One of the very popular - and, if I may say so, annoying - trends of modern times is “woke” culture. I’m not going to talk too deeply about the why, how, when, who, what for, in spite of whom, and I don’t know what else - there’s no time for that, and to be honest, I don’t even care. The point is that, as with all trends, an “anti” version emerged very quickly, and part of that is the recently released indie shooter DOGENSTEIN. The description on Steam starts with the phrase “WOKE NO MORE!!!” and I thought to myself, “Okay, at least I’ll have some fun,” especially since it costs less than four euros.

More in my review! :)

Rating: 2/10
Pros: soundtrack, one joke, short, egg launcher, price, the middle section of the final boss fight
Cons: pretty cringy “anti-woke” without any humor, I’m not a fan of the use of AI, very boring, lacks any original ideas

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P91AKt7D1yw

Hodnocení: 2/10
+: hudební doprovod, jeden vtip, krátké, vajíčkomet, cena, prostřední část finálního bosse
-: dost trapný „anti-woke“ bez jakéhokoliv humoru, nejsem fanoušek použití AI, velmi nudné, bez zásadního nápadu

This ’90s legend is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and during the recently concluded QuakeCon, another chapter was added to this legendary shooter, another episode celebrating the aforementioned anniversary, titled Dawn of the Machine. Once again, it’s the work of the Swedish studio MachineGames, and all owners of the remastered version of Quake received it completely free. Which struck me as the perfect opportunity to put together a five-minute review, since I’d like to make a full-length video about Quake someday - except… I’ve never actually played it, so that’s all the more reason to start… in my typical fashion, “from the end.”

More in my review! :)

Rating: 9/10
Pros: QUAKE, free for owners of the remaster, solid combat, map design, soundtrack, difficulty
Cons: some players might not like replaying levels, a few bugs, getting stuck on staircases

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLUo6CGzCI0

Hodnocení: 9/10
+: QUAKE, pro majitele remasteru zdarma, poctivá řežba, design map, soundtrack, obtížnost
-: někomu můžou vadit opakované průchodu levely, pár bugů, zasekávání se o schodiště

It was sometime in early March when I played the demo version of the RTS game Final Strategy, and even though I could see it needed a lot of work, I found the core concept appealing. That’s why I immediately agreed when the developer reached out to me with the full version - I was curious to see how far the final product had come. Especially since he had promised tweaks, fixes, and improvements… I was pretty hopeful. I did promise to take a look at it right after returning from my vacation, which… well, I’ve been home for almost two months now and still haven’t gotten around to it. So first and foremost, I’d like to apologize for my delay. But hey… at least there was a chance to release some patches, right? Well, yeah. There have been two (so far), with the last one on June 11.

More in my review! :)

Rating: 3/10
Pros: the concept behind some of the missions, it didn't crash, a one-man project
Cons: controls, can’t be paused, enemy AI, direct controls are insanely overpowered, the story is just a premise, repetitive tasks in missions, bugs

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Z6wSqi_bA

Hodnocení: 3/10
+: myšlenka některých misí, nespadlo to, práce jednoho člověka
-: ovládání, chybí pauza, umělá inteligence, přímé ovládání je šíleně OP, příběh je jenom premisa, opakující se úkoly v misích, bugy

VOS: First Faiths is probably one of the most unique horror games - and games in general - I’ve ever played in my life. Because, let’s be honest—a video game experienced purely through a smartphone screen? I’ve never seen anything like that before. Admittedly, the main character -whether male or female, which is never actually stated—holds it like a idiot, but I get that that’s trendy these days.

I’d be more interested in whether it’ll be ported to mobile phones or tablets in the future, because that would be a natural fit. Currently, the first episode, titled “First Faiths,” is available on Steam, with two more to follow “sometime after that.” As the guys at id Software would say - “when it’s done.”

More in my review! :)

Rating: 6/10
Plus: very unique concept, combat through drawing kanji, multiple endings
Cons: I'm not a fan of the AI, a lot of trial and error, instant losses that work strangely, ending “locked” on Instagram

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of8RhyjcCcE

Hodnocení: 6/10
+: velmi unikátní pojetí, boj pomocí kreslení kandži, různé konce
-: nejsem fanoušek použití AI, hodně pokus-omyl, divně fungující insta prohry, konec "zamčený" na Instagramu

Machinefall is a new Czech strategy game created by solo developer Jan Žižka. I’m sure I’m the very first person in Honza’s life to have used that reference. One hundred percent. In any case, we have to admit that, given the overall development of technology and the geopolitical situation, this post-apocalyptic training could come in handy for all of us. Because in the world of Machinefall, humanity barely managed to defeat the machines, but it cost us a return to practically the era of… well, not even the Stone Age, maybe more like the Clay Age.

