Latest Reviews
Blackguards
I wish that Blackguards' character progression system wasn't such a mess, because if it worked, I'd be delighted to recommend the entire low-fantasy role-playing package without hesitation. But character development is such an important and defining part of any RPG that this cluttered and confusing system has a big impact...
Insurgency
It’s impressive how “uncool” Insurgency is, in that it ignores the modern shooter trends. It’s slow, and methodical, and there isn’t a grindable unlock or weapon crate to be found. It attempts to make you think about every step you take and every slight weapon tweak, but the odd hitboxes...
Might and Magic X: Legacy marks a welcome break from the contemporary focus on story-driven RPGs by delivering gridded turn-based combat that largely works. The approach doesn't work as well in the exploration of the open world, unfortunately, and the experience as a whole suffers from optimization issues. But as...
The upstep in visual detail from the older console versions is a nice bonus, but Tomb Raider didn’t need massaging. It’s the same well-realised action reboot for Lara Croft that came as such a pleasant surprise last year. It’s still well-written, sympathetic, exciting, beautiful, and just incredibly well-made.
KickBeat
While the intriguing fighting game veneer manages to frame the gameplay in a clever way, the mechanics never actually evolve beyond the standard "hit this button at this time" formula. Most memorable music games layer something on top of this baseline to keep the experience fresh and the player engaged....
OlliOlli
OlliOlli only does one thing, but it does it with style and grace. The trick system, while initially off-putting, strikes a near perfect balance of technique, creativity, and precision without coming off as overwhelming or obtuse. Daily Grind and Spots modes showcase its strengths well, but quite literally grinding out...
For a multitude of reasons, Aveline is the kind of character I’d like to see more of in gaming, and watching her flounder through this game all over again hurt. I wanted to see her tale succeed, but Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD is just too lacking in too many areas...
Individual matches might last a nerve-shredding 15 minutes or barely more than 90 seconds, but Nidhogg’s tense sword battles are something I am likely to play all year against different people. Despite the surreal abstraction of the art style this feels more realistic than any sword-fighting than anything else I’ve...
The Banner Saga deserves commendation for the strength of its art and music experience alone, which shatters conventions. That experience, in turn, complements a bleak story of a world teetering before its fall, where the harshness of the Scandinavian landscape mirrors the plight of mutually distrustful refugees. It's also a...
A bright platformer is just what we needed on Xbox One and Max: The Curse of Brotherhood’s vibrant setting and terrain-altering puzzles deliver. But the adventure doesn’t quite feel next-gen. With unintuitive controls, puzzle mechanics that’ve been done better elsewhere, and a story with the depth of a coloring book,...
République
The more you put into République, the more you’ll get out of it. Retracing steps can be tedious, but the story payoff and gameplay rewards make it worth the trouble. Leaping from one camera to the next is a fulfilling, oddly voyeuristic way to explore this superb, deep world, too....
Samurai Gunn
Samurai Gunn is an excellent example of how games can do more with less. Its combat is deceptively simple, there are no character advantages, and the tight, dangerous environments each feel unique. However, the lack of an online multiplayer mode will likely keep it relegated to “great party game” status....
