Steven Landray's Reviews
Is This Seat Taken? is a brilliant spotlight on a type of logic puzzle that often gets overlooked – there’s no major difficulty curve through the short 4-6 hour runtime, meaning those looking for a challenge may be disappointed, but as a widely accessible puzzle game with room for expansion, it proves itself to be an absolute delight.
Without question, OFF is both an incredible and influential game, beloved by many with good reason. This remaster not only improves on the foundations of the original but also manages to make it feel fresh despite working on a foundation of dated and often tedious mechanics. For players seeking a surreal, cerebral adventure featuring a well-spoken cat and well-set-out diametric art styles, this is the game for you.
The way colours are used throughout to contrast the emotions of each person is astounding, paired brilliantly with the core themes of expression through art and what happens when our own colours stop shining through.
A stylish exterior hides a game that tries too hard to blend gameplay styles, leading to a fast-paced roguelite built around slow, weighty combat; Atomic Owl is glamorous, with incredible visual design backed up by a stunning synth-wave soundtrack, but without a solid gameplay loop, it fails to hook players in, prompting frustration instead of incremental improvement.
There's a comfortable familiarity to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers that most Souls-like fans will love – despite its excessive exposition, the game delivers on the promise of a polished, well-rounded experience that rewards players for exploring their preferred playstyle instead of shoehorning each player into the same experience.
Genre fans and newcomers alike will find something fascinating within the world of The Wandering Village; though hampered by a slow pace in its early hours, the game continues to astound in everything from its visual design to its ever-expanding gameplay loop. A must play.
It's difficult to find fault in The Drifter; with incredible visuals, a fantastic voice cast and a gripping story, it manages to form a fantastic adventure, albeit let down at times by the innovation that defines its gameplay.
Lost In Random: The Eternal Die manages to be an enjoyable roguelike at times, with design values carried faithfully from its predecessor giving it a stunning look and feel – despite this, the game fails to deliver anything new and captivating to the genre.