More in my latest review! :)

Rating: 6/10
Pros: it features an entire world, widerangeof human history; I didn’t run into any issues; it’s a Czech game
Cons: it could use atleast a short, story-driven campaign; I personally found it monotonous; storage limits start low; I’m not a fan of the usage of AI

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHsx4Fa_7Ec

Hodnocení: 6/10
+: je tam celý svět, velký rozsah období lidské historie, nenarazil jsem na problém, česká hra
-: chtělo by aspoň kratičkou příběhovější kampaň, osobně jednotvárné, limity skladišť začínají nízko, nejsem fanoušek použití AI

It hasn’t even been a few days since we learned about the massive layoffs at id Software, and according to initial reports, most of those affected are supposed to be programmers. I give the big brains at Microsoft a year, two at most, before they realize that letting AI do the programming instead of people is, at best, a road to hell. I’m not saying it isn’t a useful tool - for example, for faster searches or explaining something simple - but the old saying still holds true: a good servant, but a bad master. The new Revelations DLC for Doom: The Dark Ages is thus a swan song of sorts for all these id Software employees.

And if this really is the last major project from this legendary company, then they’ve FREAKING nailed it.

Rating: 9/10
Pros: DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM, spear, great gameplay, no dragons, no robots, old-school levels and references
Cons: sluggish AI in large arenas, doors that require a Master Key, a few bugs (especially sound), can’t replay chapters, the final boss

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-u9ZC3WM_w

Hodnocení: 9/10
+: DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM, kopí, skvělá gameplay, žádný drak, žádný robot, oldschool levely a odkazy
-: spící AI ve velkých arénách, dveře na Master Key, pár bugů (hlavně ozvučení), (zatím) chybí možnost projít si kapitoly znovu, finální boss

Blighten is one of those indie games I stumbled upon completely by accident on Twitter, because someone I follow had just shared it. And since I pretty much liked the footage they showed - and it’s supposed to be a survival horror game - I followed its solo developer, added it to my Steam wishlist, and started waiting patiently, because “the release date will be announced.” So I was all the more surprised when I suddenly got an email saying a free playable demo was out.

More in my impressions! :)

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6ctW3ZY1Pw

You know what I liked most about that infamous IGN review? How the writer suddenly, out of nowhere, started this whole shtick about whether he was in the right shooting at the actress whose opera house he just set on fire - and whether he killed her or left her there unconscious to burn to death??? Such deep thoughts about a video game??? Huuuuuuu….

Okay, bashing IGN reviewers is kind of like kicking a pinecone—everyone does it, and it doesn’t really accomplish anything. But anyway, I’d like to whine a bit that I originally planned to write this review around the time of Ground Zero, but… let’s just say something kept getting in the way. But now I’ve finally put my foot down, and together we’ll take a look at this beautifully drawn black-and-white shooter. Because Mouse: P.I. For Hire isn’t just about its amazing art style.

Rating: 7/10
+: art style and graphics, CHEEEEEEESEEEEEE, soundtrack, IGN review, story, solid gameplay
-: black doors, the card game gets old quickly, why is everyone swaying all the time?, that alien weapon is useless, paradoxically too long, final boss

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n3hS_gs0J8

Hodnocení: 7/10
+: stylizace a grafika, SÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝR, hudební doprovod, recenze IGN, příběh, solidní hratelnost
-: černé dveře, karetní hra se rychle ohraje, proč se furt všichni pohupujou?, ta mimozemská zbraň je na prd, paradoxně dlouhé, finální boss

I don’t want this opening to sound mean, because I really don’t mean it that way, but I can’t help it - I’d describe Bonetox as a kind of simplified Czech version of modern Doom for the poor-folk. Because that’s exactly how this solo developer’s project seems to me. I find myself in the shoes of an unknown guy, a pistol and a hammer in my hand, surrounded by a bunch of people less fortunate than me, with some huge statue of God-knows-who looming above us, and as they say in that famous movie: “I’m not locked in here with you, you’re locked in here with me!!”

More in my impressions! :)

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPnC7Fowdjg

Dust Front RTS could be described as a cartoonish Russian StarCraft. Well, at least I assume it’s Russian, since the demo version includes Russian as well as English, and my units are mumbling something vaguely resembling that language—but I can’t really say I understand them all that well. On the other hand, the tutorial is entirely in English, so I guess I can’t really complain.

More in my impressions! :)

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdN3jIk17Fo

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxfz-yefZQc

Rating: 6/10
+: relaxing, free levels for everyone, completely different from the base game, level editor
-: jumping into the unknown, free-camera controls, no motivation to collect other items besides the score

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAKgBYYO_bw

Hodnocení: 6/10
+: oddychovka, levely zdarma na vyzkoušení, absolutně odlišné oproti základní hře, editor úrovní
-: skoky do neznáma, ovládání volného pohledu, až na skóre není motivaci sbírat ostatní předměty

+: Ultimate General gameplay, Napoleonic period, units surrender
-: bugs, AI, charge doesn't work, cannonshots are WAY overpowered, cavalery refuses to attack, losses seems random, seemly no difference between light/medium/heavy types of units

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjNVon3kxJs

You can try out this demo on Steam. :) https://store.steampowered.com/app/4396010/Kiipluu_Demo/

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64CuImfoh-o

Should you refund? YES
+: bodycam, mature theme, graphics
-: gameplay overall, getting stuck on objects, bugs, incredibly monotonous, everyone has the same weapon

Czech version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8fFRTYiGaY

Hodnocení: NE (refund)
+: bodycam, dospělé téma, grafické zpracování
-: kompletně hratelnost, zasekávání se o předměty, bugy, šíleně jednotvárné, všichni s jednou zbraní