Liam Nolan
Game industry critic and reviewer
Writing For
The Escapist 
CBR Latest Reviews
Battles are so addicting, all of my play sessions lasted multiple hours longer than I intended until I'd beaten the game in 40 years that just flew by. Ramza and Delita's story is already extremely compelling on its own, but Ivalice's sheer political scope around them makes the world and narrative feel all the more alive – juggling deep conspiracies and class consciousness with a commitment to emotional character writing that'll break your heart, lift your spirits, and keep you reflecting o...
Overall, I really like Two Point Museum, and the game falls somewhere between Campus and Hospital for me. Museum fixes the pacing problems that made Campus often feel like a slog, while not falling into the micromanagement trap of the late game portion of Hospital. At the same time, the game can still be tedious at times, and I do wish there were more levels.
I love Fields of Mistria. It’s the best new farming/life sim that I’ve played in years. It understood what worked about Stardew Valley and introduced a bunch of really nice quality-of-life improvements that help make the gameplay feel smooth. At the same time, the characters are genuinely some of the best to ever be in the genre. Since it’s an Early Access game, that means this is likely only the beginning for Fields of Mistria, and I genuinely cannot wait to see how the team behind it keeps improving on it.
I’m a bit on the fence with my verdict here for Magical Delicacy. I think if you can get past the platforming, it’s genuinely pretty enjoyable. I wasn’t able to, though. As such, I’d recommend Magical Delicacy for fans of cozy games that think they’ll be fine with the boring platforming and its knock-on effects. However, if that’s something you’re not fine with, I can’t recommend the game.
Paper Trail is short, which I get. It’s an indie game developed by a small team. I’m not expecting some massive, epic experience. However, I beat the game in less than ten hours, which does mean it’s on the shorter end. While I’m satisfied with the plot and the puzzles overall, I do think that a few extra hours with Paige and some harder puzzles could have taken the game from good to truly great.
At the end of the day, I wish I had more to say about Mario vs. Donkey Kong. It’s a really enjoyable puzzle-platformer, and it works well on the Nintendo Switch. Still, the game is so short that there’s not a lot to comment on overall. It’s well-made and worth your time if you love simple, clean puzzle games. I also imagine it’d be a great game for younger kids who are still working on their puzzle-solving skills. So if you’re looking for another game starring the beloved plumber to tide you over between releases, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is the game for you.
My feelings on FF7 Rebirth are mixed. Overall, I’ve played the game for more than eighty hours. That’s a pretty glowing statement in and of itself. I’ve liked a lot of what I’ve played. The writing is wonderful, and despite a few quibbles, the combat is enjoyable. However, as the game went on, frustrating, tedious mechanics and mini-games detracted from the experience in a big way. FF7 Rebirth is the middle entry in the Remake Trilogy, and it feels like a middle entry. It pushes Remake forward in some ways that are genuinely admirable, but a lack of refinement and attention to detail keeps it from being one of the best games ever.