Latest Reviews
On the whole, Sword Coast Legends usually works, but that’s all I can say for it. There’s an obvious love for the lore on display, but there are no Minscs or Boos here; no thrilling battles where victory springs as much from brains as endurance. The great tragedy of Sword...
If you want the RPG with the most skills, the most stats to consider, and a world that constantly makes meaningful use of every line on your character sheet, there’s nothing else quite like Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition. You can find RPGs that are prettier, more accessible, or less...
In its 14 years, Halo has never felt so good to play. An updated arsenal and great new mobility mechanics give both campaign and multiplayer and modern touch without sacrificing Halo’s classic feel. It fails to introduce its new Spartan characters in a meaningful way, and the story does make...
In many ways my experience with Guitar Hero Live can be summed up by the chorus from Faith No More’s Epic: “You want it all but you can’t have it.” No matter how much currency, real or virtual, you pump in, you’ll never actually own any of its growing library...
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is the most fun I’ve had with an Assassin’s game since Black Flag. In fact, I liked it more. Apart from its ill-fitting conclusion, it never takes itself too seriously and delights in the rich possibilities of its Victorian setting and great new grapple gun. As you...
Life Is Strange — Episode 5: Polarized is a fascinating exploration of a teenager deeply affected by loss, trauma, suffering, and failure. This is not the coming-of-age story Life Is Strange pretended to be early on, though. Polarized is destructive, unquestionably the bleak climax of the murder mystery that’s been...
King-Dom
The first hours of Kingdom are a gorgeous and addictive test of city management. With elegant simplicity and an eye for charming detail, it got its hooks into me early on, and I embraced the challenge of unraveling the mystery of how its systems worked. However, just a few hours...
Tales from the Borderlands Episode 5: The Vault of the Traveler finishes off Rhys and Fiona’s journey in impeccable fashion. From heartbreak to hilarity, it runs the gamut of emotions in some really effective ways. All of the questions and mysteries from the previous four episodes pay off in wonderful...
Broforce
Beneath Broforce’s hyperbolic chest-thumping action movie-inspired silliness lies an extremely polished run ’n gun platformer. Simple and reliable but nuanced and ever-changing (thanks to the constantly rotating characters) Broforce is testosterrific. If you could watch Commando on a SNES, this is what it would look like.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a disturbing tale well told. While the GamePad brings the series’ camera-as-a-weapon concept to life in a way that feels very natural, the combat lacks real mechanical variety, which, combined with overly repetitive encounters, undermines the impact of its most terrifying enemies. Fortunately,...
Tales of Zestiria doesn’t deviate too far from its competent predecessors, but it’s not a carbon copy, either. It may have linear dungeons and a less-than-stellar story, but it’s open-world exploration, enjoyable customization, and flashy new Armitization feature are enough for it to stand on its own.
In some ways it’s a bare-bones game, but in the proud tradition of classics like Wing Commander: Privateer and Freelancer, Rebel Galaxy makes a lot out of a little by giving you the freedom to captain your ship as you please and pursue your own fortune in a region of...
