Leif Johnson's Reviews
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a clever and fun 2D space-shooter that can teach us something about cooperation.
What it lacks in new features it makes up for in improving old ones, such as a better experiences in the Matrix as well as improved interface options.
The White March Part I provides some incentive to return to the Dyrwood in the form of a higher level cap, and the delightfully brutal combat, but few of the other new features leave a lasting impression. Despite an avalanche of possibilities provided by the wintry setting and the two ostensibly unique companions, the first half of The White March never feels like more than a side quest that was never implemented. There's still plenty on offer here for players who enjoy Pillars' combat above all else, but it's an expansion best suited to new players rather than veterans.
Old-school adventure game mechanics make a great return to form in King's Quest: A Knight to Remember. This tale is funny, beautiful, and challenging enough to make up for a few plodding quests and frequent load screens, and it maintains its personality from start to finish, sprinkling the first episode of its story with happy highs and tragic lows.
Trove generally mixes elements of Minecraft and traditional MMOGs well, but it grows tedious in the late game.
The wackiest bits of Trials Fusion's Awesome Level Max DLC end too soon, but there's plenty of other content to savor.
Traverser boasts a fun presentation, but the gameplay doesn't always follow suit.
FFXIV: Heavensward is light on new features, but its story and wealth of content make it an expansion to remember.
The Elder Scrolls Online: TU's combat handles well on a gamepad, making it a great way to experience all this content.
Technobabylon combines tricky puzzles with fantastic world-building and storytelling.
Galactic Civilizations 3 doesn't re-invent the wheel, but it delivers a top-notch, highly customizable 4X experience.
Smart co-op partners make Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown's tactical combat work, but anything less falls short.
Both land and space combat lack punch, but there's a fun if predictable 4X game waiting underneath.
Dungeons 2 is a decent mashup of Dungeon Keeper and real-time strategy conventions, but oversimplification keeps it from being a keeper.
Bastion remains as strong of a game as it was in 2011, but there's no need to buy this version if you already own it.
Obsidian (and its Kickstarter backers) have done it: Pillars of Eternity is one of the best RPGs since Baldur's Gate.
Oblitus is a entertaining and challenging 2D roguelike inspired by Dark Souls, with only a few issues marring its success.
Hand of Fate delivers a fun, atypical RPG experience that lets you act out the scenarios of a trading card game.
Blackguards 2 removes much of the chaff from the original game, but you'll still need some patience.
If you can stomach the plodding matches, Scrolls delivers a rewarding melange of collectible card and tabletop gameplay.