Mark Delaney's Reviews
12 Minutes is a game about escaping a time loop, which is ironic given that it's so good that I wish I could see it all again for the first time myself.
Wreckfest foregoes a complex career mode you might expect in a modern racing game and instead highlights the best damage model I’ve ever seen in video games. Crashing has never looked so good or played so well, and this makes the game feel worthwhile long after you’ve dominated the simple stash of modes and upgrades. It’s a game that looks wonderful even when it’s meant to look ugly, always chaotic and messy but never less than stunning.
If you don't know the name Asobo Studio, you will after A Plague Tale. It clearly had a vision for what it wanted this game to be and despite the presumably lower budget than similar games, it rarely feels hamstrung by financial constraints. It's a game that looks, sounds, and plays great, and is all wrapped up in a story that unfolds irresistibly. For anyone who still longs for single-player games they can just sink their teeth into and enjoy, A Plague Tale should shoot to the top of your list. It's one of the year's best games.
If you’re looking for a Halloween stream or your next game to curl up with in bed, Amnesia Collection should be at the top of your list, especially if you haven’t played it before. With one masterpiece of a game and two good ones tagging along, Amnesia Collection on Switch is a whole new way to lose sleep playing video games.
Wolfenstein Youngblood is not Wolfenstein III. It never claimed to be and in many ways it proves to have unique goals separate from what we’ve seen of the series so far. If you’re worried the true finale will play like Youngblood, a co-op loot shooter-lite, don’t fret. We expect this is just an offshoot. But even with that said, Youngblood does tread this new ground with confidence and charisma, and that comes through with every step you take as the resistance’s dorkiest killing machines.
Madden NFL 20 clears the roster and properly initiates the rebuilding phase for football's first franchise.
However you felt about Man of Medan, Little Hope surpasses it, promising a lot for The Dark Pictures' final act.
The latest game from Sam Barlow and Half Mermaid builds on what you've come to expect while also subverting its own genre in clever ways.
NBA 2K23 is a return to form for the usually exceptional series, improving gameplay while imbuing a sincere love for basketball history into new and reimagined modes.
Grounded doesn't revolutionize its genre, but it does imbue it with the endearing heart of a child.
Signalis is a nostalgic haunt that knows exactly where it came from but still dares to forge ahead, too.
Scavenger Studio's semi-open-world adventure game is equal parts poetry, memoir, and mindfulness exercise.
Frictional Games reinvigorates the series that made it famous with its scariest game in years.
Ironwood Studio's debut is a challenging roguelite caRPG rich in atmosphere, complexity, and fascinating lore.
Red Barrels' third Outlast game is a departure in many ways, but remains memorable for its twisted villains and the grotesque world they inhabit.
The WWE series takes another step forward in quality thanks to great fundamentals and multiple game modes that are each worth playing for a long time.
Contrary to popular belief, chameleons actually change colors based on emotions. Like those lizards, my time with Spy Chameleon was colored by feelings, too: of satisfaction when I'd finally overcome a persistent problem, which is the driving force behind any good puzzle game, of frustration from out of place level spikes, and of disappointment with an anticlimactic final few levels. At its best, the game is a worthy challenge for anyone who appreciates a video game just being a video game. With its classic arcade gameplay, cheap pricetag, almost no loading screens whatsoever, and its one-more-try mentality, Spy Chameleon would feel right at home on mobile and tablets if it weren't so reliant on pinpoint controls that touchscreens just can't provide. Fortunately the analog sticks and color-coded face buttons on the Xbox One controller fit the game like the titular hero's mask and the end result is a sneakily good puzzler.
Westerado is a unique case of a retro-inspired game with the depth of something modern. Dialogue, combat, and the story are all free to explore in several ways, from pacifistic runs to trigger-happy bloodbaths with plenty more in between. The game's early era mechanics will be a joy to nostalgically-driven gamers while also making enough concessions to contemporary players that remove most (but not all) frustrations. If you don't mind the pixelized art and a few gripes that come with it, it's well worth it to saddle up for Westerado.
If you're a fan of the genre and new to the series, The Banner Saga 2 is absolutely worth your time, just make time for its predecessor first.
Night in the Woods is a refreshing take on the adventure genre.