Help Ellie prepare for a new day, she needs to look gorgeous today. Wash her hair, clean her face and make sure her skin is perfect. After helping her choose the perfect make-up and the best outfit, Ellie will be ready to have an awesome day and be the most beautiful.
The engines are roaring, hands on the ignition keys! Be the first one at the finish line in the racing game FunRace.io! Only nerves of steel can help you manage crazy speeds, make sharp turns and overtake powerful opponents. Collect boosts and steer clear of oil spills if you want to get to the finish line first!
Summer Catchers is an undeniably beautiful-looking game with its gorgeous pixellated art style. It also tells a heart-warming tale about a young girl who lives in the frozen North heading South to discover what summer actually looks like. It's all sounds lovely, but what about the gameplay? Does that match it's gorgeous aesthetic? We asked our App Army to find out
Here's what they said:
Slava Kozyrev
With Summer Catchers iOS gamers receive yet another representative of endless runners, this time courtesy of Noodlecake Studios. The good thing it supports MFi Bluetooth controllers, although I am not sure whether this fact gives you an advantage over traditional touch control scheme.
The problem here lies within the game mechanics according to which performing any in-game action (jumping, accelerating, bashing, etc) apart from automatically moving forward requires selecting and then tapping the designated button on the right side of the screen. Several successive errors and you are out.
I understand that the developers aimed to shake things up a bit and bring something new to the table by also adding text adventure and interactive story elements to the mix. But the main trouble is that due to the dynamic nature of the game I was unable to string a long perfect run unlike in the signature Alto series where you gradually get into the groove and enjoy the ride for solid 5-10 minutes. For me, Summer Catchers very quickly turned into Summer Crashers.
Paul Manchester
I was looking forward to this game and the first moments seemed promising, but that soon ended. The game looks good with nice pixel animations and overall quality finish. However, underneath this is one of the most tedious runners I’ve played. Runs are short and rely on luck for the most part.
You have a limited number of parts to help clear obstacles, but as soon as these are used up it’s back to shop to buy more. The fact that the game is restricted by this loop and actual run playtime seems so short, I quickly tired of trying to progress. It’s definitely a pass from me.
Mark Abukoff
Simple retro runner with different tools to get past different kinds of obstacles, recognizing each variety of obstacle and remembering which tool (that you have to purchase for each level) to use. Music and sounds appropriate for the genre.
Controls are simple and work well enough. Graphics look sharp and appealing. Aside from that, I’m not a big fan of endless runners and honestly found nothing remarkable about this one, but if you are a fan, the challenge of this will probably appeal to you.
Jc Ga
The genre of endless runners is not my favourite and the gameplay consisting essentially of clicking on the action icons remains simple, but there is a strategic dimension in the choice of actions, like in deck building. The pretty graphics, the cute little details, the charming universe kept me curious.
The levels with "bosses" renew the pleasure by offering stimulating challenges. It’s not a game I would play long sessions of but plunge into it for occasional runs. The game is rather repetitive by its genre, but it’s a well-finished game, and it contains quite poetic surprises. It will not satisfy all players, but if you enjoy runners, it clearly deserves to be tested.
Robert Maines
Summer Catchers gameplay did not initially impress me. Unlike most auto runners your limit on how far you can go is determined not so much by your reflexes but by the random nature of action icons served up to you as your buggy motors along. This means your game can end through no fault of your own which is very annoying. I found this very off-putting and was going to delete the game.
But sticking with it, the game grew on me as I progressed and I’m quite enjoying it now. The game’s retro visuals look good although the sound is forgettable. Persevere and you might end up liking this game as I did.
The game is beautiful, but I don't know if I liked it. Buying tools left everything a little confusing for me. I couldn't pass some obstacles, making the game a bit boring and repetitive. I wish I liked it more :( I don't have very good reflexes, so I think this game is not for me.
Pierpaolo Morgante
I played this game quite a bit, and my overall impression is honestly neutral. The “bad” parts balance out with the good parts. I’ll describe what I liked first, then I’ll move to what I didn’t like. I liked the graphics, which are very nice and polished. I liked the soundtrack/music and the atmosphere, it is dream-like. All these features show great attention to the details from the developers, and it is quite a delight.
What I didn’t like was the overall game mechanics, unfortunately. I don’t mind a platform game or a runner. This one though was a little frustrating, as you are limited in your actions and you always have to buy more objects to use.
I got unlucky quite a few times, as I had a run that needed only the hammer tool, and there was no way I could buy that many. Overall, it is not a game I recommend, but it’s also not a game I wouldn’t recommend. For sure, look it up before you buy it though.
Marc Russell
Summer Catchers is a well-presented game using a pixelated art style, whilst this looks good on a phone, it doesn’t look too good on a tablet, but is still playable. The game overall is very polished and looks like a decent amount of effort was put into the look and feel of the game.
The game is an endless/auto-runner where you buy moves before each run and perform each move to avoid oncoming obstacles. Each run you try and complete tasks to progress further into the game. Unfortunately, the game itself is a simple concept that has been repeated many times on mobile but as a premium game.
It seems to have all the tropes of a free-to-play game to slow your progress down to make it extend the life of the game. For instance, only one task can be accomplished each run and also needing to buy specific items to complete a run with the currency you earn in-game.
The big issue I have is that at any one time there are actions shown on the screen which you can perform to avoid the oncoming pitfalls and take no damage, the actions are displayed randomly down the side of the screen, these are taken from the pool of actions you purchased or had leftover from previous runs.
Being random, you may not have the required move in your list for the oncoming obstacle, which means you have to quickly swipe one away, and then another random one from your remaining ones will replace it, this still may not be the one you require, meaning you cannot successfully navigate the obstacle. Take too many hits and the level is over.
