Evan Norris's Reviews
Sits in a weird middle-ground between lazy exploration and objective-based flying, without fulfilling the accessibility of the former or the difficulty of the latter.
By focusing on the unique story-delivery mechanisms of video games and providing a sufficient level of interactivity, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter side-steps many of the pitfalls associated with narrative-driven adventure games, even as it struggles to escape the sub-genre's orbit.
The heart and soul of the original Tokyo Xanadu is alive and well, buttressed with new characters, dungeons, monsters, features, and technology.
Its clever storytelling, vast and diverse overworld, challenging boss battles, and abundance of side-quests make it a winner.
There are hundreds of stages, scores of collectibles, and over a dozen uniquely-themed levels in this game. But will you survive long enough to see them all?
While it doesn't bear the Trine name, Nine Parchments represents the best of that series: fun co-op action and high production values.
Bring your creativity, your imagination, and a friend if you can. Then prepare yourself for a lot of fun, a lot of freedom, and, due to some wobbly controls, a fair dose of frustration.
Ultimately, it's a grab bag of gameplay conceits never fully fleshed out. There are high points — boss battles and secret levels among them — but not enough to elevate it above others in the genre.
It's a welcome, unexpected addition to an already substantial experience, and represents a refreshing change of scenery.
Mantis Burn Racing is the latest member of the "don't judge a book by its cover" club.
Black Mirror needed more time to expand its mythology, flesh out its characters, beef up its puzzles, and smooth out its technical kinks.
Things improve sharply in the final few chapters, but it's a case of too little, too late.
School Girl/Zombie Hunter is a game that knows what it is, but what it is just isn't very good.
Despite some bland presentation, Ittle Dew 2+ succeeds as an action-adventure title in the Zelda tradition. Combat is challenging, opportunities for exploration and experimentation are many, and puzzles will make your brain melt.
Odyssey is one of Nintendo's most inventive, joyful, and audacious adventures, and one of the marquee games of 2017.
The game's commitment to survival horror is mostly skin deep. Artistically and thematically, it resonates. Mechanically, not so much.
Audiovisual assets notwithstanding, The Mummy Demastered is an average game.
By operating under the maxim that "bigger is better" Monolith has turned in a sequel that's technically superior but lacking the efficiency and focus of its predecessor.
Regrettably, the game's production design and player engagement are never quite as rich and expansive as its internal mythology.
In an attempt to make The Evil Within more palatable to a mainstream audience, Tango and publisher Bethesda have muted its unique voice.