Elias Blondeau's Reviews
Even without the IP, Dex manages to be the absolute best Ghost in the Shell game we’ve ever gotten.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS-Force tries a million different things, then botches all of them. Import Gundam Breaker 3 and skip this insipid timesink.
Headlander is a perfect storm of thought-provoking sci-fi, biting humor, and pitch-perfect gameplay that comes wrapped in a stylish, affordable package, and is one of this year’s very best.
At one point, I drank a “mysterious potion” that informed me that my character felt “repellent.” I can think of no better word to describe Necropolis.
By going against their own grain, Insomniac Games has crafted a true winner with Song of the Deep, which is one of 2016’s most hypnotic and charming games.
Earth Defense Force 4.1 is a smoother, more polished version of the same cheesy, excellent product that Sandlot's gotten so good at making.
No Man’s Sky is a shallow package of undercooked ideas that will ultimately go forgotten in a year full of other, better releases.
By daring to make a statement, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided succeeds in being a nuanced, mature gaming experience that pushes the medium forward in major ways.
Alone With You might not innovate in the gameplay department, but more than makes up for it with a narrative that'll leave you torn, contemplative, and heartbroken.
Hatsune Miku Project Diva X is a complete retooling of a series that didn’t need it, hobbled by a sub-par tracklist and an overall lack of substantial content.
This isn’t enough to hold Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars back as a whole, though. NGD Studios has crafted a suitably epic, deeply engaging strategy game with all the bells and whistles. Despite some awkwardness with the combat, it’s a satisfying title that delivers on its core promise: to make you feel like an intergalactic conqueror. I look forward to leading the Mrrshan race to victory and prosperity for months to come.
Resident Evil 4 remains in a league of its own, but this port dampens the enjoyment with an unwelcome jump in resolution and some odd control issues.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice has some flaws in its testimony, but it’s ultimately a winning entry in the prolific series, and a welcome return to form. No objections here.
Shiny tries its best with a winning aesthetic and concept, but technical malfunctions and clumsy controls ultimately keep it from being worth most peoples’ time.
Maybe that’s what peeves me most about Pac-Man Championship Edition 2. There’s a solid idea at the core of the game, one that’s endearing and compelling despite some major changes to the formula. But nothing backs up that idea. It’s just that—an idea, and not much else, though the familiar Pac-Man gameplay still holds up. While I’ll probably attempt to best some of my own scores in the coming weeks, though, there’s not enough engaging content to keep me hooked in the long run.
A charmingly old-school and endlessly engrossing title that boasts over a hundred hours’ worth of content, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past earns a slot in any JRPG lovers’ library.
XCOM 2's console version is a buggy mess cobbled together from a far better game, and the worst possible way to experience the game.
It’s not quite the next big step that some may want, but Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice is nevertheless a fun, funny little platformer that’s a worthwhile romp for fans of the genre.
Edge of Twilight: Return to Glory is a janky and odd little game, but its creativity and heart carries it far enough to merit a cautious recommendation.
Mafia III's ambitions are large and its narrative vital, but ultimately this satisfying revenge yarn is hampered by dated mechanics and progression systems that belong in a 2007 GTA knock-off.