Suriel Vazquez
Kids is a brief-but-effective example of using game mechanics to impart concepts and ideas, even if those ideas are simple
Cadence of Hyrule is a great ode to the Legend of Zelda and its soundtrack, even as some roguelike elements weigh it down
Ritual of the Night starts off a little too familiar, but quickly ramps up into an impressive exemplar of the genre it's retreading
Samurai Shodown's varied attacks and techniques have plenty of depth for those who dive into multiplayer, though the modes and options are lacking
Creature in the Well has a promising premise, but fails to build it into something as challenging (and rewarding) as it ought to be.
Greedfall’s fantasy world doesn’t shy away from brushing up against real history, which makes it a refreshing change of pace in a genre filled with medieval fantasy and space operas. And when it comes to creating the kinds of worlds, plots and characters that make an RPG worth caring about, Greedfall does a remarkable job within its smaller scope.
Link's Awakening brings us back to a simpler time, when subtler changes to the Zelda formula were much more novel. It's just as charming now as it was back then, but some rough edges and a poor dungeon maker hold it back.
Little Town Hero wants to endear you to its tiny village and light card-based gameplay, but its repetitive battles and boring story make it hard to care about its residents or their plight.
Death Stranding is a breathtaking experience only marred by some unnecessary combat and a story that is often more complex than it should be.
Afterparty isn't the most groundbreaking work about hell or its denizens, but it zeroes in on its characters' personal demons with a sobering clarity that makes for an adventure with a sharp, biting wit.
The Origami King keeps its RPG systems and character work light, but revamped combat and solid gags throughout are the course-correction Paper Mario needed.
Hades' varied combat and progression make it a great action roguelike, but its novel approach to storytelling is what makes it stand out in the genre.
Then, about three-fourths into my playthrough, I found a legendary warhammer with an unbelievably powerful perk. Whenever I used a Weapon Technique, it created an enormous bubble that slowed any enemy within it to a crawl. It didn't rely on a trigger, ailment, debuff, a percentage, or anything. When it dropped, I read the description in bewilderment. Was this thing for real? It was so out of line with anything else the rest of the game had given me that I doubted it'd be useful. But it was. It made tough encounters a breeze. It destroyed bosses. The rest of the game went by in a flash. It was the most fun I'd had with Godfall, and I held on to that warhammer even after it was one of the weakest pieces of loot I had, just because of that one perk. I wish I'd found more items like it, because it was a welcome change of pace.
Age of Calamity improves on the combat and structure of Hyrule Warriors, but saps much of the weight from Breath of the Wild's backstory as it fills in its gaps.
It mostly relies on borrowed ideas, but when its snarky tone isn't getting in the way, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a solid open-world adventure.
The Medium starts off personal and poignant, but ends in cliché
A New God pushes Immortals Fenyx Rising puzzle-solving tools to their limit, making for some interesting challenges--but also a lot of frustrating and tedious trials.
Immortals Fenyx Rising's second DLC takes the game to an entirely new world, but it still doesn't stray too far from its old one.
That's a huge letdown, because the encounters feel tuned for co-op rather than solo play. Playing alone, I could feel the absence of other players; although enemies are tougher when playing with friends, having another person to divert a boss' attention feels more natural than having you and a boss circle a pillar as you whittle down its health, or slowly working your way through the unrelenting hail of bullets that some of the later encounters subject you to. You also get to revive your friends in multiplayer (you even get one self-revive), which makes some of the tougher fights a little easier.
Resident Evil Village is the perfect cocktail of horror and action