Reviews
Remnant II Review
Jul 20, 2023
Trying to describe Remnant II in the traditional “X meets Y” or “the Y of Z” results in an overly reductive list of genres and archetypes that don’t do the game any form of justice or accuracy. Its predecessor already came out swinging and full of surprises in 2019, and it was such a wholly unique and exciting experience that I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm for it. I’ve been patiently, eagerly awaiting the sequel, hoping that it would somehow at least match the unbridled creativity of the first game, and folks, Remnant II is gonna knock you off your feet, across the room, and through the wall across multiple universes to deliver the most unique, thrilling, and imaginative game of this year.
Viewfinder Review
Jul 17, 2023
Viewfinder is a forced perspective first-person puzzler that gives you creative freedom to solve things the way you want. Comparisons will be drawn to Superliminal , but where that game used objects as the means to solve puzzles, Viewfinder instead uses photographs for its gimmick, and it’s a game that’s all the better for it. There’s lots to see and do in its relatively short run time, but you’ll compelled to see and do everything it has to offer. Nickelback said best: “look at this photograph”, and you’ll see that Viewfinder is one of this year’s best puzzlers.
DAVE THE DIVER Review
Jul 14, 2023
DAVE THE DIVER is the Russian Matryoshka doll of games, even though MINTROCKET is a South Korean developer, as it offers gameplay and systems within systems the more time you spend with the game. At its core, it is two things: an underwater exploration RPG and restaurant management sim. These two things don’t have much intersection, but they go together swimmingly. DAVE THE DIVER is a unique and refreshing experience that combines exploration, puzzle-solving, and stunning visuals that’s nothing short of incredible and is one of 2023’s biggest surprises and best games.
Aliens: Dark Descent Review
Jul 14, 2023
Another mission, another late gaming night, another sip from my coffee while the screen displayed my marines in an improvised shelter. “I’m ready to leave, I guess”, I told myself. Truth is, I wasn’t ready to leave the shelter. I wasn’t ready to keep playing Aliens Dark Descent. I was anxious, I was terrified. It’s been a long time since a game made me feel this way, and I wasn’t ready for it.
Crime O’Clock Review
Jun 30, 2023
Crime O’Clock mashes up the genres of detective with hidden objects for an incredibly satisfying mix that will make it hard for games like it to follow. From moment one, the gameplay clicks and you’re immediately invested in finding wrongdoers and bringing them to justice. Bad Seed did well to take a game about finding things, and add a layer that worked well with it, and they chose a “Minority Report” style detective and time travel layer seems to be the perfect compliment to it. All of this is presented with a hand-drawn art style, where everything is monochrome except for splashes of color at specific times. The result with this game is that it offers a melding of genres is clever and unique ways that really pay off, you’ll definitely want to make time for Crime O’Clock .
AEW: Fight Forever Review
Jun 28, 2023
AEW: Fight Forever recounts the days of WWF No Mercy and even WWE Smackdown vs Raw with its accessible and arcadey gameplay. This isn’t a simulation-focused game like the WWE 2K series, and is a breath of fresh air for the genre. If you’re only familiar with WWE , there’s some faces you might recognize if you don’t know the AEW brand. While the game at times can be buggy and janky, it gets the important things right to be a standout. AEW: Fight Forever is the new kid on the block for wrestling games and this promotion, but this is undoubtedly the most fun I’ve had playing a wrestling game in close to a decade.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom Review
Jun 21, 2023
The Necrom expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online kicks off the ninth year for the venerable MMORPG. The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom takes players to the new Telvanni Peninsula and Hermaeus Mora’s realm of Apocrypha for all characters to explore. This chapter also includes the seventh. The chapter also includes the seventh class, the Arcanist. While it doesn’t equal the price of admission, it is the first new class in several years that’s worth getting excited for, even if it feels a bit familiar. The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom takes players to new and foreign places that as a complete package make this expansion another solid entry that’s full of Lovecraftian horrors.
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix Review
Jun 20, 2023
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix replaces the delisted Raiden IV: OverKill , with nothing lost, but has many things gained. This game’s been out on Steam for the past six months, but I finally got around to it. While the original is delisted and no longer available for purchase, this includes everything the prior game had and more. The main attraction here is that the game’s soundtrack has been completely reworked by Mikado Game Center, one of the best arcades in all of Japan. While it’s a bummer to repurchase for updated features, it’s a soundtrack and experience I can’t have on a daily basis. Raiden IV x MIKADO remix doesn’t reach the heights of its predecessor, but it’s one of the finest vertical shmup and series to exist, and owning a digital piece of history is worth the price of admission.
