Sam Spyrison
Four Circle Interactive’s 10 Second Ninja X offers plenty of intensely difficult challenges for players willing to bash their head against it.
Despite a lackluster story that doesn't stand out until it's too late, the color-changing gameplay provides a considerable amount of enjoyably unique puzzle and platforming sections for fans of the genre, with simplistic enough controls for players of all skill levels to experience.
For what it’s worth, Jotun has its audience cut out for it.
Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 represents another strong, well-produced arcade title for this classic character, cementing his continued relevance multiple decades later in a way only a few non-Nintendo franchises have been able to.
At its core, Dear Esther represents an exploration (or walking simulator, if that’s one’s preferred assessment) title for exploration fans.
Despite the goodwill that Coatsink may have gathered with the release of Gang Beasts, Shu is still likely to have a hard time making itself heard not only among its own genre, but among games in general, considering the crowded time period it has been released in.
Although WWE 2K17 didn’t need to be a strong step forward from its previous release, it’s still difficult not to be disappointed with how little has changed from year-to-year.
Considering the efforts passionate fans went through to see this franchise have another entry, it comes off as surprising and unfortunate that Wayforward did not decide to take more risks by adding new characters and mechanics.
Despite numerous success stories from Telltale over the past few years, the studio seems rather content with sticking with The Walking Dead’s roots in its newest season, with no new gameplay mechanics or story themes being introduced.
Perhaps Batman: The Telltale Series’ greatest flaw is inconsistency; playing each episode separately can make some of the weaknesses of the lesser episodes, like technical issues and poor pacing, more apparent in a way that most other Telltale series do not suffer from.
On paper, it’s easy to pick apart Resident Evil 7 for its inconsistencies; the game struggles to find a balance between being purely horror or a title more reminiscent of Resident Evil’s past, and the poor presentation and writing don’t help.
For a first title, Splashteam has shown that they are more than capable of bringing some original ideas to one of gaming’s oldest genres.
For a first attempt at the genre, Bat Country Games shows a clear understanding of how to integrate the player's abilities within the level design, coercing players into switching between them in a rapid-fire fashion.
Despite a lack of traversable areas and series-renowned stressful choices, “Above the Law” represents a solid and polished episode of the latest The Walking Dead season, thanks to some intriguing conflicts and character moment. While the season still doesn’t feel like it quite knows where it’s headed next, the intermediate episode gives players plenty of reasons to continue following the drama of the Garcia brothers.
Full Clip Edition represents the most complete and enhanced way to experience Bulletstorm, as some smart additions and an improved presentation help breathe new life into the 2011 FPS. Many of the game’s issues from the past still remain, as some questionable one-liners and depth-lacking modes are still present for this 2017 remaster.
As a children's game, LEGO City Undercover will surely entertain those of the proper age with plenty of witty wordplay and slapstick humor, as well as a varied open-world to cause chaos in by themselves or with a playmate.
Tangled Up in Blue is a promising start for the Guardians of the Galaxy series, as Telltale applies its usual focus upon the contrasting relationships of the flawed but endearing squad. With some fresh tweaks to the gameplay and a solid soundtrack to rock out to, Telltale's latest is one to keep an eye on for both Guardians fans and newcomers alike.
“Thicker Than Water” has its moments of enjoyment and incredulity, but the slow build-up and the meandering nature of the episode as a whole turns it into a frustrating chunk of a mostly consistent season. Players who stick through it will be well-rewarded with an intriguing finale setup that will hopefully pay off, but individually, the episode feels more like an obstacle than a continuation.
From the Gallows wraps up the season on a high note, with a truly customized chapter that forces players to make intense selections regarding the characters they have grown to love, hate or otherwise care about. Telltale has continued to prove that whatever faults may have arisen in the past can be easily set aside when the final consequences end up amounting to more than just life or death.
Under Pressure keeps the story flowing and the jams pumping as Telltale provides a rare look at one of the Guardians' upbringings. The hit-or-miss humor and standard technical malfunctions are still on full display, but the strong storytelling helps keep the season moving forward as the dysfunctional space crew keep searching for answers.