Zachary Holmes


239 games reviewed
80.2 average score
80 median score
100.0% of games recommended
Are you Zachary Holmes? If so, email critics@opencritic.com to claim this critic page.
Nov 26, 2025

This is the perfect sequel. It takes everything that made the first game a cult hit and expands it in every direction. It’s funny, satisfying, and deeply therapeutic for anyone who has ever been startled by a spider in real life. Whether you're playing solo or with a squad of exterminators, this is a stress-relieving blast. It's absolutely peak. Grab a flamethrower and get to work. – Flare

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0 - Of Ash and Steel
Nov 21, 2025

This is a game for a very specific type of player. If you miss the days when RPGs were dangerous mysteries to be solved rather than checklists to be completed, this is a hidden gem waiting for you. It captures the soul of the "Euro-RPG" perfectly—rough edges and all. However, if you prefer fluid combat, clear objective markers, and a smooth difficulty curve, this island might just chew you up and spit you out. It’s a flawed, fascinating, and rewarding journey for those patient enough to walk the path.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0 - Escape from Tarkov
Nov 16, 2025

After 10 long years, the original extraction shooter is "finished." The 1.0 update and Steam launch make it the most complete, accessible, and feature-rich version of the game ever. The new campaign and tutorial are excellent additions. And yet, it's still Tarkov. It's a buggy, demanding, and uncompromisingly hardcore simulation that will punish you more than it rewards you. The "Mixed" Steam reviews are not wrong; this is a deeply flawed masterpiece that many will bounce off of, hard. But for those who it clicks with? There is simply nothing else like it. – ColdMoon

Read full review

10 / 10.0 - Dispatch
Nov 13, 2025

This is it. This is the "W ass game" we've been waiting for. It's a true 10/10 masterpiece that revives the episodic, choice-driven genre and elevates it to an art form. The writing is sharp, the characters are unforgettable, and the emotional payoff is immense. AdHoc Studio has created something truly special. This isn't just a game; it's cinema. It's the new standard. What a journey.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0 - A Pizza Delivery
Nov 6, 2025

And yet, would we "deliver pizza and be paid in feelings again?" Absolutely. Just wait for a sale, and bring a nutcracker. – Flare

Read full review

Nov 4, 2025

What should have been a journey of adventure and discovery instead feels like a museum tour where the guide forgot the script.

Read full review

Nov 3, 2025

And yet, it’s also one of the worst PC ports of the year, a technical embarrassment that insults the very masterpiece it’s trying to celebrate. The multiplayer is garbage, and the core design will feel ancient to anyone without nostalgia goggles. If you are a die-hard veteran, the ability to play MGS3 with these graphics and controls is almost worth the pain. For everyone else, wait for a sale and a year's worth of patches. She was a true patriot, but this port is not.

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - Misery
Nov 2, 2025

MISERY is one of the most conflicting games I’ve played. It's buggy, unbalanced, and technically a mess. By all accounts, it should be a "Not Recommended." And yet, I can't wait to log back in with my friends. The core loop is just that good, the atmosphere is that thick, and the potential is that high. The developer's honesty and activity in fixing the game's initial, glaring flaws have earned a lot of goodwill. If you are a picky gamer, stay away. But if you and your friends love Stalker and Lethal Company and have a high tolerance for jank, MISERY is a $10 diamond in the rough that is absolutely worth the trouble. – ColdMoon

Read full review

Oct 31, 2025

Amanda the Adventurer 2 is a stellar sequel that avoids the "more of the same" trap. It intelligently expands on every single concept from the original, weaving a deeper, more complex mystery with genuinely challenging puzzles and a terrifyingly self-aware antagonist. It’s a must-play for fans of the first game and a strong recommendation for anyone who loves puzzle-horror, escape rooms, or just wants to see a children's cartoon go completely off the rails. MANGLEDmaw Games has created a fantastic bridge to the finale, and we're counting the days until Part 3. – Flare

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0 - Silent Hill f
Oct 27, 2025

SILENT HILL f is a triumphant return to the spirit of the series. It’s a masterpiece of atmosphere, storytelling, and sound design that proves the "Silent Hill" name is about a feeling, not a location. Ryukishi07 and NeoBards have crafted a truly disturbing and memorable psychological horror experience. However, this brilliant narrative core is trapped inside a frustratingly flawed game. It’s held back by clunky combat, an indefensible weapon durability system, and technical issues that break the immersion. This is a game you will love for its story and art, but one you'll have to fight against its own mechanics to see through to the end. It's a must-play for horror fans, but be prepared for the friction.