Trepang2 Review
Jun 19, 2023
No, you didn’t miss out on Trepang1 – at least, not in the way you think. The first game from this studio was a platformer about a sea cucumber, which is what “trepang” roughly translates to. So in coming to Trepang2 , there’s no primer necessary to get prepared for what this first-person shooter is about. At its core, this is meant to be an homage to the shooters from the mid-2000s, most notably F.E.A.R. . However, Trepang2 is a game that never manages to capture the same magic from this era in any meaningful way. Trepang Studios certainly tried, but completely missed the target at making Trepang2 even remotely worth playing.
Diablo IV Review
Jun 16, 2023
The launch of Diablo IV has been incredibly smooth, and nothing short of miraculous. It’s one of Blizzard’s best launches in history, to include a reasonable waiting time in the queue and minimal lag. This only enhances my experience with the game pre and post-launch. This is easily Blizzard’s finest game in many years, and one of the best Diablo games yet. With cross-play, cross-progression, strong character customization, and a story worth paying attention to; there’s a lot to like here. Diablo IV is devilishly good, with strong systems that carry it well into its endgame.
F1 23 Review
Jun 13, 2023
Year over year, Codemasters releases their annual Formula One game slightly earlier than the last, and this one doesn’t lock-up on entry. This year’s game feels like a course correction, and while I wouldn’t label anything from last year a miss, there were some decisions that definitely didn’t land how you’d want. So this year, gone is F1 Life and now F1 World is in its place, and it’s like a theme park celebration of all things Formula One that makes things more exciting than ever. The earlier release date means that F1 23 races to deliver on every front.
PDP Afterglow Wave Controller Review
Jun 12, 2023
PDP’s line of Afterglow Wave Controllers are not that new. They first came out with a black and then white versions in late 2022, and now we have a grey variant for this year. Functionally these controllers are identical from the other color variants, but the new grey straddles a line in color and confidence that has to be acknowledged. It’s a controller that knows what it is, what it can do, and why you need to have it. The PDP Afterglow Wave Controller for Xbox Series X|S and PC is simply awesome, and should be on every gamer’s wishlist because of how budget friendly it is.
Bleak Sword DX Review
Jun 08, 2023
Truth be told, I’d never heard of Bleak Sword prior to the announcement of Bleak Sword DX. As an Android user, I’ve become a bit secluded about what games are exclusive to Apple’s devices unless they make their way over to other platforms like Mini Motorways, Shovel Knight Dig, or even WHAT THE GOLF? has. Now, Bleak Sword DX is a tri-color RPG of hardcore action you could find similarities to Dark Souls , but it’s got enough going on to be its own thing. A game built for Apple Arcade only loses translation to other platforms in that you should absolutely play this in short sessions. I’ve oddly found that playing this for extended periods is detrimental to the experience. It’s certainly the first time I’ve felt this way for a game that’s come over, but Bleak Sword DX is still a must-play for its gripping gameplay and Gothic horror influence.
Protodroid DeLTA Review
Jun 06, 2023
There are two things in life I’m not good at: Mega Man and speedrunning. I enjoy watching people play the series; I like even more to watch it being speedrun. But every time I tried playing it, I get demotivated. Dear reader, I used to look at Mega Man levels as this whole, giant, unyielding beast that needed to be put down as fast as possible. Took uncalculated risks, died a lot, thought to myself: “This game is too hard for me, I’m not good enough for it”. Fact is, I was being too hard on myself, and I learned that after finishing Protodroid DeLTA.
Urban Flow Review
Jun 01, 2023
Urban Flow is a metropolitan puzzle game about traffic management. Baltoro Games’ has released the game onto the Switch and Xbox, and now has come to Steam. It’s not a powerhouse of a release for PC, but it is a standout game that has a lot to offer for all ages and skill levels. While traffic control on this scale is usually something automated through a city’s infrastructure, the game poses the question of “what if it was manual?” – and this is where you come in. Urban Flow is controlled chaos where its carefully constructed puzzles demand more of you with each new level for some surprisingly fun challenges.
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