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Latest Reviews
With two artifacts that belong in the video game hall of fame, and one curiosity that highlights Itagaki’s genius by showing what happened when he wasn’t involved in Ninja Gaiden, this collection stands the test of time. So many modern action video games are either self-serious or desperately eager to...
Neptunia ReVerse is clearly a “first-run effort” by Idea Factory to take the tools of the PlayStation 5 and see what they can do with them. It’s perhaps a less ambitious effort than what Idea Factory made as its launch on PlayStation 4 (Omega Quintet), but putting that aside, this...
For all of that, I found Rift Apart frustrating, and it’s mostly because I wanted to take more away from it. Why go to all the effort and put all those development resources into making such bold, beautiful settings if it’s only ever going to be window-dressing to the action?...
With all of that said I do still have a strong attraction to Aluna. I love the character herself, who natters away pleasantly as you wander around the various settings. It’s clear that everyone involved in this project absolutely loved this character, and have been careful to eke as much...
I was concerned that D3 Publisher and the development teams behind EDF were losing sight of the purity of vision behind what they were doing. Iron Rain painted a bleak vision of the future of the series. Thankfully, the developers themselves seem to have realised what a misstep Iron Rain...
I haven’t been so deeply affected by a game as I have Sumire in a very, very long time. This is an artful experience with a valuable core message; don’t take anything for granted. Sumire has a literal day to achieve what she needs to. Metaphorically we all only have...
The big problem that Maid of Sker struggles to deal with, and ultimately fails at, is resolving the tension between the storytelling and experience, and the gameplay. They come across as very distinct elements, and the conflict between them means that, often, the gameplay really messes with the pacing and,...
Despite your character’s acrobatic prowess, movement in combat feels sluggish and hit detection feels inconsistent, making moving about and avoiding all the attacks coming your way—the cornerstone of this sort of action game—unwieldy and awkward. A dodge roll is one of your key moves, but with no invincibility frames and...
– Matt S.
There’s an anecdote about Age of Empires 2 where the developers had intended a fifth resource called ore, which would have simulated metal for swords and armour, leaving gold to be solely for economic purposes. This fifth resource was eventually cut to streamline resource management and make the game more...
For all its many limitations, there are elements of Space Commander that are a delight. The visual engine, for example, is gorgeous. Whether it’s just enjoying the billowing clouds of a gas giant or an intense dogfight in the middle of an asteroid field, the twinkling stars in space are...
Subnautica, and now its sequel, have been lauded for being a visual treat on the bigger consoles, and this is justified. It’s not just that the game renders detailed, complex environments to explore, but additionally, it’s the art direction that’s so appealing. The artists have struck the perfect balance between...
