Robert Fenner's Reviews
Lieve Oma is a charming little game about how our relatives shape us.
Mandatory Happiness is a compelling cyberpunk visual novel in its own right, though one that never reaches the heights of the anime it's based on.
In a sea of copycats, The House in Fata Morgana is a standout visual novel.
Stranger of Sword City is a competent dungeon crawler with teeth.
Conquest is very lucky that its gameplay and localization are so excellent, because its tired story leaves much to be desired.
Death Mark is a genuinely scary experience that would be stronger if it didn't feel obliged to fall back on out-of-place cheesecake shots.
Ys SEVEN has never felt more at home than it does on PC.
Between its excellent dialogue, enchanting visual design and care handling delicate subject matter, Firewatch is one of my favorite narrative experiences of 2016 so far.
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but Salt and Sanctuary is truly inspired.
This is the Disgaea you know and love, but with a fresh coat of paint and enough new features to warrant another trip through the Netherworld, dood.
428: Shibuya Scramble's Western release is a miracle. Don't sleep on it.
Xanadu Next is short, sweet and satisfying; an immensely addictive dungeon crawler that manages to be textbook Falcom with refreshingly quiet aesthetics.
Persona 5 is not nearly as subversive nor as smart as it wishes it was, but it's stylish as hell and a gripping ride. Worth the wait, and worth your time.
2064: Read Only Memories isn't just a gorgeous homage to Japanese-style adventure games of the late 1980s and early 1990s, it's inclusive, positive, and heartwarming.
The Silver Case's uncanny brand of Erotic Grotesque Nonsense absolutely isn't for everyone, but those willing to penetrate its deliberately obtuse shell will find a deeply thoughtful mystery.
Heaven Will Be Mine is the no-bones-about-it queer Mobile Suit Gundam we've always wanted.
Cultist Simulator is a posthumanist spiral that, like its endless card combinations, is greater than the sum of its parts.
Funny, sad, and with the sharpest teeth, Doki Doki Literature Club is one of the most pleasant surprises of 2017.
The Director's Cut of Oxenfree remains a dissociative nightmare you can't wake up from.
Hatoful Boyfriend isn't just quirky and bizarre, it's also the smartest visual novel you've never played.