Night in the Woods is an excellent 2D side-scrolling adventure game with heavy roleplaying elements. Jumping off the screen with a unique and engaging visual style, the game explores themes of regret, shame, helplessness, friendship, and community through its natural dialogue and clever writing.
Slay the Princess is a masterwork of storytelling and visual design. Exemplary performances from the cast, and the writing to match it, will keep you hanging on every word.
Little Nightmares is a game begging to be examined more closely, but even if you do, I'm not sure you'll ever get a concrete answer. Despite being visually engaging, nothing I was shown motivated me to dig deeper — leaving the experience feeling a bit underwhelming.
Alien: Isolation succeeds in so many more ways than it fails. Everything in the game serves to make the experience tense and frightening, with the Xenomorph itself being the real star of the show. Level and sound design create a sense of paranoia not commonly felt in games like this.
Resident Evil is a franchise that exemplifies horror, and Resident Evil 2 (2019) goes even beyond that. It is, quite simply, the finest horror game I have ever played.
A unique concoction that is one part fishing game, one part inventory management, and two parts eldritch horror. Dredge is a game that is at times mysterious and frightening, and at others very calming.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is at times moving and at others frustrating in its execution. With a considered portrayal of mental illness, it's a game that has a lot to say, and does so very well.
As an eerie, weird, and unique third-person shooter that will always keep you on your toes, Control knows all the right buttons to press. It is a tapestry made up of one part mystery, one part thriller, and another part horror, and there's a thread to pull at every turn.
Astro Bot is one of the most fun, engaging, and creative platformers you will ever play. There's a lot to do if you want to take your time, but no part of the experience overstays its welcome. Tight controls, interesting level and puzzle design, and a superb soundtrack make this a must play for anyone, not just fans of platformers.
Fallout 4 remains Bethesda's weakest offering to date. A game filled with bugs nearly 15 years old, it rarely feels like more than a chore to play.
I Am Your Beast is a visceral, exciting, and often silly first-person shooter that is worth every bit of your time and then some. Responsive controls, a unique visual flair, and an enthralling pace create a joyous experience that gives you just as much as you are willing to put into it.
Spiritfarer is a beautiful game, with some truly stunning artwork, music, and writing that is ultimately lifted up by what you bring into the experience.
I am left in awe of some of the moments you get to zip through, and it has created a new fan out of me – not just for Ace Combat games, but flight sims in general.
In many ways similar to Team Ninja standouts Nioh and Nioh 2, SoP offers a long and interesting take on the classic Final Fantasy.
For every fault or flaw I might come up with, a million bright spots wash over them like a blinding light. At times serene, and at other moments haunting, Shadow of the Erdtree is here to sweep you off your feet — dead or alive.
Rebirth, then, has once again given me a valuable reminder that the cycle of grief can manifest in so many different ways. Only this time, it's dealing with the death of my time with the Final Fantasy VII universe.
While there may be some shortcomings in terms of the depth of the story, there is still so much to love about The Rising Tide. As a companion piece to Final Fantasy XVI, it succeeds in elevating the base game by virtue of its gameplay additions. If nothing else, it reminds us that Final Fantasy XVI is a blast to play.