The Long Reach (Xbox One, 2018)

The Long Reach
Developed by Painted Black Games
Published by Merge Games Ltd.
Released for Xbox One (7/2018)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4/Switch/Vita

The Long Reach is a 2D adventure/horror game presented in pixel graphics. Unlike your standard horror title, you have no way to fight back against the vicious murderer. This means you'll have to run and hide in order to avoid being killed. The game feels like a slasher film in several regards, so if you're a fan of those types of movies you might want to have a look at this one.

The Long Reach takes place in science research facility, where the crew are performing some dangerous research. Due to funding limitations, the crew were forced to use themselves as test subjects and are injecting themselves with experimental drugs that are intended to enhance one's abilities in various ways. The crew begin suffering from hallucinations and are beginning to lose their sanity. This is when the dead bodies began turning up...

The character you control is also suffering from the same hallucinations as the other crew members, so there are a couple parts where you're transported into some crazy scenarios. Along the way you'll still find a few living crew members, though most of them have gone mad. You'll have dialogue options to select from when speaking with them, some of which will have different replies. It's a nice touch how none of the dialogue choices are highlighted when presented to prevent accidentally choosing one while speeding up the game text.

A certain crew member has completely lost it and is roaming the facility. You'll know if he's in a room thanks to the footstep indicator you'll see as he approaches. If this guy sees you, he'll chase you down and will put an end to your game if he catches you. There are a few designated spots, such as lockers and vents, where you can hide from the killer if you're quick enough. This will allow you to safely pop back out and go about your business if done properly. If caught and murdered you'll be sent back to the last checkpoint, some of which seem a bit further back than they should be. For instance, in one area where the killer will frequently chase after you the checkpoint sends you back to a lengthy dialogue segment you'll quickly grow tired of viewing.

While at its core the Long Reach is a horror game and there are several parts of the game where you'll be running and hiding for safety, a good chunk of the game will be spent exploring the environment, finding objects and then figuring what to use those objects with. It's similar to point 'n click games, where often the solution isn't the most obvious choice but can be discovered by just trying everything. This means there's quite a bit of trial and error gameplay here, and unless using a guide you'll likely find yourself stumped on more than a few occasions.

As already stated, the graphics in the Long Reach are presented in chunky 2D pixels. It looks nice overall and like many games sporting this graphical style, it manages to be simple yet detailed at the same time. There are some nice scrolling layers in the backdrop to convey a sense of depth. Lighting sources and darkness are also well represented here, so there's not much to complain about in the looks department. Sound design is rather minimal, but it works in the games favor to add to the tension and atmosphere. Controls are simple as well and movement feels fluid. The run button is easy to use as is the inventory. Objects that can be interacted with in the background are highlighted in yellow, making it easy to see what to do. Overall, the game does a solid job in the graphics/presentation/controls departments.
 
If I had to complain about something it would be that the initial loading screen is a bit lengthy for such a simple-looking game, but even that's a bit of a reach (maybe even a long reach). The Long Reach is a short game and can be completed in just an hour or two if you know what to do. If you play the game blind with no strategy guides it will easily last you somewhere between 4-8 hours depending upon how quick you solve some of the puzzles. While a bit on the short side, the Long Reach is good fun while it lasts and is an enjoyable combination of adventure/horror/slasher genres. The game features a solid atmosphere, a crazy killer and a creepy story involving an experiment gone terribly wrong. The running and hiding segments reminded a bit of the old Clock Tower games, so if you enjoyed those or slasher horror you'll find something to like with the Long Reach!

Final Verdict: The Long Reach is a solid adventure-horror title that's a bit short in length, but is a good time while it lasts. If you like slasher horror than give this one a look!

Related Links:
Buy The Long Reach - Microsoft Store
The Long Reach - GameFAQs
Merge Games - Official Site
The Long Reach Game - Official Site
Painted Black Games - Official Site

Strategy Guide/Walkthroughs:
The Long Reach - True Achievements
The Long Reach Walkthrough - PlayStation Trophies
The Long Reach Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements

Omega Strike (Xbox One, 2018)

Omega Strike
Developed by Woblyware
Published by Digerati Distribution
Released for Xbox One (6/2018)
Also on PC/PS4/Switch

Omega Strike combines a 2D run 'n gun/platformer with Metroidvania style gameplay. Despite having a somewhat generic name making it easy to overlook, Omega Strike is a competent Metroidvania that fans of the genre might want to dip into. Presented in old-school pixel art graphics, you'll blast your way through five large areas while unlocking new abilities along the way. As you gain new abilities you'll be able to explore areas you previously couldn't access.

