Dylan Chaundy's Reviews
Life Is Strange: Before The Storm — Episode 3: Hell Is Empty is a fitting finale to this prequel miniseries that lays the foundations to Max and Chloe's future escapades, and while it doesn't quite hit the heady heights of the mainline series, it holds its own as a unique, self-contained teen-drama, with a gritty bite of realism thrown in for good measure.
Life Is Strange: Before The Storm — Episode 2: Brave New World is a compelling emotional mosaic that's definitely worth seeking out.
There's a great game hidden somewhere in ELEX, but there are just too many technical missteps and niggling bugs to give a wholehearted blanket recommendation to all RPG fans.
Though it doesn't feel quite as "high stakes" as its predecessor, Life is Strange: Before The Storm - Episode 1: Awake is a very promising start to Deck Nine's new prequel miniseries.
Bear With Me is a charming, imaginatively realized point-and-click noir adventure with a good balance of zany humour and chin-stroking intrigue. Those with a hankering for the good old days of the genre will find a lot to love here.
It may seem reductive calling The Surge a sci-fi Dark Souls clone, but the truth is, it doesn't really try to be much more than that.
The Caligula Effect has the potential to become a bit of a sleeper hit for the hardcore Vita enthusiasts out there. It reaches a really nice rhythmic cadence with its rock-solid gameplay, complemented by a clever, well-written narrative. A few technical hiccups try to rain on its parade, but overall it's an endearing, touching and surprisingly deep RPG with a ton of character and a bucketload of heart.
Score Rush Extended is a marvellous and elegant bullet-hell shmup that is fantastically balanced and very well crafted. It's a heartfelt celebration of a genre that is often, sadly, overlooked by today's gamers. Those looking for a taste of the old-school shmups of yore will quite simply be in bullet heaven with this little gem.
In all though, this is such a comprehensive replica of the Souls formula that a brief glance at the screen will result in most folks thinking that you’re playing a From Software game. Indeed, for the most part, 2023’s Lords of the Fallen is a very well-crafted Soulslike that looks phenomenal, plays really well, and has a deep reverence for the source material it’s inspired by.
Overall, while LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is more of an evolution of the franchise than a full on revolution, it’s still quite possibly the definitive Star Wars video game collection right now, not only from a content perspective, but from an authenticity and a fun factor perspective as well. Equally charming as it is nostalgic, it’s a wonderful experience, especially for those with a soft spot for that galaxy far, far away.
All in all, however, these are very minor reservations for what is ultimately one of the best action-centric games based on the Aliens licence, well… ever. It’s consistently engaging, surprisingly deep and radically enhanced when you’ve got a couple of friends in tow. While a few minor AI and presentational bugs hold it back from being the perfect organism fans have been hoping for, Aliens: Fireteam Elite absolutely nails that one-last-stand thrill of roleplaying a badass marine with your back against the wall battling overwhelmingly insurmountable odds. Let’s rock? Aye-firmative.
From your first tee to your umpteenth hole, The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA Tour really nails that heart-in-mouth feeling of swinging your club like a pro.
While the most stubborn and curmudgeonly of gamers will find time to complain about an overemphasis on luck over skill, Super Mario Party and its bevy of mini-games are sure to please casual gamers and series fans alike.
It may take a certain type of patience to really get hooked into Celeste's laboriously challenging masochism, but it's undeniably a well-crafted and thoughtfully designed experience that's equally satisfying as it is unyielding.
Resident Evil Revelations Collection is chock-full with high-quality horror-action that placates old and new fans alike with its clever implementation of traditional and modern mechanics. As a package, this is an irresistible combo of terror for those who fancy some on-the-go blockbuster horror.
Taken as a whole, Skyrim: Switch Edition is a mighty impressive achievement. There are some minor cutbacks that needed to be made to make it run well on the hardware, but it doesn't detract from the experience in any significant way. It's Skyrim on the go, and that alone is a monumental milestone in my book.
Strange, gorgeous and arrestingly charming, Demon Gaze II may not be a game for everyone. However, if you have a soft spot for classical 'crawlers like Wizardry or Dungeon Master, this'll likely scratch that itch, and it'll do so with a tonne of spunky Japanese verve and charisma, to boot.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony's twisted helter-skelter ride of bloody murder and dastardly bears is a thrilling concoction of whodunit high jinks imbued with some surprisingly deep social satire, and to top it all off, it's terrifically written and marvelously presented, too.
Pyre is an audiovisual delight, with a mesmerizing, painterly art-style which is further complemented by some excellent, tactical gameplay, too. Simply put, it's a magical symphony of the senses.
Ys Origin is a wonderful action-RPG that is a handy reminder to us all that timeless, scrupulous game design often ages graciously, gracefully and beautifully.