A particular strength of the game is that it alternates between perilous action and periods of reflection where the characters process the changes they’ve observed in the world and in themselves.
It’s vexing that a game that requires such skill on the part of players has technical issues. As with FromSoftware’s other games, you don’t have to look hard to spot enemies whose attacks pierce through walls, or notice fluctuations in framerate. To be sure, neither of these issues have sharply dampened my appreciation for “Sekiro,” but I very much hope that a patch will be released to improve the waffling framerate on consoles.
It’s not very nourishing but it may satisfy a special craving.
If one were to judge a horror title solely on its ability to suspend its audience in a state of dreadful tension, Resident Evil 2 would be quite accomplished.
The Return of the Obra Dinn is a stunning work of craftsmanship. Pope, who handled every aspect of its production himself, has created a work that celebrates scrutinizing details.
I’ve tried to make peace with the possibility that Tetris Effect is a game I love too much.
One of the moments I knew the game had worked its voodoo on me was when I recoiled a little at my first sight of the city of Saint Denis. After spending so much time in the countryside and in small towns, I briefly identified with Arthur’s distaste for city life. Mind you, I live in Brooklyn. Need it be said that I’ve to had to stop myself from playing into the waning hours over these past weeks? My cousin told me that the game made him feel glad to be alive. I couldn’t agree more.
It’s fair to say that few other games have enchanted me this year as much as this platformer.
Quinn’s story is a reminder of how, at any moment, chaos may erupt into our lives. By focusing on his troubles and dramatizing our efforts to help him, “Stay” ties itself to a tradition of existentialist artwork. Considering that the ending I obtained wasn’t anything I’d wish for Quinn, I’d say that the game affirms that sticking with a person throughout his or her personal tribulation is a noble act in and of itself even if, on some level, your actions prove insufficient. Oh, well . . . maybe I’ll watch the other endings on YouTube.
"Mario Tennis Aces" is the first sports game since, well, "Mario Kart 8" that's captivated me.
Though there are times when Lone must dash frantically about the vehicle to keep things chugging along, "FAR: Lone Sails" leaves a lasting impression of tranquility.
"Vampyr" is a game with one foot in the grave and one on solid ground. Though the game's combat feels rooted in the past, learning its citizens' secrets and uncovering their social networks makes for an alluring proposition in our age of oversharing.
Like quality junk food, the game was not exactly fulfilling but it was a bingeable experience.
'Forgotton Anne' is an incredibly beautiful adventure
At its core this retro game is about our individual and collective difficulty with embracing different forms of forward thinking. It has the austerity and the warmth of a low-fi song about our not-so-charming inadequacies.
When I turned away sick refugees and lost children and pulled my engineers away from medical rounds so they could labor in the mines with blue-collar workers I could only admire how skillfully the game teased out my latent ruthlessness.
A more nuanced Kratos makes the new 'God of War' a mighty success
To my surprise, I still enjoy Far Cry's particular blend of lush environments, fluid combat, and crazy happenings — like hunting a wolverine, then stumbling into a firefight full of exploding vehicles, or crashing a helicopter into an airplane and nabbing a trophy in the process ("Squash and Run").
'A Way Out' presents a way forward for shared video game experiences
"Moss" creates another model for a successful VR game.