Hexagon Knockout (PC) Review

 

Hexagon Knockout is a game about being the last car surviving. All players are placed on a platform and have to knock each other down from there via bumping into each other, using boosts or rockets. The playable area keeps getting smaller and the winner of 5 rounds is being crowned the champion of the match.

There are 12 different variants of rounds and they switch after every completed round. In some of them the ground collapses faster, there are extra obstacles in the way, a rocket bombardment, one player has an explosive car or there is a crown to be held for a certain time to win. These variants definitely increase the variety and replayability of the game, but the core gameplay idea always stays the same.

Unfortunately Hexagon Knockout does not have Bot Support or true Online matchmaking, which makes it much more difficult to play than it would have to be. You can play locally with additional controllers (or via LAN?) or online with people on your Steam friends list. That is better than nothing, but does feel overly restrictive and limited. I don't see why you couldn't play online with other people outside your friend list, like in pretty much every other online game.

The (mouse and) keyboard controls on the game are also horribly optimized. You can use them, but it is pretty uncomfortable. You can't even use the mouse in the main menu and instead have to use the keyboard to navigate yourself into a match (some buttons are displayed which are not even part of physical keyboards) and the movement ingame is not the greatest, since you move with camera directions, not with the car directions, which can be pretty confusing in the beginning. The whole keyboard controls seem unnecessarily convoluted and unintuitive. The game offers gamepad support and that works at least much better.

 

Pro:

+ Core gameplay functions okay

+ Variety of different rounds

+ Local and Friend matchmaking possible

 

Contra:

- No Bot Support

- No real online matchmaking

- Badly optimized keyboard controls

- More of a minigame than a full game

 

Result:

Hexagon Knockout is actually not a terrible game for what it offers. In comparison to 'Push Battle' (game with a similar concept) for example I would definitely prefer Hexagon Knockout. That being said, the whole gameplay idea seems more like a minigame to me, than a standalone game. If you are into car brawling the game might be worth a look, but I didn't enjoy it enough for a recommendation and got pretty annoyed by the bad keyboard controls and lack of online and Bot matchmaking.

 

4/10

SlapBR (PC) Review

 

SlapBR is a mix of Slenderman and a 'Hide and Seek' BR like Tag Royale. Thankfully the servers actually work very well in this game and aren't broken like in Tag Royale.

The gameplay has a lot of similarities with Slenderman, since the players are placed in a lonely forest in the middle of the night. A flashlight gives a tiny fraction of visibility ahead, but the majority of the screen is filled with darkness. You know that the other players are out there and that one hit could either finish your life or theirs. SlapBR therefore manages to create a real Horror atmosphere within a Battle Royale gamemode.

There is a Stamina System in place, which enables players to sprint for a short time to potentially escape other players. Players can also be combated by using the slap attack. Every slap is deathly, but can be blocked with a block ability, which lasts around 2 seconds. Players therefore have to carefully time their slaps and blocks or decide to vanish into the darkness to slap another time.

Every match takes a maximum of 5 minutes, which equalizes the time it takes the walls surrounding the playable area to close in from all sides. Unfortunately the walls don't do any damage, they just prevent players from leaving the playable area and push them closer towards each other.

The walls however also show the game's weakest aspect which are the visuals. The walls are just a single coloured turquoise obstacle and totally standout from the forest visuals. This should have definitely been done better (I would have even preferred a simple thick black wall, that equalizes the inevitable darkness). The ground and tree textures are also of rather low quality, but get the job done and the small view distance and night scenario conceal them well. The character models are also just simple white mannequins, which at least helps them to standout from the darkness when you see them. Because of the small view distance however you will have to be standing really close to another player to recognize them. The game even introduces a jumpscare soundeffect when you stumble on another character, which totally freaked me out the first time. I don't think there are even any other sound effects in SlapBR except for your footsteps. Some creepy wind sound effect running through the trees could have been another cool addition, but the present sound effects do help to create the Horror atmosphere in the game. You are always on your toes, expecting the unexpected.

