Charles Harte
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Game Informer Latest Reviews
I spent the majority of my time reviewing Baby Steps in various states of anger, ranging from mild annoyance to controller-throwing rage, but when it intends to make me feel this way, it’s hard to deny that Baby Steps is effective. “Ragebait” games like this one are supposed to elicit that response. I appreciate how Baby Steps commits to the bit by making the player the brunt of the joke, along with its surreal story. Still, its frustrating difficulty, paired with occasionally poorly de...
Every completed Lego set is a collaboration between the designers and the builder; it's fun both because a team made a beautiful set and because you're the one who put it together. Lego Voyagers, a co-op puzzle platformer from Light Brick Studio, made me feel the same way. Its adorable aesthetic and wordless storytelling make this brief adventure one worth sharing with family or a friend, but its distant camera angle and visual filters were frustrating obstacles on an otherwise picturesque ro...
FBC: Firebreak launched roughly two months ago to little fanfare and mixed reviews. At the time, I had written a review of my own, singling out the game's slow progression as its main failure, but Remedy released a new update just hours before I posted my review, rendering my verdict obsolete. The patch did improve things enough to smooth over my biggest issues with the game, but didn't do enough to turn a mediocre experience into anything more.
Why did they make a Pac-Man Metroidvania? It's an unavoidable question at the heart of Shadow Labyrinth, but one I ask with genuine curiosity. The game is Bandai Namco's attempt to transform Pac-Man, one of the most iconic video games of all time, into a more modern genre, but it's wrapped up in such a perplexing, peculiar wrapper that by the time I reached the end of the maze, I was just as confused as when I entered. Shadow Labyrinth is uneven, overstuffed, and often frustrating. It has dec...
"No two runs are the same" is an oft-spoken line in reference to roguelikes, and it has perhaps never been more true than with Monster Train 2. With five new Clans, new card types, and a side mode of dimensional challenges, every run is distinct, but combat never becomes less satisfying. Despite some cutscenes that leave much to be desired, Shiny Shoe has crafted one of my favorite roguelikes of the year so far, improving on the previous title in every way.
"Cozy" and "horror" seem like words with opposing definitions, but developer MoonHood Studio has repeatedly marketed its debut game, The Midnight Walk, as a cozy horror game. I understand where the studio is coming from; despite jump scares and chase sequences, the Tim Burton-esque art style is nostalgic, reminding me of watching Corpse Bride or The Nightmare Before Christmas as a kid. That said, cozy and horror are both genres that describe a game's aesthetics rather than its mechanics, and ...
Mysteries are one of my favorite elements in storytelling, and that goes double for video games. Whether you look at its roguelike, puzzle, or narrative design, Blue Prince expresses utter mastery over mysteries. The act of hunting for clues, unearthing secrets, and piecing leads together on the mental equivalent of a red yarn-covered corkboard is an unmatched thrill. It's a game that has consumed my every waking hour, and even after hitting credits, I'm eager to play a hundred more runs.
Western storytelling loves to use mythology as worldbuilding, but it fixates on Greek, Roman, and Norse myths so often that it's easy to forget other parts of the world, like the American South, have plenty of folklore as well. South of Midnight, the new action-platformer from Compulsion Games, uses this underrepresented roster of cryptids to great success, telling a heartfelt story centered around a girl and her mother. Its decent combat and platforming are elevated to great heights by stell...
Atomfall is committed to creating friction. It's an open-world survival shooter that wants you to struggle to make success feel sweeter, but it does so with varying levels of effectiveness. When tuned correctly, it's a blast. The survival elements, exploration, and quest structure are positive examples, but poor skill progression and a thin plot hold it back from the greatness it strives for.
Like a masked superhero, there is more to Marvel Rivals than meets the eye. "Overwatch with Marvel characters" is a formula that sounds so lucrative on paper that I initially doubted its quality, fearing it was nothing more than a cash grab. After playing a few dozen hours and removing the game's metaphorical mask, I can see the mild-mannered, hardworking hero at its core. Marvel Rivals executes a simple concept with immense skill and finesse. With a huge roster of free playable characters at...