Hero or Zero?
Game Reviews From Our Very Own In-House Gamer, Johanna
Being a game fan – or even just the guardian of one – is not all, well, fun and games. With so many new releases, reboots, and hidden gems dropping every month, how do you know what’s worth playing? The research alone can feel overwhelming at times.
That’s where I come in.
I’m excited to introduce Hero or Zero?, our brand-new game review video series, which you can follow along with on our Instagram and YouTube. Designed to give you the inside scoop, these short-form reviews cut straight to the action—no fluff, just real talk about the games that are appearing on our screens.
I’m Johanna – your game reviewer
I’m the one behind the controller and my goal is to guide you through the gameplay to find out if these games are really all the hype would lead you to believe. Most importantly, I’m here to help guardians learn more about what it is their young ones could be playing and if it is really age appropriate after all.
I've been playing video games for as long as I can remember. I started playing with my older brother (you’ll probably catch me talking about him in the videos) before having my own games to try out on the PlayStation 1. I still play them to this day, actually.
My dream was also to have a job I'm passionate about. I didn't know what I wanted to do at the time but I knew I wanted to work in the video game industry. After managing to make it happen with a lot of determination, I can happily say it’s now been six years since I began working in communications for studios and gaming companies worldwide.
Games I’ve yay-ed or nay-ed so far?
Boomerang Fu is a fun multiplayer game developed by Cranky Watermelon, an indie game studio from Sydney, Australia. In this game, you slice and fling your boomerang at your friends and aim to last the longest. It was definitely tough, but no avocado could beat me because I know how to fight!
Overcooked is a co-op cooking game developed by Ghost Town Games and published by Team17. You team up in a chaotic kitchen to prepare meals for customers. I didn't mean to, but I ended up setting everything on fire and it was just way too much fun for me.
Brawl Stars is a fast fighting game made by Supercell, the studio behind Clash Royale. There are lots of cool characters you can play on your phone, with each their own unique powers. I have to say, I blasted everyone and had a great time…even when I was losing.
Fortnite is an online video game developed by the giant Epic Games. This game is all about building (and shooting) quickly to be the last one standing. I tried to do it like the pros, but the Fortnite community definitely knows how to play.
Spilled! is a cosy indie game made by the solo dev Lente from the Netherlands. She made cleaning up ocean waste super relaxing, thanks to the chill gameplay and cute art direction. I loved recycling trash, upgrading my boat and saving adorable animals along the way.
Developed by Doot and Blibloop, Minami Lane is a wholesome management game with Japanese inspirations. It has you building the cosiest street imaginable full of buildings and customisable elements. I took the time to add ramen shops and relaxing onsens (hot springs), and it was good vibes all around.
Garden Trills
Garden Trills is an adorable puzzle-platformer game made by the French solo dev Yukim. This indie game lets you play as a tiny sparrow looking to help its neighbours. Flying through beautiful Mediterranean gardens and growing all sorts of flowers were my favourite things to do.
Kabuto Park
Kabuto Park is a bug catching game developed by Doot, an indie game developer from France. You catch the coolest bugs, train your tiny champions and make them fight together. Discovering new types of insects in this game has definitely made me more curious about the nature all around us.
WEBFISHING
WEBFISHING is a chill fishing multiplayer game by lamedeveloper. You can relax, catch all sorts of fish, and socialise thanks to the possibility of joining chatrooms. It was easy-breezy to just wander around and cast my line to add some aquatic creatures to my collection.
So there you have it. Tune in for a quick and easy way to find out which games are right for you and your loved ones – who knows, you might find your next favourite game while you do.
Game on.