Mark Delaney's Reviews
Back 4 Blood's first major expansion deepens the roguelite elements of the game, but still stumbles on issues that have been present since launch.
Much like a feline, Cat Cafe Manager can be unwieldy and directionless, which at different times makes the game fun or frustrating.
Techland's undead sequel improves upon the strongest element of its predecessor, but things like story and characters drag it down.
Unpacking is simple in concept but complex, interesting, and ultimately meditative in execution. Simply put, it's delightful.
Riders Republic boasts an open world full of exciting challenges, scenic views, and the freedom to tackle anything as you wish, making it a surprise hit for 2021.
My Friend Peppa has the unenviable task of convincing parents their young kids deserve video games. For the families that don't shy from the medium, this a delightful new way to play together.
House of Ashes is, in some ways, the best game in The Dark Pictures Anthology yet, but the series still feels like it has unmet potential.
Back 4 Blood comes after a decade of L4D-likes and from the studio that made the timeless original, but it fails to capture the same magic even as well as some prior imitators.
Far Cry 6 sits at the dead-end of a decade of sandboxes. Existing primarily as a sprawling checklist, its story shows flashes of excellence in a barrage of bad jokes and sometimes fun but familiar tasks.
Alan Wake still shines in a modern landscape thanks to its unique story and intoxicating atmosphere, and the remastered visuals modernize it just in time for Remedy's inevitable sequel.
Hot Wheels Unleashed gets its racing and assortment of cars so very right, but the way you go about unlocking more content is unfathomably restrictive and leads to frustration.
Lost In Random imagines a dark fairy tale that feels immediately timeless, even if some other aspects of the game won't age as well.
The Artful Escape is a kaleidoscopic coming-of-age story that is a joy to move through, even if the actual gameplay is sometimes hardly there.
Lake drops players in a quiet Oregon town and tries enticing them to uproot their life for something new, but I couldn't wait to leave Providence Oaks behind.
Sometimes we wake from a dream and wish we could recall its details. Sometimes we're trapped in a nightmare and wish we could wake at all. Nightslink feels like a bit of both.
Madden 22 goes for broke on improving Franchise mode after years on the backburner, and it mostly works, even as it comes at the expense of most other modes in a pandemic-struck year.
12 Minutes is a game about escaping a time loop, which is ironic given that it's so good that I wish I could see it all again for the first time myself.
The cyberpunk genre is in the midst of a resurgence lately, and you'd be better off looking just about anywhere else for your genre fix.
Road 96 wears its political commentary like a badge of honor, and while its themes aren't always elegantly explored, it remains an interesting and unpredictable experience.
Chernobylite is one of the most inconsistent games I can recall ever playing, with fantastic highs and frustrating lows, leading to someplace in between.