Read full review

Oct 26, 2025

Royal Revolt Survivors is an excellent concept with a strong visual and technical foundation. It successfully proves that the Survivor-like formula can thrive in a 3D, action-RPG setting, especially with friends. However, its current lack of late-game scaling and artificial time limits keep it frustratingly short of its full potential. We are optimistic about its future in Early Access, but today, it's a solid, flawed gem. – ColdMoon

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - Painkiller
Oct 24, 2025

I understand it's a "reimagining," but it feels completely unoriginal. The developers have taken Doom Eternal, mashed it with Vermintide, added a painfully thin campaign, and tacked on a roguelike mode nobody asked for. All the unique aspects of the original Painkiller are gone. Personally, as a massive fan of the originals, I feel sour playing this. It's Painkiller in name only. That being said… if you have never played the original games, you might love this. If you can get over the name, forget it's a Painkiller title, and treat it like a new co-op shooter spin-off, it's actually a very good game to play. The shooting is fun, it runs perfectly, and it’s a decent co-op romp with friends. It's just not the game fans were waiting for.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0 - Dreamed Away
Oct 23, 2025

Dreamed Away is a triumph. It’s a game that understands what made Earthbound, Omori, and Undertale special, but it uses those inspirations to tell its own unique, haunting, and deeply human story. It’s a labor of love that shines through in every pixel, every note of music, and every emotional gut-punch. If you are a fan of "Motherlikes," emotional RPGs, or just a damn good story, you owe it to yourself – Flare

Read full review

9 / 10.0 - Baby Steps
Oct 20, 2025

Baby Steps is a masterpiece of game design and storytelling. It takes the "Foddian" genre and adds a new layer of open-world freedom and emotional depth. You will hate it, you will love it, and you will not forget it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I left my hat somewhere up on the manbreaker.

Read full review

Oct 19, 2025

Train Sim World 6 is the best and worst of its kind. It's a detailed, engaging simulation wrapped in a frustrating, buggy, and cynically-marketed package. All aboard! But be warned: this train is haunted, the tracks are bumpy, and the company running it doesn't seem to care if you enjoy the ride—only that you've paid for your ticket. – ColdMoon

Read full review

9.5 / 10.0 - Absolum
Oct 9, 2025

Absolum doesn’t just revive the side-scrolling beat ’em up — it elevates it. This is a game forged with fire, magic, and heart — a modern classic in the making. – CtrlQueen

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0 - Dreams of Another
Oct 6, 2025

Dreams of Another isn’t just a game—it’s a reflection on creativity itself. In a landscape dominated by predictable formulas, Q-Games has crafted something rare and brave: a dream that dares to ask what it means to create. And in doing so, it reminds us that destruction and beauty often walk hand in hand.

Read full review

In a year of sprawling AAA releases, CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs proves that sometimes the most powerful stories whisper, not shout. For an hour, it invites you to sit in the dark, listen to the dust, and remember — even silence has something to say.

Read full review

9 / 10.0 - LEGO Voyagers
Oct 5, 2025

LEGO Voyagers is proof that you don’t need dialogue, combat, or collectibles to move people — just a friend, a few bricks, and the courage to build something together. – ColdMoon

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0 - Madden NFL 26
Oct 3, 2025

EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26: Madden NFL 26 won’t silence the critics, but for the first time in years, it feels like EA’s listening. Built from Sundays — and finally built with some real heart.

Read full review