Hayes Madsen
- Final Fantasy IX
- Persona 4 Golden
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Hayes Madsen's Reviews
Ultimately, Indivisible is an incredibly unique little JRPG that doesn’t quite live up to its grand ambitions, but comes darn close.
As a more compact Fallout-like experience The Outer Worlds really works, and I’m already hoping that we’ll get to return to the Halcyon Colony again someday.
If you’ve never played a Shenmue game, that honestly might give you trouble. But if you have played Shenmue, then you’ll feel like you’ve come home with Shenmue 3.
If you want to experience these stories again, Kakarot is the best way you can do it, but expect a bit of tedium along the way.
Extreme Vs isn't going to make a Gundam fan out of anyone that isn't already one, but there's a lot to love for any existing fans.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon might be a massive change for the series, but it certainly doesn't suffer for it. It's the most exciting and fresh the franchise has felt since Yakuza 0, and players will quickly fall in love with its quirky cast of characters. Like a Dragon is compelling because of how it plays double-duty as both a love letter and parody of the JRPG genre. Its story and combat system take some time to really come together, but once they do, it's a wild fever dream that's not easily forgotten, and one that can be enjoyed even by those who aren't traditionally interested in JRPG stylings and turn-based gameplay.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a charming experience, and its charming cast keeps things surging forward, even while the main story drags on for a bit. There's certainly a bit of a learning curve, and the game could do a better job with tutorials, but there are deep systems to dig into once players get the hang of them.
Celebrating the whole franchise with music.
This collection gives 3 games a needed update.
Persona 5 Strikers is a strong comeback.
Resident Evil Village is a grand return.
King's Bounty 2 is a massive role-playing experience, but a hollow-feeling open-world works against its combat and gorgeous art style.
Life Is Strange: True Colors is an unforgettable journey with some meaningful messages.
Kena Bridge of Spirits is a charming adventure that packs a ton of heart, as well as a wealth of engaging systems.
Although some visual and design elements feel a bit dated, Alan Wake Remastered is the definitive version of an all-time classic horror game.
Life Is Strange: True Colors - Wavelengths is an intimate look at one of the game’s most dynamic characters, and a laid-back experience with meaningful messages behind it.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a surprisingly compelling single-player adventure that packs in some real emotion, despite a few shortcomings.
Age of Empires 4 is a bold and ambitious evolution of the series, and quite likely one of the best RTS games ever made.
Bright Memory Infinite's tight gunplay is simply spread too thin to make up for an otherwise uninspired experience.
Volume 1 of Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy is a fairly strong start, but it feels like a small snippet of the overall experience. Hopefully, the next volumes can develop on it in a meaningful way.