Games of the week – Oddworld: Soulstorm, Say No! More, Narita Boy and Farm It!
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Oddworld: Soulstorm
Platform: PlayStation 5
Genre: Platform puzzler
Price: £44.99 / Free with PS Plus subscription
Age rating: 12+
Abe to the rescue
The latest round of next-gen revamps comes from loveable goofy Mudokon slave Abe, in what is pitched as a reimagining of the story from 1998’s sequel Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus. The principles remain very much the same – evade enemies and obstacles in constant 3D side-scrolling fashion. It might not be the graphic-fest most gamers would like for the PS5, but it still sparkles greatly. The sheer variety of puzzling tasks and need for strategy make for an entertaining experience, alongside the well-known but still strong story – and who can say no to supporting an underdog? A few bits were not entirely clear – accidentally or deliberate, it is hard to tell – as well as some minor glitches to note, but overall you will be sucked into the Oddworld saga once more.
Skip to the end: A welcome return for Abe that stays true to its roots but not quite the impressive graphic boost PS5 owners might come to expect.
Score: 8/10
Say No! More
Platform: Switch, iOS, PC
Genre: Role player game
Price: £13.49
Age rating: 7+
The power of no
Who would have thought screaming ‘no’ would be so satisfying and powerful. We have all been there – a trainee, desperate to please. Say No! More chronicles the life of three interns starting at a huge corporation, who are told to always say ‘yes’. Until one day, one of the interns is asked to surrender their packed lunch. A motivational tape suddenly appears, explaining the power of saying no, and suddenly the word is weaponised to the great shock of the office big wigs. Going around the building, you ‘attack’ managers with ‘no’ and with different ways of saying it (ranging from heated to wacky), as well as other actions to be irritating, like clapping, which adds a new dimension. It makes for an oddly humourous '90s arcade-style game, and certainly wins on the story front as something we can all relate to.
Skip to the end: An odd yet relevant story which feels more like a funny moral of life than a game, as the gameplay itself is not really that adventurous.
Score: 6/10
Narita Boy
Platform: Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC
Genre: Adventure platformer
Price: £19.99
Age rating: 16+
A game within a game
Narita Boy is a fusion of the virtual and real-life worlds story-wise, as you play a young guy who is sucked into a video game after the creator’s memories are deleted by a dark force. It is an interesting journey, as you venture through 12 flashback levels covering the creator’s life, but the game play itself is less impressive. Puzzles you stumble across are simple, and while fight scenes look great, the lack of moves with your Techno-sword take away some of the shine. With its slick 2D retro graphics and synth soundtrack, it is hard not to fall for Narita Boy.
Skip to the end: Solid story and great visuals but combat scenes are less sharp due to limited variety in moves.
Score: 7/10
Farm It!
Platform: iOS
Genre: Simulation
Price: £4.99 per month with Apple Arcade
Age rating: 4+
Not a grower
Another farming simulation title, which gets repetitive quite quickly but is still strangely enjoyable for those ‘spare five-minute moments’. Grow veg and raise livestock to sell on to locals is the main goal, earning you money to kit out your pad with new furniture. It feels a bit like Diner Dash but without the dashing – people will queue up for goods but do not grow impatient and leave. As you progress, more veg and livestock will become available, as well as recipes to combine foods which you can also sell on.
Skip to the end: An easy-going light game you are unlikely to devote huge amounts of time to, but good for brief infrequent moments of entertainment.
Score: 6/10