 

Pro:

+ Mix of Horror and Battle Royale (unique concept)

+ Slenderman vibes through small visibility

+ Mix of slaps, blocks and hiding works well in the dark forest scenario

+ Game creates jumpscare moments

 

Contra:

- Simpler visuals

- Not overly complex gameplay

- No outside the zone possible

 

Result:

I like the unique idea of creating a Horror Battle Royale and while SlapBR is overall certainly a rather basic and simple game, it does the things well, that it attempts. The visuals could certainly be improved, the gameplay could be way more diverse through additional elements, but SlapBR is a decent first attempt at a Horror BR and probably the closest one can get to a Slenderman BR.

 

5.5/10

Overview of Game Review Nation articles in 2021

 

Battle Royale:

1. Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 5 (PS4) Review; 21.04.21; 7,5

2. Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 6 (PS4) Review; 31.7.21; 7,5

3. Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 7 (PS4) Review; 6.12.21; 7,25

4. SOS Battle Royale (PC) Historical Review; 2.4.21; 6,0/7,0

5. Code2040 (PC) Review; 16.11.21; 6,5

6. Anarea Battle Royale (PC); Mortal Royale (PC); Element Battle Royale (PC); Death Field: The Battle Royale of Disaster (PC) Review/Historical Review; 25.3.21; 6,0/4,5/2,0/5,0

7. Hit N'Rush (PC) Review; 3.3.21; 5,75

8. Spectral Ascension (PC) Review; 26.6.21; 5,75

9. Don't Even Think (PS4) Review; 15.1.21; 5,5

10. Magnificent 5 (PC) Review; 27.2.21; 5,5

11. Let It Flow (PC) Review; 5.6.21; 5,5

12. Block Arena (PC) Review; 29.5.21; 5,5

13. Long Live Santa (PC) Review; 1.5.21; 5,0

14. Fractal Fury (PC) Review; 9.4.21; 5,0

15. Greed: Abandoned Dogs (PC) Review; 26.7.21; 3,5 -> 4,5

16. Turbo Tempest (PC) Review; 28.8.21; 4,5

17. Modern Combat 5 Battle Royale (PC) Review; 4.2.21; 4,0

18. Galactic Force (PC) Review; 23.11.21; 4,0

19. Zombie Survival Online (PC) Review; 4.9.21; 4,0

20. Farm Fatale (PC) Review; 21.8.21; 3,5

21. Masked Forces 3 (PC) Review; 26.9.21; 3,5

22. Pixel Battle Royale (PC) Review; 22.2.21; 3,5

23. Everything Explosive (PC) Review; 8.5.21; 3,5

24. Royale Island Showdown (PC) Review; 16.2.21; 3,0

25. Battle Royale Survival (PC) Review; 19.2.21; 3,0

26. PixelForces.io (PC) Review; 22.5.21; 2,5

27. Element Battle Royale (PC) Update Review; 20.6.21; 2,0

28. Battle Royale 3D Warrior63 (PC) Review; 15.5.21; 1,0

29. Valor (PC) Review; 7.8.21; 1,0

30. Last Tide (PC); Fractured Lands (PC); Rules of Survival (PC); Banzai Royale (PC); Rideout Heroes (PC); Super Mecha Champions (PC) etc.; 11.2.21; No Reviews

 

Rest:

31. Back 4 Blood Open Beta (PS4/PC) Review; 15.8.21; 7-8

32. Deepest Sword (PC) Review; 14.10.21; 7,5

33. Cube Factory (PC) Review; 25.12.21; 7,0

34. 6 Seasons and a Game (PC) Review; 17.7.21; 7,0

35. We Were Here (PS4) Review; 10.3.21; 7,0

36. Praesidium (PC) Review; 7.10.21; 6,5

37. Soulcaster (PC) Review; 12.6.21; 6,5

38. Magic Legends (PC) Review; 3.11.21; 5,5

39. Rebel Forces (PC) Review; 18.9.21; 5,0

40. Slaughterhouse (PC) Review; 4.7.21; 4,5

41. Crutarch Royale (PC) Review; 29.10.21; 3,5

42. Masked Forces 1 (PC) Review; 2.10.21; 3,0

43. All-Time Battle (PC) Review; 17.3.21; 1,5

44. War Identity (PC) Review; 11.9.21; 1,5

45. Code Zero (PC) Review; 21.10.21; 1,0

46. Call of Duty Vanguard Alpha (PS4) Review; 31.08.21; No Review

47. Call of Duty Vanguard Beta (PS4) Review; 4.10.21; No Review

48. Battlefield 2042 Beta (PS4) Review; 11.10.21; No Review

MilkChoco (PC) Review

 

