Axel Cushing's Reviews
While Aliens: Dark Descent adds an interesting RTS-twist to the typical tactical RPG, and nails the visual aesthetic of the film, the not-quite polished systems and underwhelming plot diminish what could have been one of the best games of the year.
Being re-released on console has not done "Du Lac & Fey: Dance of Death" any favors. The efforts of its well assembled vocal cast can't overcome the weak visual appeal, awful controls, and shoddy narrative work.
"Colossal Cave" is a nostalgia bomb of early gaming's text-based adventure past mixed with the aesthetics of 90s "slideshow" adventures, masterfully combined by the oldest and most respected names in gaming. It's a short, sweet, and expertly delivered experience for gamers of any generation.
"Pentiment" delivers a murder mystery, a period piece, and a deeply moving examination of the human heart over the course of years, all in a single game that doesn't require hundreds of hours to get through. Come for the point-and-click adventure, stay for the heartbreaking narratives interwoven into the tapestry of a small town.
"The Valiant" give players hungry for a squad-based RTS something new to chew on. Its aesthetics are in the right place but certain design choices may frustrate even fans of the genre.
Terra Invicta brings grand strategy sensibilities to the alien invasion genre in a tour de force display of technical and artistic skill. Be prepared to lose large chunks of time and love every single moment of it.
Three years in Early Access has brought "Re:Legend" to a highly polished visual state, but hasn't found the right balance between the disparate game systems it's trying to weave into a cohesive whole.
Fans of the anime series or manga may eat it up with a spoon, but "Made In Abyss: Binary Star Falling Into Darkness" is less an action-JRPG and more of a misery simulator which equates willingness to blindly accept the painful systems as "enjoyment." If you're not a fan of the series or a glutton for cruel and unusual punishment, pass this one by.