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Inspector Waffles (Steam Deck): COMPLETED!

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Yes, I’ve played all the Inspector Waffles games in the wrong order. Somehow they’re in neither release order, nor – as one is a prequel – in chronological order. After Chance’s Lucky Escape on the Playdate last year, and Inspector Waffles Early Days more recently on the Evercade, I was on the lookout for a cheap copy of the original. At least, I think it’s the original? Whatever, here it is.

And it was great. Quite light on difficult puzzles, but humourous and smart and all the things a good point-and-click adventure game needs to be. I liked how all the cases were linked, and although the twist (and therefore, the reveal of the main “how”) was a bit silly, it didn’t detract. Now, are there more Waffles incoming any time soon?

Justice League: Cosmic Chaos (Steam Deck): COMPLETED!

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Why yes, I am seven years old. Because that’s clearly the age the game is aimed at. But you know what? It may be simplistic and childish, but it was good, actually, so stop judging me. It’s not like it’s Paw Patrol or anything.

What it actually is, is a bit like all those Lego games, only without the building and smashing. Or the Lego. So maybe not like Lego games. It does feel like those Lego games though, with similar combat and character swapping and the same sort of humour and cute versions of superheroes. Here, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman have to stop Mr Mxyzptlk from turning the city into a fishy hellhole after he decides to make himself mayor. The rest of the Justice League, literally referred to by the Big Three as “The B Team” have been facejacked by no-mark DC villain Starro, who himself is mainly there as muscle for Mzyzptlk. So, off you go, mainly in the sewers because obviously, rescuing them all.

There’s nothing complex here, just button mashing to punch and kick everyone. You have a few moves like a batarang or laser eyes which have cooldowns to prevent spamming them, but mostly it’s fisticuffs and dodge-rolls. There are a few platforming bits, and the odd puzzle or button-activating exercise, and some “collect X of Y to progress”, but nothing a seven year old, or an old man like me, should find problematic.

Enjoyable and mindless, which is fine really, isn’t it? I also liked all the niche DC superhero lore references, like minor events and characters from the comics and stuff. And Booster Gold being a tool, as is right and proper.

Tested On Humans Escape Room (Steam Deck): COMPLETED!

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I’ve enjoyed this sort of puzzle game in the past, a category I’d include The Witness, The Room, Maquette, Doors – Paradox, and so on in, so when Amazon were giving away a whole set of them, of which Tested On Humans Escape Room was one, I was very pleased. Sadly, it isn’t great.

The issues I had were mainly because the puzzles were either way too obvious or incredibly obscure and illogical. The joy of puzzle games is when they make you feel Very Clever, but TOHES never does that. It also doesn’t help that at least one of the puzzles has two working solutions but only one is accepted.

The Triangle Puzzle, not named in the game but it is, uh, a triangle, is one of these. You’re give a triangle with spaces on each side for coloured balls. Clues elsewhere show that each ball is worth a certain amount, and each side must add up to a certain total. My screenshot is a working solution, but isn’t the correct answer.

There is a plot, in that you’re a sort of prisoner in a medical testing facility, but that never really amounts to anything. You uncover notes about you, and your – presumably dead given all the blood – cellmates but in the end it’s all just a dream? Or isn’t? It’s very unsatisfying.

So, OK for free, but a bit of a disappointment. I might try one of the other games in the series just to see if it’s any better.

Definitely not a copy of Rubik’s Clock at all.

Entropy Survivors (Steam Deck): COMPLETED!

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I actually got this in a random game bundle a while back, and it was one of the better games in that pack, but for some reason I didn’t put much time into it. Over the last few months I’ve been doing the odd run here and there, eventually finishing it today.

As the name suggests, it’s a Survivorslike. In this one, you’re a frog riding a mech because of course you are, and you have two basic weapons – the frog has a rubbish gun, and the robot has a rubbish sword. As you slay the many thousands of baddies, you level up and unlock other weapons or improvements for your gun or sword, just like you would in other games in the genre. Here, they include rockets, blasts that knock back groups of foes, or freeze them, roll everyone up like you’re playing Katamari, or for reasons not readily explainable, summon a fleet of dustbin lorries to mow down everyone.

At the end of a run (either you die or you survive long enough and get extra bonuses) your skills reset, but you can use the items and gold collected to improve various skills more permanently. Again, like other games in this genre.

It’s a bit weird, and as you’re riding a mech it’s slower and clunkier than, say, Vampire Survivors, but it is different enough to warrant its existence. I liked it a lot, but it is only really playable for one run or two at a time. I think it being slow, and the seemingly slow build up of power each run, makes it feel like a bit of a chore if you don’t space it out.

Find My Frogs (Steam Deck): COMPLETED!

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You’ll never guess from the title of the game what sort of game this is and what you’re supposed to do. No, not punch Nazis (although that would make a good game), it’s finding – get this – frogs. Incredible.

In a dramatic change from the ten thousand “hidden cats” games currently available, this is a large, scrollable image with hidden frogs in it. Click on them to “find” them, and when you’ve got them all (and all the gnomes, and worms, and various other things for… reasons), you win! Oh, except some of the frogs are toads. How can you tell frogs from toads? Frogs are slimy and green, and toads are toadaly different. GONG

(Actually, there’s no real different between frogs and toads – toads are just a types of frog)

Where was I. Yes, finding frogs. It was an enjoyable hour or so. I’ve nothing against those cat games either, by the way – and have played a few – it’s just there’s only so many hidden cat games you need, and it’s nice to have a change of art style and animal for a bit. Also, the frogs are very cute.