Mark Steighner
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COGConnectedLatest Reviews
Astor: Blade of the Monolith is the game equivalent of fast food. There are better, more satisfying, and original options out there, but it gets the job done. It’s an attractive, colorful, and pleasant enough action RPG, just don’t expect much more than surface-level enjoyment.
Cryptmaster
I’m not sure what I was expecting with Cryptmaster. At first glance, it kind of has a retro-first-person-shooter vibe. Its distinctive black-and-white art certainly suggests something sinister. Turns out, Cryptmaster is nothing like I thought it would be. It’s a genuinely unique combination of an action puzzle adventure game and...
When it comes to action RPGs, most games are focused on the elements of combat and exploration. The story often feels secondary, tacked on or irrelevant. Tales of Kenzera: Zau is one of those rare games that strikes a near-perfect balance between engaging action and a genuinely heartfelt and emotionally...
Harold Halibut
It has long been recognized by sociologists that someone’s happiness isn’t really dependent on circumstances. Unhappy people who win the lottery level-set back to unhappy not long after. Happy and content people are generally that way whether they’re rich, poor, or in between. I thought of that while playing Slow...
Floating somewhere between an open world RTS game and a chill, endless builder, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles has a unique approach to both. Director and developer Tomas Sala emphasizes that the game isn’t really about endgame goals or traditional victory conditions. There’s a campaign with back-and-forth trade and combat, but as...
Let’s start with a bit of video game history. The original Outcast was released in 1999. It was an action adventure game and featured one of the first freely explorable open worlds. For that element alone, it garnered a lot of respect and a cult status that continues to this...
Last Epoch
Setting aside Soulslikes, action RPGs are my go-to genre. Diablo IV, Path of Exile, Achilles, and the Titan Quest remake are just a handful of recent games that have stolen away the hours from what could have been a productive life. With Last Epoch, my precious gaming time is once...
What do you get when you take one of the most popular gaming IPs in the world and blend it with an equally beloved genre? You probably get something very much like Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story. Set in the LoL universe, Lazy Bear’s game is a pixel...
For some fans, puzzle games are the pinnacle genre. The more obtuse the puzzles, the better. To be honest, I’m not in that group. I like puzzles, but I’m not into spending hours scratching my head, or combining a dozen random objects in order to open a door. Those kinds...
I love city builders. Doesn’t matter if they’re focused on creating the perfect medieval town or a self-sustaining planetary colony. City builders bring together the intricacy of interconnected systems, imagination and creativity, the aesthetics of city planning, and a whole lot of godlike power. The original Cities: Skylines built on...
Here’s a question: is it better to stretch and stumble, or play it safe and succeed? I’m a strong proponent of the former, but I can appreciate taking the well-worn path as well. I thought about this choice as I played — and sometimes struggled —through Lords of the Fallen....
David Cage’s games are known for their emotional excess and melodramatic production. While Under the Waves is not a David Cage joint, it is published by Quantic Dream and shares a few of the game auteur’s trademarks. Parallel Studios has created a game with three strong — some might say...
