenging at times, but it always offers an great chill social experience, whether you make it to the top or not.

One of my favourite survival games I've played recently. Had a great time playing with friends, and I'm really looking to dive back in and start again from the beginning as and when more content arrives. It has so much content already, it's hard to believe that it is still in early access!

Reigns is a Tinder-esque swiping experience where you play the role of the king, making decisions with the aim of balancing four differing factions. If just one faction becomes out of balance you will die a horrible and painful death. Simple and straightforward, yet challenging at the same time, these quick and casual game sessions means you can pick up and play it whenever you feel like. The comical dialogue and narrative displayed in the large variety of cards you can get make it a joy to play, however it is the hidden secrets for the different endings that make it even more interesting!

Set in an intricately designed island where every detail has been meticulously placed for exploratory discovery, The Witness has been an amazing experience from beginning to end. The puzzles themselves begin with a simple goal, draw a line from point A to point B. Each set of puzzles however, adds layers and layers of interesting rules and mechanics. The self-discovery of these rules are extremely rewarding. Each set of puzzles come layered with these rules and often require thinking outside the box to solve. With the world so purposely put together, there is so much to discover that I have spent hours just walking around to see what I can find.

If I could re-experience The Witness for the first time again, I definitely would. Fantastic.

Snakebird Primer is a charming little puzzle game that utilises snake-like mechanics to obtain the fruit and reach the exit portal.

While I haven't played the original harder version of the game (yet), it seems to deliver exactly what it advertises, which is an easier and more casual puzzle experience. Although the puzzles are pretty easy, the large variety of mechanics keeps things interesting and enjoyable throughout.

I would definitely recommend Snakebird Primer as a fun, interesting puzzle game for casual players. And if you are looking at this for an easier experience from the original Snakebird, I'd probably advise going back to the original for some more challenging puzzles after you play through this one, as you will likely want some more!

Streets of Rage 4 is a beat 'em up at its finest! I have no doubt that this installment will help revitalise this amazing genre, that I am so fond of! I spent countless hours playing the Streets of Rage series on the SEGA Megadrive when growing up, and have also played them a massive amount in the SEGA Megadrive Collection. In recent years, my Dad and I would go back to playing through them on an almost weekly basis. When I first found out that Streets of Rage 4 had been announced, I eagerly awaited its arrival. It did not disappoint! I bought it for both my Dad and I, and we have continued the tradition. A perfect sequel from the most well suited developer to continue the legacy of this fantastic franchise.

Superliminal is a fantastic first-person puzzle game that makes you see things from an entirely new perspective. Very fun mechanics to play around with, that can create very interesting puzzles where you often have to think outside the box to solve. While the solution is often simple once you finally solve it, it makes it the more compelling to dive into speedruns and challenge modes that the game offers. Enjoyed every moment.

Disc Room is a fantastic bullet hell experience filled with secrets and plenty of ""Game Feel"". Thoroughly addictive, yet oddly relaxing. It has been quite some time since a game has motivated me enough to spend the time completing all the achievements, however it really satisfied that itch.

Red Rope is a hardcore co-operative action game where two characters are connected by a rope. Together they must navigate the labyrinth, defeating the monsters within and finding the keys to go deeper and deeper until the exit is reached. Each House offers a variety of mechanics that test the pair in puzzle solving, co-operation, communication and co-ordination.

I purchased Red Rope a long time ago, looking to have some intense co-operative action. When I eventually got round to it, my other half lasted about 10 minutes before giving up; it was just too hardcore for him. I was left alone in the labyrinth, lost and confused with almost zero co-ordination between my thumbs, however, I wasn't going to give up! I don't even want to know how many times I died, especially in the beginning. The difficulty curve is extremely steep, and with the puzzles and challenges becoming increasingly more difficult the deeper I went. There were times I thought about giving up, but I persevered. Today, I finally reached the exit, with my thumbs in perfect sync.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this game, Red Rope is definitely not for everyone. It has a very steep learning curve and is quite unclear as to where to go when you first enter the game. The different Houses offer a large variety of mechanics that keep the game fresh as you progress. It can be very challenging, and when working together with someone co-operatively, I imagine it can be difficult to find someone who will persevere all the way through with you. No doubt it would cause many arguments with your partner, but it is very rewarding in the end.

+ Lovely pixel art graphics
+ Challenging and interesting level design
+ Co-operative play, but also allows for single player
+ If you reach the end of the labyrinth, the developers create a pixel character of you to live within the game forever

- Can be very confusing when you first start playing
- Has a steep learning curve, so not for the faint-hearted

The notion whether Dear Esther is a game or not has been under debate since its release. Many people see this game as just a walking simulator without any gameplay, however, having played through it myself, it doesn't appear to be the case. This game like many others, tells a story, however where it differs is that while the majority of other games tell the story through some form of gameplay, Dear Esther tells it through exploration. As you explore the beautifully designed environments, progressing through the game, you build the story from the narrative, where the environment is used to reinforce those ideas.

I have has my hands on the original Dear Esther for years, where it had stayed on the tail-end of my backlog of games. Seeing the Dear Esther: Landmark Edition pop-up in my library piqued my interest. I had no idea what the game was about before I played it, the only thing that I heard was that it was short. So one evening, I decided to sit down and play though it one sitting. A certainly wasn't disappointed. Although this is a short game, it definitely tells a powerful story. Playing through a second time to listen to the director's commentary was also thoroughly enjoyable, and it was very interesting to hear how the game was designed to reinforce the story.

+ Unique story-telling
+ Every person will have a different experience
+ Beautiful environments
+ Interesting Director's commentary

- With no directly laid out path, some story elements might be skipped
- Replayability
- Some people might not get it