Omega Strike features the standard plot of a bad dude, Dr. Omega, who threatens to dominate the world under his reign of terror. It's up to our three heroes Sarge, Bear and Dex to put an end to Dr. Omega's evil plans. At the start of Omega Strike you'll only have control of Sarge, but as you progress you'll unlock two additional characters you can switch between on the fly, each with different abilities that you'll unlock as you play. Sarge packs an assault rifle and has the ability to shoot through certain blocks and roll. Dex wields a shotgun and can double jump and dash. The third character, Bear, packs a grenade launcher and the ability to push heavy blocks. Characters can be switched instantly with a press of the Y button and you'll find yourself switching between them quite frequently as you encounter different scenarios throughout the game. It's a neat concept and works well enough, though Sarge and Dex are easily much more effective than Bear. Bear was primarily effective for enemies below you since his grenade launcher has an arc to it, but you'll encounter these scenarios far less frequently than enemies in front of or above you which are better handled by Dex or Sarge. Once you unlock Dex's double jump ability, you'll likely only switch to the other characters when required and then go right back to Dex due to his enhanced mobility.

There are five total stages to explore in Omega Strike. There's a decent variety between the stages, which will take you through mines, the desert, a scrapyard, the mountains and the woods. While five stages might sound quite short, the maps are large in size and will take a while to explore. You'll find yourself returning to previous areas quite frequently as you unlock new abilities and are able to access areas you couldn't before. The fifth and final stage, the Omega Citadel, is an air fortress in the sky that can only be unlocked after defeating all previous bosses on the first four stages.

There are collectibles scattered about in the form of medkits, treasure chests and lifecubes. The medkits will be added to your inventory when collected, which can be used from the item screen anytime you need to restore some health. The treasure chests add some extra money which you can spend on upgrades or items at a merchant. The lifecubes will be added to your inventory and can be exchanged at the military base. Four life cubes will grant you one additional block on your life meter. Some of these are well hidden, so you'll definitely pass some of them up on accident. Enemies respawn every time you enter a new screen, so you'll find yourself blasting through the same screens several times in a playthrough as you backtrack to access new areas.

Graphically, Omega Strike presents the 2D action with pixel-art that looks like something straight out of the 32-bit era. The pixel art is simple but packs more than enough detail to convey what the sprite is supposed to be. Backgrounds are also quite detailed with several scrolling layers adding a nice sense of depth. There's a decent variety to the stages, with each feeling different than the last. There's also quite a nice variety of enemies to dispatch and the game does a good job ramping up the difficulty of the enemies as you progress. Each map has its own theme music, all of which are solid and a few are quite memorable. The songs for Emerald Woods, Scrapyard and Omega Citadel definitely stand out as personal favorites. The sound effects are simple and to the point. Nothing sounds too obnoxious and I never got tired of hearing the sounds of the game, though much of this is due to the excellent soundtrack. In regards to the music, every time I heard the theme song for Emerald Woods this song from the Gradius 3 OST would pop into my head. Do you notice the similarities as well or am I imagining things? Control-wise, Omega Strike features a simple control layout that works well and really leaves nothing to complain about.

I didn't find much to gripe about during my time with Omega Strike, though there are a few aspects that could've been improved. I wound up purchasing all of the upgrades roughly about halfway through the game, which left me nothing else to spend my money on besides food and the teleporter device (which warps you back to the military base). Another shop later in the game with a few more items to buy would have went a long way. While the map works fine for what it is, having some kind of way to place markers or indicate where you want to return later would have been great. As it is, you'll end up doing a lot of useless backtracking to figure out where you're supposed to go (unless of course you use these maps), but this has been a common issue with many Metroidvania games in the past and kinda comes with the genre sometimes. There's also the character balance issue I talked about earlier, with Dex and his double-jump ability making him far more enjoyable to use than the other two characters.

During my playthrough of Omega Strike, I unlocked 100% of the achievements in a little under 7 hours. Having obtained the game on the cheap in an Indie Bundle sale, I felt like I got more than my money's worth but I might feel different had I paid full price for the game, so you may want to wait and catch it on a sale. While a bit on the short side, I found myself wanting more when it was all said and done which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Omega Strike is far from perfect, but it's a fun little Metroidvania game that won't take up too much of your time.

Final Verdict: Omega Strike is a Metroidvania with elements of a 2D run 'n gunner and platformer. While a bit easy and short in length, there's still some fun to be had here. Grab it when it's on sale if you dig Metroidvania games.

Related Links:
Buy Omega Force - Microsoft Store
Buy Indie Darling Bundle Vol 3 - Microsoft Store
Omega Strike Item Maps - Xbox Overview
Omega Strike - GameFAQs
Woblyware - Official Site
Digerati Distribution - Official Site
Omega Strike - True Achievements