MilkChoco is a third person Shooter Game, in which the forces of Milk and the forces of Chocolate continue to fight their eternal battle. The Steam release is a port of the mobile version of the game. Unfortunately the port wasn't done too well. The game essentially functions, but there are a lot of things that leave to be desired.

The visuals for example are very underwhelming for a PC game and can't hide their mobile origin. The game never seems to give players a truly sharp image, like you might expect to receive on a potent PC.

Map design is another victim of the mobile source material. There is a variety of maps, but they don't only look simple, they are also very blandly designed. There is nothing interesting here and for a PC game it is a huge letdown.

There are couple of different game modes in MilkChoco. The regular multiplayer modes are all being played in the 5v5 matches and feature modes like 'Conquer the Milk' (A milk version of Capture the Flag), Companion mode (protect snails that extract milk), Team Deathmatch (what you would expect), Kill the Devil (shoot enough explosive dummies) and an Objective mode (fill up a giant bottle of milk or chocolate). You at least have to give the devs credit for integrating the Milk vs Chocolate concept into most of the gamemodes.

There is also a Battle Royale mode, which is unfortunately rarely being played. I actually like this mode the most, since the map is much bigger than in the other modes and all the weapons can be picked up from the ground (like in every other BR) instead of having to be unlocked in the shop. I wouldn't say the map is anything worth talking about in comparison to regular BR games, but it certainly stands out in comparison to the other MilkChoco maps. There is even a nice fire effect for areas outside of the zone.

The gameplay is also rather basic, but mostly works at least okay. The only major problem is the recoil in this game. Weapons (the AR especially) have a massive, uncontrollable recoil in MilkChoco, that can only be explained with screwing up the port from mobile devices to PC. Characters shoot like they are either having a seizure or a parkinsonism near the end state. Shooting is therefore unfortunately no fun in this game and that is kind of important for a Shooter Game...

Players per default only have an AR and the standard character model. Additional characters and weapons can partially be unlocked with ingame currency and partially have to be bought with real money. Since some of the best weapons are probably locked behind the paywall, this does smell like 'Pay to Win' to me.

Soundeffects are also by the way rather weird in this game. The walking sound is pretty annoying, like a shoe that squeaks, jumping sounds like a bouncy ball and there are continously weird baby sounds to be heard throughout the match. I have no idea who came with these awful soundeffects, but they should question themselves.

Interestingly enough I recently discovered that MilkChoco has already been released on Console (PS4 and Switch) awhile ago. These ports are ludicrously expensive in comparison to the F2P Steam version (25-30 Euro/Dollar), but they are also much better ports than the PC-Version. Both console versions have a much sharper image quality and better controls (less uncontrollable recoil). Maybe they only released the PC version for free, because they know it was a bad port... Anyways there can be no excuses for such a bad PC port, if you look at the better console versions.

 

Pro:

- Cool concept (Milk vs Chocolate)

- Theme integration in most modes

- Battle Royale is kind of decent

- Bot Support

 

Contra:

- Awful weapon recoil

- Mobile Visuals

- Weird soundeffects

- Boring map design

- Possible Pay to Win weapons

- Worse port than console versions

 

Result:

I really like the idea of MilkChoco and as an original PC game I might see some potential in it. In reality however MilkChoco is a bad port of a mostly mediocre mobile game. The gamemodes fit the theme well and the Battle Royale was actually not that bad, but the weak visuals, weird sound effects and terrible recoil patterns ruin a lot of the fun. If it wasn't for the theme I would probably dislike this game much more, so I still had some enjoyable moments, but definitely felt disappointed overall.

 

4/10