James Paley
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COGConnectedLatest Reviews
You spend a lot of time in Pokopia just messing around, but it adds up to something satisfying. Making habitats, befriending Pokémon, exploring, and cleaning up the environment all feel like little tasks at first. But they slowly turn into something more significant. It’s a smooth process that feels perfectly...
Even though some of the peripheral bits were less polished, the core gameplay in Fever is red hot. Actually playing a match of Tennis in this game is downright excellent. The regular matches are excellent, the tournaments are intense, and the special matches are all awesome. If you’re looking to...
Obviously, any fans of the Paper Mario series will be right at home here. The mechanics and the art style are both familiar enough to draw you in, but it’s the original touches that keep you engaged. I’m fascinated by the anti-capitalist message, even if the soundtrack left me somewhat...
I don’t play Octopath games for the plot. This is more true than ever before with Octopath Traveler 0. This story spends several long hours being a gigantic bummer. It’s bad enough to mess up the pacing and sap my enthusiasm. On the other hand, the mechanical systems at work...
Once you strip away the needless open-world padding, there’s an excellent game underneath. The world is engrossing and beautiful, the boss fights are clever, and the new controls are seamlessly integrated into the rest of the game. There are some breathtaking sights to see, and Samus is sporting some awesome...
Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition is a lot of fun, for about an hour or so. After that, you’re running the same six courses with different vehicles until you’ve memorized them. Along the way, you’ll almost certainly get sick of seeing these races run over and over. While the essential...
For me, this game is a perfect fusion of the Zelda games and the Musou genre that I can’t put down. But I also recognize that this is a one-trick pony. You’ve got excellent combat and no second thing. Maybe you want more out of a Zelda game than fighting...
If you’ve never played the first two Dragon Quest games before, this is the absolute best time to start. They’re crammed with modern upgrades, while the original vibe is still nicely preserved. And if you’ve played them a dozen times, even better. This is a significant departure from the original...
Baby Steps
Baby Steps has a simple premise, but a lot of depth. You’re pushed to be patient and persistent by the mechanics. In fact, the whole game is built around punishing you for being foolish or hasty. Every character is begging you to relax, take in the scenery, and have a...
Open-world sequels are a risky venture. Sometimes a winning formula can’t be transplanted into open spaces without consequences. But Titanic Scion manages the shift. Your time in this massive world is focused on that critical combat/custom/upgrade gameplay loop, so you never feel lost or shiftless. I could do with fewer...
I love games with this kind of laser focus on good mechanics. Sword of the Sea is all about how amazing it is to surf over sand, seas, and stone with liquid ease. Every subsequent mechanic, every environment, and every plot development springs from this one idea. But because of...
This collection of games has a very niche audience. To that end, you already know whether Gradius Origins is for you or not. If you’re looking for a deeper dive into the early history of the Gradius games, than this is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s got tons of...
