Category: Review

Life is Strange Review – A near perfect execution of the Adventure Game formula

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Telltale really made the modern “Adventure game” iconic in a number of ways, mostly in how formulaic they are.  The Telltale formula is to take a well known IP, and then add a new story to the world with minimal changes and choices that the player will have control over.  Players are just along for the ride, and ultimately it’s similar to a storybook.

But whether you pick up the Batman, Walking Dead, or Guardians of the Galaxy, as long as you like the IP, you’ll probably enjoy the journey.  If you don’t, well, it might be the wrong game for you. 

Dontnod’s entry into the genre is therefore quite odd.  Instead of attaching the storybook idea to an IP they instead decided to make their own world and tell a story there.  It definitely was a risky venture as having no established IP meant everyone would-be newcomers to the series and trying to make the “storybook” approach interesting to new fans could be challenging.  

But it’s only with great risk can great reward be obtained, and I think Dontnod is deserving of a massive reward.  

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Gris Review – Shades of a great game

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Gris is a game primarily defined by its style and beauty. The game starts with a woman who appears to have lost her voice sitting on a stone statue’s hand and then falling as the statue collapses. It’s a strange opening that defies explanation at first, but it exhibits so much of what Gris is about. Gris is a game designed to be more about the visual environment connecting with the player rather than a deep gameplay system.

Gris’ world is beautiful and delivers on this promise. While the opening starts with a simplistic black and white world with some greyscale, the player is soon given their first color, red, which begins to add more color to the world and from there Gris slowly evolves the world from the dull opening to a beautiful experience that adds more color and variety each time the player completes a section of the game.

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Superliminal Review – A unique perspective on puzzle game

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Superliminal is a fresh game from Pillow Castle Games that focuses on perspective puzzles. It’s an interesting concept that has made the jump into an exceptional game over its five years in development.

Superliminal starts with the player focused on exploring a dream-like space. It’s a common theme for puzzle games with the player being put in some nebulous danger by the story and then asked to pass through numerous levels to get free or safe. As a concept on paper, it might seem thin, however, Superliminal also has a great design and interesting levels that elevate the simplistic design.

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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Review – Respawn returns with another incredible game

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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is hopefully the beginning of a new Franchise. Coming from Respawn Entertainment who made the exceptional Titanfall 2, Fallen Order shows that Respawn isn’t limited to only the FPS genre, but can make compelling games no matter what they are given.

In this case, Respawn tackled the challenging task of adding to the new version of the Expanded Star Wars Universe and developing something fresh for one of the most devoted fan bases, but also one of the most critical if the new Disney movies have proven everything. And yet, Respawn rose to the challenge.

Rather than delve into already established lore or canon, Fallen Order introduces us to Cal Kestis, a Padawan who begins the game in hiding on a planet helping to dismantle space ships for the empire. The game takes place only five years after the end of the prequels and the infamous Order 66 which called for a purge of all the Jedis.

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Wattam Review – Another classic from Keita Takahashi

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Wattam is the newest game from the mind of Keita Takahashi snd similar to his previous two games of Noby Noby Boy, and Katamari Damacy, it’s hard to describe, bizarre, and unique.

Wattam feels mostly like a story where the player has to act out some actions to see the next part. The actions are usually quite simplistic, but it’s the story that brings out the usual charm of Keita Takahashi. Everything in Wattam is colorful and friendly, and it often feels like you’re reading a children’s storybook with bright characters that are always helpful and seldom mean. Even the way Wattam brings up challenges to the character feels similar to the storybooks, such as a telephone base that has lost its telephone receiver, and players are expected to track it down.

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Castlevania: Lords of the Shadow 2 Review: How Konami stopped me from caring about the loss of the Castlevania franchise

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In 2010, the rather enjoyable Castlevania: Lords of Shadow ended with a major plot twist revealing that Gabriel Belmont was alive during modern times and was now called Dracula, taking on the famous vampire’s persona and visage. This left fans to wonder how the sequel would continue the story, either as Dracula or fighting against the protagonist from the original game. Four years later, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 answered the question, but it’s a question that probably was more interesting to think about than how Konami approached it.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 chooses to continue with the same protagonist of Gabriel Belmont, now called Dracula, and picks up the story after a second game, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate, though it quickly glosses over those stories, even when they play a pivotal point in the development of a few characters.

With the player now in charge of one of the most fearsome vampires, one who the franchise has used multiple times since the beginning, it would be a chance to deliver an interesting look at both the character and mythos at the core of the Castlevania franchise. Instead, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 feels like it tries to stay true to the formula the series has embraced with the main character fighting some great evil with numerous minions.

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Batman: The Enemy Within Review – Telltale finds a new take on the classic characters of Batman and Joker.

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Batman: The Enemy Within is a direct sequel to Batman: The Telltale Series. It also allows players to transfer their save files and continue with their choices from the first game.

This time around Bruce Wayne faces a new story with new villains and a plot to attack Gotham yet again. However, rather than just finding ways for Batman to face off with a rotating list of enemies, The Enemy Within takes the time to examine the character of Batman and try to understand what makes him tick.

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Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise Review – A simple but fun point and click adventure

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Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise is a “puzzle adventure” game which means that it combines a typical puzzle game with a stronger focus on the story. The player takes on the role of the silent “Agent A”, a secret agent on the trail of a nefarious villain, Ruby La Rouge.

Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise is split up into five chapters, each focused on a different section of the story, but the entire game revolves around infiltrating and capturing Ruby La Rouge. To do this, players will have to solve a variety of puzzles and find several secrets in La Rouge’s private getaway.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 – A good pattern repeated far too often

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Red Dead Redemption 2 feels like Rockstar has turned a corner, but it might not be the corner fans were hoping they would turn.

Rockstar’s previous titles, both Red Dead Redemption, and Grand Theft Auto series had a lot of variety. Grand Theft Auto 3 through San Andreas focused on a satirical open world where the player could create his own brand of havoc. Grand Theft Auto IV created a more simulation-style game though fans had mixed reactions, though generally negative.

Then Red Dead Redemption moved back to allow the player to create their own fun, and Grand Theft Auto V returned to the satirical style Rockstar was known for.

I bring all of this up because Red Dead Redemption 2 is another attempt like Grand Theft Auto IV where the goal is to create a more realistic game. Part of the reason is while crime and urban gang life can be satirized very easily, westerns are no longer as common in pop culture, and while there have been amazing comedies in the genre, like Blazing Saddles, Rockstar made the assumption most fans would prefer a serious take on the western formula.

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Little Misfortune Review – How a disconnected ending can ruin a game

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Little Misfortune is a game that is intended to shock the player. It starts early when the narrator informs the player that the girl at the center of the story is “going to die today.” The girl, Misfortune hears the narrator somehow, but the narrator quickly handwaves it away and starts to directly talk to Misfortune. From there the player takes control of Misfortune on her adventure.

Much of Little Misfortune revolves around moving Misfortune to the right and looking or interacting with every object that appears on the screen. She also will live up to her name causing a lot of trouble in her wake.

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