Leif Johnson

Author
73
Avg Score

This author account hasn't been claimed yet. To claim this account, please contact the outlet owner to request access.

Latest Reviews

Salt and Sanctuary

Salt and Sanctuary

July 31, 2018
8.6

You could call Salt and Sanctuary a 2D mashup of Dark Souls and Castlevania, and you'd be right. But such a simple pronouncement would be a disservice to the tremendous amount of thought that's gone into Salt and Sanctuary, whether it's in the graphic style that evokes horror through the style of comic strips or in the intricate web of dungeons and castles serves as it map.

Lost Sphear

Lost Sphear

February 5, 2018
62

In its zeal to revive the memories of the JRPGs of yesteryear, Lost Sphear fails to leave a memorable impression of its own.

SpellForce 3

SpellForce 3

December 20, 2017
74

A well-written mix of real-time strategy and roleplaying games.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

November 29, 2017
8.5

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a standout RPG that manages to keep its story, combat, and exploration interesting over the course of at least 70 hours of adventure through an impressively varied and rich world. Getting from place to place can be confusing, but outside of that and a multi-hour progression roadblock near the end this is an excellent game full of tough, memorable battles and a positive message.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 doesn’t deviate much from the established LEGO template, but its wide variety of settings, heroes, and abilities make it constantly fun to play, especially in co-op. The combat is still quite simple and it’s sometimes difficult to tell what you should do next, but the story is lighthearted and fun enough that mild annoyances like these fade into the background.

Hand of Fate 2

Hand of Fate 2

November 7, 2017
8

Hand of Fate 2 doesn’t change much of the concept that made the first game so appealing, but everything here – whether it's challenges, smarter deck building, companion characters, and better combat – marks a major improvement over what we saw in 2015. Repetitiveness can still be a problem, but it takes much longer for it to show up. This time around, this is definitely a hand worth playing.

A Hat in Time

A Hat in Time

October 15, 2017
8

Aside from its creative hats and hat-based abilities, A Hat in Time never exactly feels like an inventive platformer. But it does its job well, even while suffering from the occasionally awkward camera issues that 3D platformers are often known for. It stands out, though, for its infectious and endearingly goofy personality, its creative and widely different levels, and its enjoyable platforming. And, of course, all those hats.

Hob

Hob

September 27, 2017
7.8

Hob is a beautiful Zelda-like puzzler with fun combat elements that takes place on an enchanting world where nature and machinery alter the landscape as easily as a twist of a Rubik's cube. The wordless approach to the story creates some confusion and the fix camera sometimes results in unnecessary deaths, but never does the time spent with Hob feel wasted.

Figment

Figment

September 27, 2017
7.0

Mind games.

Divinity: Original Sin II

Divinity: Original Sin II

September 20, 2017
9.6

Divinity: Original Sin 2 may have been designed in the spirit of decades-old RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 2, but that legacy serves only as a foundation for the expansive game Larian has built on top of it. Few other RPGs allow such a wide range of flexibility while also supporting rewarding combat and a powerful story, all in a world that feels alive in the ways it reacts to you and goes about its business without you. It's a rare RPG that I’ll want to play through again and again, driven by the feeling that so many fascinating and surprising paths remain undiscovered, some of which might lead to different outcomes for the NPCs I’ve grown to care about – even the rats. When that happens, you're experiencing something worth remembering, and Divinity: Original Sin 2 will be remembered as one of the greats.