This does mean you can fail a level, not because of your reflexes or that you didn’t purchase enough of the required actions, but because of the random nature of the way your moves are given to you, which you can then perform. This also means you can’t play a level to see how far you reactions take you as you will run out of them and your damage will end the run.
I guess this method was used to make the game “different”, but it ends up making it frustrating and for me not fun to play. I’m not sure if this can be fixed as this is the bit that makes the game “different” and removing or changing the way the game works will just make it another endless runner. For that reason, I can’t recommend the game unless you are happy with this type of gaming mechanic.
Oksana Ryan
I loved the look of this game but unfortunately, that was as good as it got. To get past obstacles in the way as I drove I had to buy tools to knock them down, jump over or boost my way up hills. These tools were bought using mushrooms collected on the course.
There were other tasks to perform to get through the course but I never got to them, instead, the game soon took on a repetitive theme of the short drive - back to start and buy more tools. A short drive - back to start and buy more tools. After more attempts than I care to think about I got bored and gave up. Definitely not for me.
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Genshin Impact caused quite a stir when it was announced last year due to its abundant similarities to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. At its core, the game is an open-world adventure with anime-style characters and a more traditional RPG levelling system than BOTY.
I can certainly see why people are drawing comparisons – the stamina meter, cooking system, enemy designs, etc – but some disgruntled gamers took it way too far at last year's ChinaJoy, with one peeved player smashing his PS4 in protest.
When Mihoyo unveiled Genshin Impact for PS4, many noted the game was inspired by BOTW. Some fans of BOTW are upset that Sony is promoting this game because of the similarities + they think it’s shameless of Sony. This man smashed his PS4 at ChinaJoy in protest. pic.twitter.com/jwJqwREgaz — Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) August 3, 2019
A ridiculous overreaction? Yes, maybe. But as industry analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed out at the time, Chinese gamers seemed to be taking Genshin's blatant cribbing of ideas from BOTW quite personally.
The news today is that Genshin Impact will eventually launch for Nintendo Switch. We already knew that a mobile version is in the works, but it's nevertheless good to hear that Switch owners will also be able to give it a go.
The game was previously planned to launch this year, though as Nintendo Life points out, its publisher has since said that the release date is "to be announced", perhaps suggesting that it's still a ways off yet.
Honestly, I think Genshin Impact looks pretty neat. It definitely hews a little too closely to BOTW in several key areas, but its anime-inspired visuals and distinct world design appear sufficiently different in my eyes. The fact that it's heading to mobile also has me super intrigued because it looks to be a fairly ambitious, large-scale project.
Here's how to sign up for the game's latest closed beta
Genshin Impact is the controversial open-world RPG that drew the ire of some gamers last year for its abundant similarities to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Earlier this week, the announcement came that a Switch version is on the way, but I'm primarily interested in how this ambitious title works on iOS and Android.
Thankfully, a select few will now be able to get some hands-on time with it by signing up for the game's latest closed beta. It's set to showcase the Liyue Harbor area and will "allow players an opportunity to understand the legend of the Geo Archon and unveil the secrets of this gorgeous city". The beta will kick off at some point in Q1 2020.
The original closed beta featured Mondstadt, the "City of Wind". New characters and adventures await in Liyue Harbor, so it's probably worth getting involved even if you participated the first time around.
For those not in the know, Genshin Impact is an open-world RPG set in the fantasy realm of Teyvat. It's a story-focused title with an elemental combo-based combat system and plenty of impressive locales to explore.
As I say, it originally made news for its clear cribbing of ideas from Nintendo's Breath of the Wild, including the stamina meter, cooking mechanics, enemy designs, and more. That said, the overall presentation is quite different, with Genshin Impact going for a more anime-style look that sets it apart just enough from its most obvious inspiration.
If you'd like to get involved in the closed beta, you can sign up now over on the game's official site. It looks like they're taking PC, iOS, and Android-based applicants at the moment. No release date for the full game has yet been revealed, though it was originally set to launch this year.
Heading to mobile, PC, and consoles later this year
By Cameron Bald
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iOS + Android
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Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact's latest PC, iOS, and Android closed beta is set to begin later this month on March 19th. According to Gematsu, those who signed up to take part should be notified shortly.
To say this one looks good would be an understatement. But there's a slight problem: Some people, including attendees of last year's ChinaJoy event, believe that Genshin Impact hews a little too closely to Nintendo's beloved The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
When Mihoyo unveiled Genshin Impact for PS4, many noted the game was inspired by BOTW. Some fans of BOTW are upset that Sony is promoting this game because of the similarities + they think it’s shameless of Sony. This man smashed his PS4 at ChinaJoy in protest. pic.twitter.com/jwJqwREgaz — Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) August 3, 2019
It's hard not to spot numerous similarities between their world and enemy designs. In some cases, it's outright glaring. Sure, the addition of popular mechanics like a stamina meter and cooking system could be put down to coincidence, but when added together, it does feel like calling it "Breath of the Wild-inspired" doesn't tell the full story.
As much as you could rag on Genshin Impact for taking liberally from BOTW, the reality of the matter is that it still looks really darn impressive, doubly so considering it's targeting mobile devices.
The anime-style character designs, addition of more typical RPG levelling systems, and vastly different combat mechanics might be enough to separate the two and allow Genshin to shake the ripoff label, though that remains to be seen.
The game's first closed beta took players to Mondstadt, the "City of Wind". This latest test unlocks the stunning Liyue region. Check out the trailer above to get a proper feel for the area. All told, I'm getting slightly reduced BOTW vibes from the latest footage, so I'd advise giving the PS4 gameplay trailer a watch to see some of the more overt similarities.
Genshin Impact is set to launch for PC, consoles, iOS, and Android later this year. If the mobile version arrives in a half-decent state, it could well be one of the biggest games of 2020.
