Mark Steighner
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COGConnectedLatest Reviews
Although there’s no doubt that Achilles: Survivor is built on the foundation of Achilles: Legends Untold, it has its own and very definite identity. For a bargain price of $5.59US, there’s a lot of content. The merger of tower defense and auto-shooter is a perfect match, and the game is...
As a Soulslike player with tens of thousands of hours invested in the genre, I came away from Wuchang: Fallen Feathers with a complex mix of emotions. It’s one of the best-looking of the recent Soulslikes, and when its combat feels balanced, it is a lot of fun. Wuchang: Fallen...
Playing Dune: Awakening is an uneven experience. The survival and building loops start strong, then eventually bog down, but experiencing the Dune universe and Arrakis is always engaging. If the game’s combat could reach the heights of its stellar world-building, Dune: Awakening would be very hard to put down. As...
The Alters
All games build on or look back at what’s come before. The Alters makes a delicious stew out of familiar ingredients, both from other 11 bit studios games and popular genres. Taking survival and building mechanics and adding a complex layer of social simulation isn’t entirely foreign to this developer,...
Overture offers a significant amount of new content that visually, narratively, and mechanically slots easily into the base game. It doesn’t push the franchise forward, but that’s not its mission. Instead, its job is to provide fans with more of what they loved about Lies of P. In that regard,...
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die isn’t literally a sequel, of course. It’s an interesting switch to a new genre, and a gamble that pays off. With its fast, challenging, colorful action and a unique setting, Lost in Random: The Eternal Die puts a compelling spin on familiar roguelike mechanics....
If you think DLC should offer a literal game-changing experience or massive amount of new content, Wicked Isle will disappoint you. In all ways, it is of a piece with the main game. It expands the world with a relatively large new zone. It deepens or adds a new wrinkle...
Dragon Is Dead
I won’t say that Dragon is Dead isn’t sometimes a good time. Its system of upgrades and progression mechanics can lead to powerful characters. At the same time, rarely are repetitive runs through the same areas memorable. I think ultimately Dragon is Dead would have been a more enjoyable game...
To a T
There’s no denying that to a T has an affecting message about the struggles of being different, but it’s cloaked in an amusing story and illustrated with appealing visuals and music. Undemanding younger players might not notice the disappointing mechanics, but older gamers probably will and feel the need for...
With a lucky roll of the map, a skilled trio, and lots of practice, Nightreign provides transcendent moments of fun and accomplishment. It’s a far more complex and nuanced battle royale/roguelike than some of its more populist contemporaries. In its release form at least, Nightreign has a few limitations, like...
Despite its lack of refinement, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is entertaining and addictive. It has a sprawling story and world to explore with dozens of hours of content. Its combat is more effective and engaging than you might expect. It’s a bit messy to be sure, but fans...
Palia
Aside from being an MMORPG and having the cooperative multiplayer element not always found in cozy life sims, Palia doesn’t really stray far from the formula. I can certainly understand gamers vibing with Palia’s gentle, appealing world. Thanks to playing with others, it can easily be a nice little alternate...
