Taylor Rioux's Reviews
Vampyr succeeds when it focuses on its cast of complex and interesting characters. There’s a great symbiosis between those characters and the world they live in that drives the game forward at all times. By focusing on the interplay between those characters, their stories, and their community, Vampyr forces you to sit with your choices.
CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs’ greatest detriments are that aforementioned length and lack of depth. It has a really great core concept, and an excellent atmosphere, but it feels more like the beginning of an adventure rather than a complete tale.
The totality of my opinion on Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York is a bit muddied. Strong writing and characterization, phenomenal art, and appropriately moody music are huge boons for the game. However, its lack of choice and similarity to the previous title, combined with the endings being codified as “good” and “bad”, sour the experience.
Life Eater is a game with great promise. It has a unique and horrific premise that sees you as a serial killer fulfilling the wishes of some demonic god through ritual sacrifice, but never manages to live up to that promise through its gameplay or story elements.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York is an absolutely gorgeous title, with mesmerizing, painterly artwork that showcases the viciousness and beauty held within the World of Darkness. Smart characterization and moody atmosphere color the experience in positive ways, as well.
Next of Kin: Fidelity has a story to tell, but holds no mechanism for delivering it in an interesting way. It’s a shame that the environments and assets used are not up to the task of creating something that serves the game better, as the story can hold up as something worthwhile on its own.
Consume Me is endlessly creative, touching, and gorgeous — certainly worthy of the pre-release praise it has garnered. It’s a true jewel in the crown of video games that manages to perfectly marry the gameplay with the narrative. Every inch of this work of art feels personal in a way that has left me feeling simultaneously certain in its meaning and perplexed by my own understanding or interpretation of it.
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a phenomenal blend of Sci-Fi, fantasy, and anime aesthetics that manages to balance the expressive and silly nature of the visuals with the oft serious and somber subject matter of the story. With a thriving world to explore, nuanced and interesting characters, and exciting, deep combat, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is sure to find its way on many end-of-year lists.
While a review from a seasoned shmup or bullet hell veteran might be more useful for more seasoned gamers, I remain a novice. Instead of as an expert, I come to you as someone on the outside, looking in. Tapping on the window to remind you that even if something is out of your wheelhouse, it can still be worth a shot.
The Messenger is a tightly controlled 2D platformer that also mysteriously feels haphazard in design at times. The highs and lows of the platforming and enemy design make for a very uneven experience, especially later in the game as the difficulty continually gets ramped up.
and Roger is devastating in its execution, somehow managing to pack the story full of fear, happiness, love, confusion, and everything in between — all within a one-hour timespan.
One-Eyed Likho is a fascinating, surreal, and almost hypnotic experience. The strong visual style and artistic direction of the game make it a truly enthralling title to behold. While the puzzles and overall gameplay are a bit lacking in terms of crafting an engaging or exciting adventure, the atmospheric elements are unmatched.
Without a Dawn is a powerful and moving, albeit short, experience. A distilled shot of emotion and anxiety wrapped into a surreal package. It made me feel deeply uncomfortable in all the ways art like this is meant to.
Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog is a brilliant and engaging visual novel with clear inspiration taken from mecha anime, manga, and video games from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Despite the almost overwhelming nostalgia the visuals and music may invoke, the title manages to stay fresh and exciting all the way through.
Slay the Spire is simply the best roguelite deck-builder out right now. Easy to understand systems combined with deep and thoughtful gameplay decisions make the game simultaneously easy to play and difficult to master.
Quantum Witch might be a simple and short adventure upon first glance, but that brevity belies the depth of the narrative and messaging. Part manifesto and part meditation, it is a monument to both NikkiJay’s personal experiences and to our shared understanding and navigation of life — and all of the trials and tribulations we face along the way.
For a studio with such a limited repertoire of games, Shift Up has certainly left their mark on the space with Stellar Blade. While nothing could ever live up to the lofty aspirations set by internet culture-vultures, Stellar Blade carves out its own space with grace and precision.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate manages to not only be a fantastic action roguelike, but also an excellent vignette of what makes these characters so special to millions of people worldwide.
While the combat may not be the most exciting offering in the roguelite genre, there’s still a lot to love in Children of Morta. Beautiful pixel artwork keeps things visually interesting and is especially well done in touching family moments.
Blades of Fire is a fundamentally enjoyable game bogged down by a large number of truly uninspired aspects. Spiritless combat and exploration don’t mix well with a slow-paced story. Thankfully, there are enough bright spots to bridge the gap between early plodding moments and the endgame, such as the excellent voice performances and animation work.