Matt Wardell
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Writing For
RPGFanLatest Reviews
Let’s hope more big publishers take a chance and lend their dormant franchises to hungry young developers.
Kernel Hearts
Kernel Hearts impressed me with its sense of style and its epic boss fights and narrative scope, though it gets in its own way with poorly tuned enemies and frustrating late-run platforming. If you can persevere, it’s a relatively short experience well worth playing; it just may have been better...
I went from wishing War in the North had never come to me, dreading another second of its single-player drudgery, to staying up until three in the morning with my friend on the phone, the two of us laughing and enjoying its co-op. In lieu of a solo five out...
Given the poor experience Matt had with this game, we were not going to force him to play it all over again “just in case.” Regardless, doing so would be impossible before our publication time, let alone the game’s release on Friday, with its 20–30-hour runtime. So please keep this...
People of Note
Like a great album, People of Note is all killer, no filler. It’s an excellent antidote for RPGFans who may be tired of repetitive, overly long experiences. Don’t be fooled by its puns and Disney-ish charms—People of Note is thoroughly challenging and thought-provoking with its gameplay. I truly hope that...
In all honesty, fans were right to be concerned about Deck Nine’s stewardship of Life is Strange after Double Exposure’s disappointing finale and cliffhanger. Thankfully, Deck Nine righted their course and stuck the landing with Life is Strange: Reunion, which takes the best of both, er, dimensions: the beautiful visuals...
Scott Pilgrim EX appeals to me in many ways, mostly in how it lets me reflect on my life in and out of gaming. It’s endlessly entertaining on the eyes and ears, and it has the best belt-scrolling combat this side of Streets of Rage 4. The swings it takes...
Wild Arms 2
As a very JRPG-ish JRPG, Wild ARMs 2 gets a lot right with its forward-thinking design sensibilities and its (mostly) evergreen aesthetics and soundtrack. The bulk of the story drags on, with the latter half particularly dragged down by the stiff and vague translation, but it redeems itself with some...
Edens Zero
Speaking of which, I did go and watch a few episodes of the anime after finishing the game, and I was immediately impressed by the quality of the animation and action choreography. It stumps me, then, why anyone interested in this universe would want to experience the exact same story...
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered does what every great remaster ought to: it recaptures the fun and silliness of the original, quietly removes some underlying flaws, and makes the whole experience look as beautiful as memories seen through rose-tinted glasses. “I’m done talking to you! Be seeing you.”
The 2025 remake of Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy is a worthwhile journey whether you’re returning to its familiar rivers and jungles, or if it’s your first time strapping into a Hydrafloat. You will best enjoy it if you take your time and let it sweep you into the well-thought-out...
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter took me by surprise, successfully combining blatant inspirations from the big cheeses of action RPGs and reinterpreting them in a fine, nibble-sized package. It looks simultaneously beautiful and intentionally rough, and its combat is challenging but (mostly) fair. I’m not sure it needs...