Jason Rodriguez's Reviews
After a thorough 25 hours with Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, I’m left torn on what winds up landing as a run-of-the-mill Soulslike. Ideas like its combo system make for a fresh spin on a well-trodden genre, showing a spark of creativity in design. Those are just held back by other underdeveloped ideas that don’t necessarily excel in a particular facet. An added layer of jank certainly doesn’t help matters either. Whether you think of Flintlock as a true Soulslike or a Soulslite, as its developer calls it, it’s still lacking in both departments.
In the end, Zenless Zone Zero gives you a chance to bring down your foes in the most stylish ways imaginable, all thanks to a dynamic and exhilarating combat system. Regrettably, this is the lone highlight in a game that’s marred by questionable design choices and limited exploration. As someone who’s put in countless hours into F2P games, including Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, this youngest child in the family is unlikely to step out of the shadows of its older and more successful siblings. Indeed, if you still enjoy other F2P or live-service games out there, it’s hard to recommend investing your time into Zenless Zone Zero at this current stage.
While the setting and inspirations are Filipino through and through, the themes of friendship, love, loss, and acceptance in this visual novel are universal.
Still Wakes the Deep is a relatively short game (I completed the campaign in under five hours). The story is strictly linear, akin to some of The Chinese Room’s other games, with no collectibles or secrets. While it’s true that the game builds on the setting, atmosphere, tension, and body horror, it flubs the most crucial aspect: the moments when you actually face the creatures. It’s like if The Thing was “from another world,” but it’s revealed to be E.T. due to how harmless it is. In the end, this romp through an infested oil rig might look slick, but it spills over and slips when it matters most.
Homeworld 3's vast galaxy clashed with the limits of a poorly paced campaign and buggy missions.
Disney Dreamlight Valley's whimsy is offset by the frustrations of time management and a monotonous daily grind.
Skull and Bones turns the Golden Age of Piracy, one of the most exciting periods in history, into a mundane and plodding experience.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 still boasts an epic campaign that can take upwards of 70 hours to complete, chockful of numerous locales, lairs, and secrets to discover. Likewise, an infinitely replayable roguelike mode is waiting for you well after you're done with the campaign and the overworld areas. In spite of a few qualms, Asgard’s Wrath 2 remains an offering worthy of the gods.
Overall, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a refreshing take not just for the long-dormant franchise, but for the modern Metroidvania genre. After completing the campaign in roughly 16 hours (with a bit of side exploration thrown in for good measure), I found it’s approachable for newcomers and presents interesting and engaging challenges for hardcore fans. I can only hope that this leads to bigger sequels down the line.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader delivers a dream CRPG for Warhammer fans if you can get past its bugs.
The Talos Principle 2 has almost everything I could ever want out of a puzzle game. It builds upon the foundations of the original, and is a perfect callback to classics such as Portal and Myst. There’s a brave new world out there for you to explore, numerous sentient robots to meet, and countless puzzles that will make you wrack your brain.
Alan Wake 2 takes you to the quiet locales of Washington and the streets of New York, places where darkness has taken root. Along the way, you can expect a tense and foreboding atmosphere, frantic action, and a memorable, mesmerizing romp. Sadly, there were several glaring issues that became prevalent during the course of this review.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty offers an exhilarating romp in the dystopian setting of Night City and Dogtown, and it’s further bolstered by numerous changes from Update 2.0. Those who played the base game years ago would find a satisfying conclusion to V’s story, while newcomers would be treated to a quintessential futuristic RPG experience like no other.
Starfield is a massive game with countless mechanics and features that reach for the stars.
WrestleQuest has all the right tools to pique a pro-wrestling fan's interest, but it fails to deliver when it matters.
My tastes have changed over the years, and I neglected certain franchise titles in that time. However, despite its missteps, I can wholeheartedly say Final Fantasy 16 managed to bring together in one title the things I loved about the earlier series’ entries, all while making most of the experience fresh and entertaining. The grim-dark tone, spectacular “kaiju battles,” and grandiose transformations with over-the-top action kept me entertained.
Age of Wonders 4 makes a triumphant return to the realms of magic and fantasy, but is there enough to keep you occupied for hours on end?
After a couple of years in early access, can Everspace 2 live up to its promise?
Hogwarts Legacy sets a new benchmark for video game adaptations of novels and films. Although it has some notable flaws, it has numerous moments that leave you spellbound.
Forspoken isn't perfect, owing to a middling campaign and a need for more optimization. Still, its spell combat system and parkour mechanics are top-notch, with landscapes and abilities that can truly amaze.