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Latest Reviews
Metal Eden
Metal Eden is free of mission creep, focusing on refined movement, breakneck speed and punchy combat. It does those things well, embedded in an interesting fiction and shiny cyberpunk environments. A few objectives and systems aren’t always clear, and the game’s linear design and rigid mission structure could use some...
I really enjoyed Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening. But a lot of that love has to do with the excellent presentation. The game struggles with some odd controls, and archaic level design. It’s not built as tightly as a lot of modern platformers. But it has lots of content, and...
I don’t enjoy dunking on bad games. Games are hard to make, and harder to make well. While acknowledging the 11-year-long commitment that finally brought the game to release, there are simply too many serious problems to ignore. Lost Soul Aside’s sometimes excellent action is undercut by flat characters, cliche...
Hell is Us
Outside of its fairly derivative, sometimes repetitive, and not quite finely-tuned combat, Hell is Us has a unique identity. Its emphatic insistence on patient and meticulous puzzle solving and careful exploration creates a satisfying experience, even if its obtuse execution can frustrate on occasion. The game’s narrative, characters, and setting...
Robot at Midnight is only a handful of hours long. There isn’t a ton of replay value thanks to its limited systems, weapons, and enemies. The combat and bosses are undeniably fun, but I kept wishing the mechanics had a little more depth, and the world had more detail. At...
Varlet
Is it perfect? No. The choice system needs a rethink, the pacing could use tightening, and the life-sim tasks sometimes cross the line from immersive to plain tedious. But for those willing to put in the hours, Varlet rewards you with a world worth exploring and characters worth caring about.
Echoes of the End is a mixed success. Its narrative, characters, and performances are excellent, and the world is impressive. Some of the game’s more logical environmental puzzles and its late-game combat are engaging, too. Unfortunately, the game’s overall pace is undercut by repetitive gameplay structures, far too many busywork...
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is nothing short of incredible. Its layered combat system lets you stylishly cut down foes, while clever level design delivers platforming challenges that make full use of your abilities. The difficulty is demanding yet fair, rewarding you for learning and responding to enemy attacks. More than...
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is an authentic recreation of a masterpiece. Each aspect of the visuals has been beautifully and faithfully modernized with painstaking attention to detail. Although Konami has only reworked minor elements, these aspects combine to improve the overall experience. Even though the game does show...
Particle Hearts has a clear vision, and it’s executed with confidence. The stunning visuals and remarkable soundtrack work in harmony to deliver a presentation that feels truly memorable. Each puzzle is distinct and thoughtfully designed, ensuring that every encounter remains engaging. While the protagonist’s movement lacks some of the fluidity...
The one thing that all roguelikes and rogue-lites need to get right is convincing the player that the next run is going to be rewarding in some new way. In The Rogue Prince of Persia, this most often comes from increasing mastery of the game’s traversal, which is both accessible...
I love games with this kind of laser focus on good mechanics. Sword of the Sea is all about how amazing it is to surf over sand, seas, and stone with liquid ease. Every subsequent mechanic, every environment, and every plot development springs from this one idea. But because of...
