Games of the week – HyperParasite, Operencia: The Stolen Sun, Overcooked! 2: The Gourmet Edition and Legend of the Skyfish 2
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HyperParasite
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: Role-playing game / shooter
Price: From £13.99
Eighties cyberpunk world that'll push your patience to its limit – but it's worth it
HyperParasite causes a mix of feelings, because while we enjoyed this indie rogue-lite role-playing title, it sure did seed some deep frustration, particularly at the beginning. Set in an eighties cyberpunk world, it's not the best looking game around but there's a sort of gritty charm to it. You play the role as the enemy, a body-snatching alien parasite to be exact, which is hellbent on destroying humanity, by latching yourself onto different hosts, absorbing their abilities to further your evil crusade. Rightly so, the world is out in packs to kill this parasite before it kills them. Death is all too frequent for your part as the parasite, especially if you're without a human to snatch – you will literally be eliminated with one hit – making it feel near impossible at the beginning. After some perseverance, you can get through this difficulty as you work your way to collecting 60 different characters, which is where the real fun begins.
Skip to the end: A journey of frustration that will truly test your patience, yet HyperParasite is brimming with replayability once you get over the initial difficulty.
Score: 7/10
Operencia: The Stolen Sun
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: Role-playing game / adventure
Price: From £24.99
A dungeon-crawler based on Hungarian folklore
This role-playing game is a turn-based dungeon-crawler which takes inspiration from Hungarian folklore, with you playing the part of an entire party controlled throughout as a single entity, confronting enemies along the way. As one might expect, early confrontations are easy but quickly ramp up, with enemies lining up in rows to test your strategy. The overall pace feels too slow – especially in the second half – though the chance to solve logic puzzles as a form of potion brewing offers some needed variety. It doesn't help that some battles also feel drawn out.
Skip to the end: The balance of battle and puzzles makes Operencia: The Stolen Sun a bit too safe in the realm of turn-based dungeon-crawlers.
Score: 6/10
Overcooked! 2: The Gourmet Edition
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: Strategy
Price: From £37.49
Grub's up
If dashing around the kitchen preparing meals is your kind of thing, Overcooked! 2: The Gourmet Edition serves up even more fun by bringing all add-on downloadable content onto one hot plate. Combined, there are a wholesome 130 levels to choose from and a roster of 58 chefs. Nothing is really added to the menu – this is about bringing together all the ingredients into one gaming bundle – which feels like a lost opportunity, when something slightly new could have been added to the mix, considering the base game was launched in 2018. But there's loads of fun to be had, especially for newcomers. The ability to play with others online or locally adds to the carnage.
Skip to the end: Plenty of food for thought in this sweaty strategy title with all the levels from previous downloadable content brought under one roof at once.
Score: 7/10
Legend of the Skyfish 2
Platform: iOS
Genre: Role-playing game
Price: £4.99 per month on Apple Arcade
Legend of the Skyfish has returned with its second instalment, with your fishing pole as your tool for just about everything, from hacking, to pulling objects and grappling with. As the last of the Red Hook guardians, you and your master must confront the rising threat, one hundred years after events from the previous game. The controls are super easy and loading is seamlessly smooth. There a a good balance of environments across a fairly plentiful map – considering this is just a mobile game – made all the more enjoyable through the beautiful visuals. That said, game play does begin to feel repetitive, causing the excitement to dry up quickly.
Skip to the end: Easy controls and beautiful design made for fun but repetitive role-player.
Score: 6/10
