Sometimes, reviews should be short and sweet, direct and to the point. From console ports to the newest indie games, there’s always something new for every type of taste. That’s what Mini Review Roundup is all about. From The Necromancer’s Tale to Ready or Not on consoles, we’ve gathered up some fresh games and given them a run-through. In these rundowns, we talk about why these games are great and what may make you stay away. In this Mini Review Roundup, we’ve gathered 4 new releases, so without any further ado, let’s jump right in. Welcome Back to Waypoint Mini Review RoundupScreenshot: Psychic Software‘The Necromancer’s Tale’ Takes More Than a Few Cues From ‘Disco Elysium’, but They Couldn’t Be More Different – Mini ReviewGames where your choices matter are a dime a dozen. But games where these choices legitimately do matter outside of your typical moral boundaries? That’s where The Necromancer’s Tale shines the brightest. As the master of the Undead, it’s up to you to decide how you use your powers, and if you’ll be a kind, wonderful person, or someone with a lust for the benevolent. Beautifully written dialogue, paired with stylistic portraits, evokes the spirit of Disco Elysium. But at the end of the day, while similar in several ways, these two games couldn’t be any more different from one another. Rituals and combat are the most apparent differences here. Rather than relying on your wits and sharp tongue to get you out of a sticky situation, you can use your powers and bring your opponent’s life to an end. If you’d prefer to talk your way out, though? That’s also an extremely viable option here. You don’t have to resort to violence if you don’t wish to, or you could skip combat completely. The choices really are all yours here, and that’s what makes The Necromancer’s Tale stand out from the crowd. Everything you do in this story, no matter positive or negative, will determine how your story plays out. It takes a minute to finally start cooking. But once The Necromancer’s Tale throws a little gasoline on the fire, it’s smooth sailing from that point forward. If you’ve been searching for a dark, gritty, and sometimes disgusting RPG to engross yourself in, you can’t go wrong with this one. It’s beautifully done, with a fantastic visual style, great audio, and some of the best writing in recent memory. – Shaun CichackiVerdict: Highly RecommendedThe Necromancer’s Tale is available now on Steam. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC. Screenshot: PowerhoofThe Drifter- A Murder Mystery Where You’re The One Who Gets Killed – MINI REVIEWI previewed The Drifter a while back and was blown away by the opening segment. The game asks you to use your head and, in a lot of cases, basic common sense. But you know how it is when puzzle solving in gaming, you tend to overthink things.I’m glad to report back in a full review that The Drifter keeps that up throughout the entirety of the game. The story is incredible and kept me on my toes the whole way through. I wouldn’t DARE bring up any of it past what I explained in the preview. Because the game is so well written and voice-acted that it deserves to be experienced as blindly as possible.One of my favorite sequences in the game is pretty early in the game, involving a cemetery caretaker and the city Mick finds himself in. It was just a great way of showing how the environments tie into each other with the puzzle solving. I’m a bit ashamed to say it took me a second to figure out the umbrella thing.The gameplay is a classic point-and-click adventure, but Mick Carter talks to you throughout in that neo-noir style. Graphically, The Drifter stands out with its incredibly detailed pixel graphic style. It’s perfect for this story and style of play because it makes you pay attention to every aspect of the environment to solve a puzzle.The Drifter is another great point-and-click adventure that handles its gameplay loop and story to perfection. It’s definitely worth a look. – Anthony Franklin IIVerdict: Highly RecommendedThe Drifter is available now on Steam. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC. Screenshot: VOID Interactive‘Ready or Not’ Makes a Strong Impression on Consoles, Even if It Is a Little Censored – Mini ReviewLet me get this out of the way now. I had some slight hesitancy about playing this game because it felt like copaganda. And while I do think elements of it creep in, I think there’s a discussion to be had about the systems in place that allow for it to exist.This is a game that features people doing terrible things and the sometimes extreme methods taken to curb it. It’s tough to play and a bit grating at times. There are some steps taken to “clean up” some of the content in order to get this game on consoles. For example, in one section, it looks like a girl is sleeping in console versions, whereas on the PC version, she is shown convulsing.Developer VOID has ensured that the core content of the game has remained unchanged and that the stuff that was changed was done so “to support stability and align with policies enforced by global platforms while fully preserving the game’s tone, themes and intensity”.Ready or Not is all of those things I stated above. It’s also a really good game. ‘Ready or Not’ is Ready for the Spotlight on ConsolesThe realism achieved that creates some of those uneasy feelings on a technical level is genuinely impressive. The leaning mechanics and tactical nature of the gameplay mesh well with the “hardcore” elements that make every shot matter.It took me a second to nail down the command controls, but once I did, stacking up on a door and moving my AI squadmates around became a breeze. And it’s a good thing, too. Because while you are incentivized to end all conflicts as peacefully as possible, sometimes you will end up in a firefight.And that firefight isn’t something meant to last long. You have to be smart about your placement and shots. Because one mistake will have you dropped quickly.On the merits of just being a really good game, it’s easy to recommend. But if you’re not comfortable with some of the subject matter, I’d suggest staying away from this one. – Anthony Franklin IIVerdict: Highly RecommendReady or Not is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PlayStation 5. Screenshot: TREBUCHET‘Prison Boss: Prohibition’ Is a Cluckin’ Good Time, but Some Bugs Put a Damper on the Fun – Mini ReviewYou know, I’ve always wanted to learn how to make my own booze. Prison Boss: Prohibition taught me that it’s much simpler than I could have ever imagined. I just need some tap water, some grain, put it together, and shake it up. Then, let it sit for about 15 seconds, and I’ll have my very own IPA to share with my neighbors and friends. Wait, this only works if you’re a giant, anthropomorphized chicken? Well, I guess my afternoon plans have changed dramatically, now haven’t they? Prison Boss: Prohibition is a surprisingly challenging game. Not only do I need to make and sell different drinks for thirsty customers, I need to memorize different recipes, hide my stock when the cops come searching, and try to keep as many folks happy as humanly possible. Or would it be chickenly possible in this scenario? Either way, it’s stressful fun, much like Overcooked or SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure is. Fast and furious, I needed to keep my eyes on the prize, always making new drinks and concoctions, all while rationing my supplies away in case of a surprise visit from the police. A few bugs kept Prison Boss: Prohibition from reaching its full potential. Playing on Meta Quest 3, I had several issues with trying to grip onto objects, as they would randomly fall out of my hand even when I was holding the button. Other times, police would spot something as small as Grains, even if the cabinet was only open in the slightest. While frustrating, I was having far too much fun running my own make-shift saloon for it to detract from the experience. If you’ve got a friend who’s willing to help you break the law and make some sweet drinks, this could be the one for you. Verdict: RecommendedPrison Boss: Prohibition is available now on Meta Quest 3 and PC VR. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on Meta Quest 3. The post Waypoint Mini Review Roundup Episode 9: Ready or Not, Here We Come appeared first on VICE.