Charles Hartford
After numerous hours bouncing between fun, if repetitive combat, and annoying characters occupying a forgettable story, Zenless Zone Zero falls well short of what it needs to be.
Animal Well delivers a gorgeous art style paired with unique gameplay and an uncompromising vision
Tekken 8 offers great gameplay through precise controls, gorgeous visuals, and audio that energizes the player.
Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader delivers a solid option for players who are looking to lose themselves in the darkness of the franchise’s universe.
Super Mario RPG does a great job of mixing charming characters and fun, intuitive gameplay into an easy-to-enjoy package. Despite a few stumbles along the way, this classic journey largely lives up to its reputation, giving fans, new and old, something wonderful to experience.
Invincible Presents: Atom Eve delivers a mostly enjoyable look at Eve’s life during season one.
The Invincible is ultimately a sub-par experience. While it delivers flashes of quality in its cast and its attention to some details, the narrative is ultimately weighed down too much.
When it’s at its best, Detective Pikachu Returns delivers the charm and cuteness that have always been hallmarks of the Pokémon franchise. However, all too frequently it fails to reach those heights thanks to shallow gameplay, a bloated story, and repetitive missions that feel lackluster, no matter what age demographic they are targeting.
With Sea of Stars Sabotage has crafted a unique and engaging game that any fan of the genre will enjoy playing. Its polish and innovation make it not only a Game of the Year contender but also makes it deserving of being added to the pantheon of indie games’ greatest right up there with the likes of Celeste and Hades.
When it's at its best, Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes - Definitive Edition delivers an enjoyable fantasy tale that is accompanied by a unique gameplay system. However, overly random elements mar the player's sense of agency within these battles, greatly diminishing the thrill of victory and leaving them wondering if each defeat was truly deserved.
…While Miracle Snack Shop‘s narrative delivers a solid story of romance that travels from an awkward first encounter to lifelong love in a little shop, a couple of elements don’t land…
For the right kind of player, someone who just wishes to explore and live in a gorgeously designed fantasy setting, this game will offer countless hours of enjoyment. However, if you are like me and when you are presented with a quest to undertake you simply wish to follow that quest in a way that feels fluid and rewarding, this game has some huge hurdles to overcome.
Redfall never manages to be anything more than fine. My time playing through its single-player campaign rarely wowed me once the skillful crafting of the world itself wore off.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly succeeds in what it primarily sets out to do. It gives the player a chance to peek into an intriguing world where people mingle with members of fantasy races and shows what their lives are like as they stop in at the coffee shop that is always open when they need it to be.
Stray Blade delivers a lot of content in its fantasy journey. While most of the game comes together well, key elements greatly hurt the core gameplay. But, if you are willing to weather these added struggles, this game has some rewarding exploration and combat to deliver to gamers.
The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story comes together to deliver yet another great off-shoot offering of the League of Legends brand. If an action RPG that forces you to be calculated in your approach that is married with an engrossing story about a social revolution sounds appealing to you then this is one to pick up.
Kana Quest feels like a great game for the right kind of gamer. If puzzle-based challenges like Sudoku are things that engage you I think this game will have a lot to offer.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon brings with it a mixed bag of elements. While I enjoyed my time with the game overall, it does have some sizable shortcomings. Any player more interested in gameplay than the story should probably think twice about picking it up. At the same time, those who wish to experience a well-executed tale about friendship and overcoming one’s fear set in a unique, dark fairytale world may want to pick it up, as long as they can accept a few bumps in the road.
If you’re one of the many gamers who hasn’t played The Outer Worlds before, then now is the time. Given that I’ve scored the base game and its DLCs highly in the past, coupled with the gameplay improvements and a reasonable 60-dollar price point makes, this is the best way to experience all this game has to offer.
Souls of Chronos delivers a mixed bag of an experience. While I’m intrigued by the world and charmed by its main duo, lackluster combat and a narrative that felt at odds with its visual tone and star’s personality never allowed the game to truly come together in a way that feels satisfying.