MonsterVine
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Latest Reviews
Town of Zoz has a lot of great ideas and incredible presentation, but the overall stilted flow of combat stymies what could be a top-notch indie gem. Regardless, the positives are numerous here and worth experiencing, so long as you’re open to a somewhat challenging combat system.
Pragmata is an emotional story, driven by earnest and human depictions of its main characters, Hugh and Diana. The narrative pairs perfectly with the frenetic, tense, and rewarding combat loop of fast-paced puzzle mazes and heavy third-person shooting. A constant evolution of enemies and tools keeps the combat exciting throughout,...
KuloNiku: Bowl Up! is a fast-paced, cozy cooking game that blends a sharp anime aesthetic with pleasant writing to create a rather unique title. I ran into a little stuttering here and there, but the game itself is probably the most fun you could have cooking bizarre noodle combinations for...
People of Note is about a land of music called Note, and the protagonist, Cadence, wants to be the top Pop songstress in Chordia through the competition Noteworthy. What begins as a simple dream becomes much more in this linear turn-based RPG. With a plot that barely gets there and...
Super Meat Boy 3D is an overall tight adaptation of the iconic Team Meat platformer into the squishier third dimension. The visual style loses some of its unique Flash edge in the transition to 3D, but the stages themselves retain the teeth-clenching challenge and goofy humor that made Super Meat...
Thirty two years. That’s how long it’s been since the release of the original Marathon, a series that, after two additional games, went into hibernation while Bungie developed the Halo series. Well, it’s finally time to return to Tau Ceti IV, and it’s no less dangerous than it was last...
Life is Strange: Reunion is a solid attempt at sending-off series progenitors, Chloe and Max. Unfortunately, due to some pacing issues, Max’s power usage, and the handling of Chloe’s return, Life is Strange: Reunion feels like less of a send-off and more of a one-off, resulting in a weak series...
Screamer builds upon the impressive racing chops Milestone has developed with recent titles like Hot Wheels Unleashed, introducing a unique control scheme and focusing on an in-depth story. While some elements of the story drag or spin their wheels, there are enough strong character moments to propel you to the...
The Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is a top-notch gathering of Mega Man DS games that never fully got their due. The games themselves are great, the remaster features are fantastic upgrades, and the bonus content is delightfully informative. If you never played the Mega Man Star Force games,...
Damon and Baby has some endearing qualities and decent gameplay at its core, but its repetitive nature and a few clunky mechanics keep it from being a truly grand AA game. The core gameplay and world are intriguing, but they can’t quite make the game truly stand out.
It was, and still is, really common for people to think of a film and say, ‘That would make a great video game.’ It was the bedrock of the video game industry for most of its existence, for better or (mostly) worse. It became something of an assumption, maybe even...
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando has been a game that I’ve been looking forward to ever since it was first announced at Summer Game Fest in 2023. Throughout the years, Saber Interactive has mastered the art of throwing endless hordes of monsters at you, all while ensuring you’re able to somehow...
