Kevin McClusky

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Latest Reviews

Rad

Rad

August 17, 2019
8

I’ve had a lot of fun with RAD, even though I can tell I’ve really only scratched the surface. Trying to work with suboptimal body modifications is pretty funny in and of itself, and discovering new mutations and lore has been intriguing. I don’t think any studio other than Double Fine could have made the post-apocalypse this entertaining.

World War Z

World War Z

April 20, 2019
7.5

Is World War Z as good as Left 4 Dead? No. Is it fun despite that? Yes. There’s few pleasures in gaming that can compare to swinging a thrumming chainsaw blade through a horde of ravenous undead, and World War Z delivers. And really, it’s not like Valve makes games anymore.

Timespinner

Timespinner

September 24, 2018
9

Even though Timespinner set out to imitate SOTN, it managed to find its own identity during its long development. It’s not quite as deep as its inspiration and it won’t take as long to finish, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I was playing. There’s been no shortage of quality indie games inspired by Super Metroid and Castlevania recently, but in my opinion Timespinner stands out as one of the best. If you’ve ever enjoyed Symphony of the Night or one of the many games it’s inspired over the last 20 years, you’ll have a great time with Timespinner.

Lamplight City

Lamplight City

September 22, 2018
8.5

Lamplight City offers an intriguing set of mysteries and stands as a great throwback to titles like Monkey Island and Sierra’s Gabriel Knight series. The cases aren’t especially taxing, but the well-realized setting and characters add plenty of flavor and help the game feel like something more than the sum of its parts. Fans of classic adventure games should definitely give Lamplight City a look.

I want to love Wizard of Legend. It‘s a fun, fastpaced beat-em-up with lots of replay value, gorgeous pixel art, and an incredibly deep combat system. But the frame skipping I encountered made playing it an exercise in frustration. If the issue is ever sorted out, I’ll give it a more enthusiastic recommendation. For now, I just wish it played more smoothly.

Lost Sphear

Lost Sphear

January 23, 2018
7.5

I’ve certainly enjoyed my time with the game, and I think it’s worth playing. But I know deep down that in a few years I’m far more likely to replay Chrono Trigger for a twentieth time than I am to come back to Lost Sphear.

Endless Space 2
8.5

I had a lot of fun with Endless Space 2, and I’m looking forward to putting more time in with it. Despite my initial reservations about diving into the deep end, I soon found myself invested in the stories that came from my triumphs and failures. There’s a lot to like here if you give it a chance, and even if strategy isn’t your preferred genre, you might find that it’s worth your time to give ES2 a shot.

Thimbleweed Park
9

When the Kickstarter for Thimbleweed Park was launched, the stated goal was to create a game that plays like a lost LucasArts adventure title. In my opinion the developers succeeded brilliantly, creating a game that feels like a forgotten relic of LucasArts’ heyday, but with enough touches to make it a little more relevant to a modern audience. It’s fair to say no one makes them like this anymore, particularly since Telltale discovered a more lucrative formula based on popular franchises and keeping track of player actions. It was a rare pleasure to get to play a game like this again. I had a blast exploring Thimbleweed Park, and if you’ve ever enjoyed telling Bernard Bernoulli or Guybrush Threepwood what to do, you will too.

There’s been no shortage of great games this year, but Darksiders: Warmastered Edition still holds up exceptionally well, and it’s easy to recommend. It’s not quite as fresh and exciting as it was in 2010, but I still think it’s something everyone should try out. If you’ve played it before, it’s worth revisiting. If you haven’t, it’s a solid adventure that’s well worth your time. The budget price makes it a great value, with a campaign that will take most people between 12 to 20 hours to complete. I’m glad to see that THQ Nordic seems interested in keeping the series in the public eye, and I hope this means that the Darksiders franchise will be resurrected. I look forward to seeing how Pestilence and Famine will play in Darksiders 3 and 4.

Hue

Hue

August 28, 2016
8

Hue is a well-crafted, enjoyable experience. I don’t usually like physics-based platformers, but the controls are simple and responsive enough that I never felt like a death was anyone’s fault but my own. Its visuals are sparse but clean, and the puzzles gave my brain a workout. It’s a little brief, clocking in at four to six hours, but that just means it doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it left me wanting more.