Alessandro Barbosa's Reviews
The positive strides that Wastelanders and its quests make are hindered by Fallout 76's numerous enduring issues.
Felix the Reaper's protagonist is a joy to watch in motion, but every other part of this frustrating puzzle game fails to match that level of charm.
Blair Witch too often lets trivial combat and simple puzzles get in the way of an engrossing and unsettling setting that captures the true spirit of the original film.
Deracine's gorgeous presentation masks a game that's lacking innovative ideas while misusing the few it does have.
Golem's gorgeous presentation is undercut by poorly designed puzzles and frustrating navigation.
State of Decay 2 implements some interesting mechanics but fails to engage with them in a meaningful way.
The Inpatient is a fittingly terrifying visit to the sanitorium that set Until Dawn in motion and does a good job pivoting from campy slasher tropes to more psychological horror. Its choices lack the same punch though, and despite its shorter runtime, The Inpatient does a worse job of convincing you to play through it multiple times. Despite that, it's captivating world and solid opening remain engrossing, even if its upended near its closure.
Sea of Thieves has a startlingly gorgeous presentation and well-thought-out pirate simulation for you to get excited over. But its spell on the high-seas is short-lived, with a lack of incentivising quests and lacklustre combat forcing you to make your own compelling reasons to stick with it rather than it not loosening its grasp on your attention.
Brushing its hilariously goofy teamwork aside, Star Trek: Bridge Crew is a shallow, repetitive experience that even the most optimistic Star Trek fans will struggle to sink their teeth into. It's a missed chance at making piloting your own craft a pleasure, and a sore disappointment.
Yooka-Laylee is a nostalgic trip to the past that ignores all the innovations that came after it. There's an appeal to return to a bygone era of platforming, but it's quickly washed away with long stretches of tedious, boring gameplay, and a sense of wit that thinks it's far smarter than it really is.
Payday 3's drastically improved heists allow for a level of freedom that is betrayed by challenge-based progression.
Aliens: Dark Descent blends action and strategy fundamentals together with some hit-or-miss results, but with a surprisingly authentic atmosphere throughout
Diablo Immortal is a surprisingly premium-feeling adventure in the series that hits all the right notes, even if its endgame starts to depend on microtransactions too heavily.
Road 96's memorable character moments are overshadowed by a central narrative that requires you suspend your disbelief far too often.
Diablo II: Resurrected is a painfully faithful remaster of the original classic, which makes it difficult to get into over two decades later.
Rocket Arena streamlines the intricacies of one of the most recognisable weapons in shooters but fails to create a compelling competitive experience with it.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a pronounced effort to recapture the magic of platformers, but its basic platforming and sharp difficulty spikes hold it back.
World War Z is unrefined and rough around the edges, but it makes up for this with satisfying co-operative action that fills your screen with hundreds of enemies for you to kill.
Astroneer's stunning planets play stage to a serene yet underpowered journey.
Days Gone has moments where it reveals its brilliance, but they're buried under a litany of uninteresting and repetitive missions and numerous technical issues.