ZCW Reviews

Cherishing That Second Playthrough-A Cuphead Review Following the recent update Studio MDHR gave us at The Game Awards on the new DLC for Cuphead, I decided to go back and beat the game again in preparation. I wanted to take a second look and provide a perspective of this already determined classic and better explain as to why it is so heralded.  Levels of Unprecedented Detail As many other reviews have remarked, Cuphead's visual style is breathtaking and has set itself apart from every other game of the past decade. It's hand drawn and meticulous animation is a reflection of a true commitment to an art style no matter how difficult; it is beyond comprehension to me how much time some of these bosses must have taken to draw. Also, the dedication to even emulating the audio and soundtrack to that era adds yet another layer to this package.  But, moreover from their visual and auditory flare, there is much to say about the game design I view throughout Cuphead. In fact, during t...

  Washing The Time Away-A PowerWash Simulator Early Access Review As much as I hate to admit it, these little simulator games have become somewhat of a guilty pleasure of mine over the pandemic and the more online atmosphere we have been put through. To put it simply: doing these tasks in real life requires a lot more effort and makes it more of a chore than a game, but in a digital space they are like the junk food of videogames. So after I put around 24 hours into House Flipper I see myself put another 20 into this, and why exactly is that the case?  Clean in All Aspects PowerWash simulator is excruciatingly simple; within it you accept jobs where you clean up various dirty locations and objects for cash that you then use to buy better power washers and nozzles in order to clean more efficiently on the next job (the jobs of which get progressively more grandiose and complex). In a similar fashion to all these simulator games, the sensation of finishing a huge job is what kee...

  An Intergalactic Indie Gem-A Habroxia 2 Review Habroxia 2 has been a game on my Steam wishlist for quite some time, but I couldn't really pin a finger on why I hadn't purchased it yet. Following a substantial update around June of this year , I had no choice but to pull the trigger and give Lillymo Games' Habroxia 2 a shot. So how exactly does it stand up to the field of 2D space shooters out there? Side-Scrolling with Finesse What immediately surprised me was the Star Fox esque elements this game used in its approach to gameplay. Across the adventure you'll have many levels with alternate exits and bosses, all branching out to their own separate paths. This is something I haven't really seen done in a 2D shooter, and I had fun playing through levels I had previously beaten with a sharp eye looking for an alternate exit (keep in mind it's nothing too cryptic so finding the extra content isn't some monolithic task).  The game will also change perspective qu...

  Missing the Mark-An Exo One Review Previously I really enjoyed these sort of open ended and abstract experiences, specifically Giant Squid's Abzû and its great sense of aquatic atmosphere. Having not played many of the other examples of the genre, namely Flower and Journey, I decided to check out the newly released Exo One from Exbleative to make a return back into these types of games.  Misreading the Room Ultimately, Exo One falls short of capturing the essence of what made these games engaging enough to enjoy. Looking to Abzû, there was an emphasis of smooth and coherent movement-you could kick your flippers through the water rhythmically to gain speed or grab onto animals and use their unique features to ride through the water. Exo One has a similar sense of momentum, as you turn into a ball to roll down slopes then transfer out into a disc to fly forward at maximum speed.  And this deeply satisfying, however, this is all Exo One ever does for the en...