Regina & Mac Review

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Regina and Mac is developed by Diplodocus games and is a 3D platformer that pays homage to platformers of the late 90’s. So if I were to describe the characters to you in this title, Regina is a macaw and Mac is a Tyrannosaurus Rex and the aim of their adventure is to escape a research laboratory which is lifeless and empty. You have to explore and negotiate the levels in order to find golden floppy discs and use them on the computer system in order to find the exit to said level.

Now this a very different kind of review, as it is currently on Xbox One under the creators collection. I believe at the time of writing it is also accessible on the Microsoft Store and if you dust off the old Wii U you can find a copy on the Nintendo Store. You’ll have nine levels to tackle and what I like about this is you can play the levels in whichever order you choose. So it isn’t a case of play level one and beat it to unlock the next one. However the premise is that you must collect all of the golden floppy discs and find all of the exits to beat the levels and complete the game, so there is still a real element of challenge.


What I found really hard to believe, was by playing this it will really open your eyes on how far games have come in the last three decades. What you’re about to engage with in this experience is the first signs of 3D gaming and I was genuinely interested and intrigued to go back to the era that I grew up with and see if it was still an enjoyable experience after this length of time. Firstly, its imperative that you push graphics aside and focus on the gameplay here.

At first I found it really difficult to adapt to the graphics at first and this was mainly due to how far graphics have come in the last few decades. I’d like to go as far as to say that the visuals look early PlayStation One era if you can picture that in your head. It is nowhere near as immersive as say Spyro the Dragon or Banjo Kazooie, but it doesn’t make it a terrible game to play and once you climb the hurdle of the ageing visuals it can actually be very addictive. I found myself taking my time to get used to the controls as there is no indication of the control scheme and it felt difficult using analogue sticks and I reverted to the trusty old d-pad in the end.

The addictive nature here is all about finding all of the golden floppy discs, negotiating puzzles, encountering various platforms to try and make the jump to each one. If you enjoy platformers, you’ll enjoy this one for sure. It didn’t take me long to realise that the reason I was struggling with the analogue sticks was down to the invert being switched on. You can easily turn this off in the start menu of the game. Starting off on the first level may confuse you as you try to figure out what you’re actually doing here as I had no clue at first. Sometimes the best part of a platforming title is figuring out what the next step you have to take is. With all this in mind it is difficult to go into great length with this review and if I had to describe it I would call it a dated platformer which still offers some fun to casual gamers. If you want some nostalgia in your life then definitely give it a whirl, you’ll be surprised at how big the levels actually are and how much gameplay a small title like this offers up. I don’t feel that there is much longevity but its worth playing at such a small price point.

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary Microsoft Xbox One code was provided to Bonus Stage for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to press@4gn.co.uk.

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Regina & Mac Review
  • Gameplay - 6/10
    6/10
  • Graphics - 6/10
    6/10
  • Sound - 6/10
    6/10
  • Replay Value - 2/10
    2/10
Overall
5/10

Summary

Regina and Mac is like taking a trip down memory road about two or more decades and plunging into a fun platformer which can be a braintease too.

Pros

  • Addictive even if a little dated.
  • Great insant nostalgic feel to the game.
  • Bright and colourful.

Cons

  • Difficult camera angles at times.
  • The gamer of today may not appreciate this.

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