Go in with the expectation that it will take some time to find your footing in such a vast gameplay space, and there’s a universe well worth discovering here.
Even acknowledging those frustrations, I love the variety of encounters Unicorn Overlord presents and the seamless way so many interlocking game systems contribute to an overarching saga of magic and warfare. From beginning to end, the game feels crafted, balanced, and deep, without sacrificing approachability. Set aside preconceptions from the unusual name, and you’ll find an epic well worth exploring.
A challenging and fascinating adventure in emergent gameplay, but not without growing pains
Simple and unabashedly joyful, Fantasia is a game unafraid to explore new ways to interact with music
The single best introductory product for grasping the fun of Vive, and it is free
A rich fantasy characterized by deeply troubling themes, imagery, dialogue, and actions
A thoughtful story with some great missions, but fundamental problems in control, balance, and tech hold the game back
Still a great series, but not much is changing with this new iteration
An enormously entertaining shooter that starts to wear out its welcome after multiple repeats of the same stage maps
Best when played with friends, N++ is a retouching rather than a reinvention, and is squarely targeted at players interested in precision platforming challenge for its own sake
A fun and visually impressive trip down memory lane, even if some of the shooting mechanics feel dated
Clever rhythm-based gameplay makes you feel like you’re inside a sci-fi world of music given form
An engaging entry point into space combat and exploration, with just enough sophistication to be attractive to some veteran pilots
Borderlands 3 is a love letter to its fans and a celebration of the style of play it first popularized. Filled with characters from previous installments, and unapologetic in its silly humor and bombastic action, it’s an amusing ride that seems hesitant to innovate.
Void Bastards provides a clever twist on the gameplay model popularized by System Shock 2 and BioShock, now with a procedural element to aid in long-term engagement
Cutesy and clever, this repeatable adventure captures many of the addictive qualities that made its inspirations into phenomena
A simple and no-frills action/RPG that ticks all the boxes, so you can keep clicking the monsters.
More enjoyable and captivating than a first glance suggests, this arcade-style racer is fast and fun
Concerns about the conclusion aside, I still had a wonderful time in Baghdad’s ancient alleys and palaces. Not everything is perfect, but the “less is more” design philosophy goes a long way to making this one of the most consistently engaging titles within the series for some time.
A beautifully realized world that sacrifices more involved gameplay in the name of cinematic presentation