Eric Van Allen
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Writing For
But Why Tho
GamingTrendLatest Reviews
Warriors Abyss has its heart in the right place and some interesting ideas, but its particular blend of musou and roguelike doesn’t feel like it’s fully realized. A novel blueprint for something down the line, but as-is, it’s hard to justify for anyone but the biggest fans of the Warriors series.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a brilliant new iteration of a classic formula, with some breathtaking bouts and intense action. It might not be exactly the Dynasty Warriors formula that got me into the series, but it feels like the right step for right now.
Mouthwashing is a must-play horror experience and has cemented Wrong Organ as a team to continue to watch moving forward.
Shadow Warrior 2 is a fast, gorgeous shooter with smart loot components, trapped inside a world and age that lost its luster ages ago. Where the core gameplay still feels fantastic, the story, world and mission structure gradually drag it down short of being a successor to the grandeur of its predecessor. An excellent shooter that could have used 99 percent less Wang.
Stellaris captures the wonder of exploring space and colonizing the stars, but gets bogged down when the borders freeze and negotiations start. A solid foundation of things to come and an excellent entry-level grand strategy game, this will hopefully be a good start for a greater experience to come.
Firewatch is a beautiful story of escapism and loss, set against the beautiful Wyoming wilderness. The physicality of your interactions, the excellent radio conversations, and poignant writing and imagery are hindered only by slight issues in presentation and technical hitching. It’s grounded, human, and one that you’ll be eager to talk about for days after the credits roll.
Oxenfree is a smart, emotional adventure that feels focused and purposeful. It’s got plenty of narrative twists that lead to great “a-ha” moments, but keeps the story well-grounded in its compelling protagonists and clever gameplay moments. Oxenfree is simply well-made, endearing, and very memorable.
Rise of the Tomb Raider continues Crystal Dynamic’s standard of excellence, and creates an introspective and engrossing journey that combines a compelling narrative with fluid, exciting gameplay. Lara Croft is back, better than ever, and this series definitely proves to be the best Tomb Raider experience around.
Rebel Galaxy simplifies the formula in an approachable and exciting way, but the 2D space combat, lack of direction and loneliness of single-player space-faring hold it back from reaching the epic scale of other space sims. A fun solo venture, but it won’t suck out thousands of your hours.
Undertale is one of the most unique efforts seen in indie gaming. Combining a love for the old with a willingness to innovate and utilize game mechanics to express ideas, rather than a binary input-output, this game should be on any and every one’s radar.