Zhiqing Wan
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Writing For
Twinfinite 
The Escapist Latest Reviews
So yeah, there is a lot about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II that will frustrate you, but there’s also a lot to appreciate about how dedicated it is to preserving that sense of realism in its open-world. If you’re able to look past the jank, you just might find yourself engaged in one of the most well-realized role-playing experiences we’ve seen in the past decade.
Perhaps the highest order of compliment I could pay to Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is that it completely wiped the travesty that is The Dial of Destiny from my memory, and I say this as a major Crystal Skull apologist. It’s a video game that doesn’t necessarily take very many risks and feels safe, yes, but it’s also a crystallization of what makes Indy such a beloved icon in film and pop culture. And that’s all I needed it to be.
All of these elements come together to make Metaphor: ReFantazio a very special game. Atlus’ character writing is at its peak here, and so is the world-building. When Metaphor was first unveiled as Project Re:Fantasy, it was billed as a fantasy game that aimed to stimulate the mind and unlock the very depths of our imagination. Metaphor: ReFantazio isn’t a game that breaks new ground in the fantasy genre, but it does create a truly spectacular universe that feels both real and wondrous, which is a feat in and of itself, especially in an industry where both players and critics alike have only gotten increasingly jaded and cynical.
Big picture thoughts: Dawntrail kinda feels like the filler arc as we gear up for bigger and better adventures. It’s rare to get to enjoy a moment of peace, where things don’t feel so doom and gloom all the damn time, and that’s exactly what FFXIV needed after a decade of facing world-ending threats. It won’t land for everyone and that’s okay; there’s always next time.
Persona 3 Reload is an outstanding and worthy remake of a game that's proven it can withstand the test of time. Welcome back to the dorm.
Assassin's Creed Mirage is proof that Ubisoft doesn't need an expansive open-world to create a compelling Assassin's Creed game. It's Ubisoft's most focused Assassin's Creed game in six years, and a much-needed revitalization of the series.
I cannot overstate just how satisfying it is to play Diablo IV on a moment-to-moment basis, and with so much replay value to be had from its various classes and build possibilities within those classes, Diablo IV feels like a true return to form for the series.
While I don't necessarily see myself sinking a ton of time into the game going forward --primarily because RTS games still aren't my thing-- I do appreciate Mojang's effort in expanding the Minecraft universe and experimenting with different genres to see how creative they can get with the IP. Slightly janky controls aside, Minecraft Legends is a solid adventure to experience with friends, and it'll keep you occupied for hours on end. Just don't go in expecting a ton of single-player content you can enjoy on your own time.
Dead Cells continues to be one of the very best rogue-lite games that have released in the past decade, and this just further cements its place as an outstanding entry in the saturated genre.
Hogwarts Legacy fulfilled a long-standing childhood dream of mine: the dream of receiving my Hogwarts acceptance letter as a kid, and waving a wand around to do all sorts of cool magic tricks. Bad fanfic or not, it's hard to ignore the amount of pure, unbridled joy I got out of the game simply by being present in its immersive world. Hogwarts Legacy gave me the rare opportunity to be transported back to a time that was harder in some ways, but also simpler in many others. The fantasy was sweet and lovely, but also devastatingly fleeting. Then again, perhaps that's really all I could've ever asked for.