Ethan Krieger's Reviews
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I like this team's heart, and I am looking forward to seeing them grow from here. For me, The Knightling sadly just wasn't all the way there yet.
Discounty is the right type of cozy game that you can get completely lost inside for a few days. It thrives in the "Just one more day" zone and has an addictive loop that feels good as a distraction from the real world.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers doesn't soar all the way to FromSoftware heights, but it comes darn close. What's presented here is likely the best traditional Soulslikes I've ever played from a competitor, and well worth checking out for any fan of the genre.
This is a must-play for musicians that game, but I'd also wholeheartedly recommend it to the non-musicals as well.
The lore and vibe are still incredible, but the moment-to-moment gameplay can sadly be a downright slog. You'll already know if this remaster is for you, and I think you'll enjoy it if that's the case. Curious newbies should just watch a playthrough.
Unfortunately, the few bosses and enemies present here are quite bland, and though the environmental puzzle-solving is initially unique and rewarding, it eventually stalls out in creativity and challenge. Overall, Ruffy ends up feeling a bit inconsistent, but it's still a cute, enjoyable indie that has me looking forward to future efforts from Zockrates Laboratories.
Lost In Random: The Eternal Die is a slightly more accessible entry into the Roguelike genre that's a blast to play and rewards you with meaningful progression after each and every run. The charm of the original Lost In Random's gothic storybook meets Tim Burton movie is alive and well in The Eternal Die, though the narrative never really reaches anything special or poignant. Ultimately, however, this is still a pretty addictive and extremely replayable Roguelike that manages to bring fresh and interesting ideas to the party, and I always had a very good time with it.
Sadly, the repetitive nature and balancing issues also can make it feel like a series of the world's longest Soulslike runbacks ever—over, and over, and over.
It's mechanically highlighted by some creative no-combat boss battles and cute puzzles, though the moment-to-moment gameplay isn't always the most exciting thing in the world. Still, there is a lot to like here, and Kulebra will have no trouble winning most players over who are onboard to discover a thoughtful indie gem with plenty of endearing dialogue.
Not since my first time playing Journey has a title struck as strong an emotional chord with my very soul. The claymation world is absolutely beautiful yet terrifying, the soundtrack is hauntingly gorgeous, and the gameplay is full of wildly unique and creative ideas that I've never experienced before.
Still, the game is definitely fun at the end of the day, and I'm going to stick around for the post-game content to continue cleaning up some quests after rolling credits. It doesn't soar quite as high as I might've hoped, but it's still a deep-space voyage worth embarking on.
Bionic Bay is a truly special platformer that is wildly creative and endlessly smart. Each new section of gameplay is a mini-puzzle that utilizes the game's movement and powers extraordinarily intuitively, leading to continuous rewarding solutions that encourage players to think outside the box and bend the world's mechanics to their will.
Rusty Rabbit isn't a bad game at all, but it is extremely simple for the genre it slots into. It fails at having any sort of real challenge, memorable bosses, interesting puzzles, or rewarding routing.
Monster Energy Supercross 25 is a tough to pick up, but rewarding to learn racing sim. The new physics, courtesy of Unreal Engine 5, makes this iteration of the series more realistic than ever, with ever-evolving track surfaces that make every lap different and exciting with each new attempt.
Unfortunately, Croc: The Legend of The Gobbos really never needed to come back. Even in 1997, it was a title plagued by cumbersome controls, generic worlds, and uninspired level design that were left behind by its more prolific contemporaries.
AI Limit is a blast to play, and is worth checking out for fans of the Soulslike genre, especially at the low cost of admission. It doesn't necessarily reinvent the wheel, but there's enough remix to the formula here to keep the game feeling fresh and exciting as you explore its excellent post-apocalyptic world.
Assassin's Creed Shadows is a bloated collection of uninspired quests that quickly turn into a repetitive, boring grind. While the art and history teams deserve recognition for their efforts, it's all unfortunately wasted on a narrative that goes nowhere, is poorly explained, and has no satisfying resolutions.
Constantly full of excitement, beauty, joy, and downright absurdity, this title earns its place alongside its spiritual predecessor as arguably the best two-player experience on current-gen hardware. Split Fiction is a technical marvel that pushes the boundaries of design without ever sacrificing the notion that video games are fun and should be experienced alongside our friends and loved ones.