Josh Hinke


145 games reviewed
72.0 average score
73 median score
33.8% of games recommended
Are you Josh Hinke? If so, email [email protected] to claim this critic page.
May 20, 2021

Resident Evil Village is a decent entry into a franchise that continues to wildly swing back and forth, stumbling into success and failure, unsure of what it even wants to be.

Read full review

68 / 100 - MLB The Show 21
May 6, 2021

What's always been good about the franchise is still good here, but when it comes to making the next-gen leap, The Show 21 can't quite cut it. Series die-hards will likely enjoy the real-world rule changes, but if you're picking up the game for the first time in a while, last year's entry is as good as this one.

Read full review

Apr 8, 2021

Monster Hunter Rise aims at old-school fans, those who were here before Monster Hunter World, and will be sure to enjoy themselves with this more compact entry. But for those who just recently came aboard the franchise, it will feel like a step down.

Read full review

84 / 100 - Devotion
Mar 26, 2021

Devotion is another great horror outing for Red Candle Games. After years of waiting, I thought I was finally ready to engage in whatever terrors these Taiwanese developers had planned - I was wrong.

Read full review

79 / 100 - Loop Hero
Mar 22, 2021

The core gameplay mechanics of Loop Hero are exceptional. There's something that is devilishly interesting about it, drawing you back into every run. It's the kind of game that you always want to play again. However, the grind can get tiresome and playing on PC is not an ideal setting for the late campaign marathon sessions.

Read full review

Mar 9, 2021

Persona 5 Strikers is a fun window back to the friendships and stylish aesthetic that made Persona 5 a hit. However, for better or worse this is its own game. Strikers proves that you can go back home, but it'll never quite be the same.

Read full review

76 / 100 - Suzerain
Feb 20, 2021

Suzerain is a fascinating game told through incredibly dense and detailed writing with effective pacing and smart world-building. Its unique mix of player choices against a strategy backdrop make for a compelling adventure, even if presentation aspects are lacking. A game that is designed to challenge whatever political ideology you hold.

Read full review

77 / 100 - Hitman 3
Jan 27, 2021

With the new trilogy coming to an end and Agent 47 yielding to 007, the developers have finally stuck the landing thanks to a few smart tweaks to design, mechanics, and tone. It's a shame it took until the final chapter to deliver on the potential.

Read full review

60 / 100 - Empire of Sin
Nov 30, 2020

Empire of Sin gets lost in a maze of design decisions that lead to an unfocused and sprawling game. The management and RPG mechanics cannibalize each other, meaning that neither works on its own and they definitely don't work well together.

Read full review

40 / 100 - Godfall
Nov 25, 2020

Godfall is such an unpleasant experience it's difficult for me to find anything to like. Occasionally, it flirts with just being a mediocre snooze, but then you hit an aggravating boss fight that reminds you of how poorly it was designed. It would take an entire shift in tone and genre to salvage anything offered.

Read full review

77 / 100 - Bugsnax
Nov 16, 2020

There may be a lot of games you want to try on the new PS5 console, but if you're looking for a palate cleanser between the bigger, flashier games, Bugsnax is the perfect aperitif to your next-gen feast.

Read full review

Nov 13, 2020

There's fertile ground in this new direction for Yakuza; Kasuga and Co are worthwhile characters and the new RPG mechanics have potential. Still, this entry feels stuffed with forced mediocre side content, and like a rough draft of what's possible in the future.

Read full review

84 / 100 - Paradise Killer
Oct 8, 2020

Few games can offer something quite as weirdly creative as Paradise Killer. Exploring the island, talking with the suspects, piecing the mystery together, and holding the final trial is a thoroughly enjoyable ride in this open world crime mystery.

Read full review

85 / 100 - Hades
Oct 4, 2020

Hades is a phenomenal effort from Supergiant. Dripping with the stylish substance we've come to expect from the studio and centered around brilliant gameplay, this is one action roguelike that you'll need to check out.

Read full review

Sep 22, 2020

Crusader Kings III is a worthy heir to its predecessor and a grand strategy game that everyone absolutely has to try. You may bounce off initially, but if you give it some time, I believe most people will get swept away in its complex mechanics and interesting take on Middle Ages dynasties and politics.

Read full review

65 / 100 - NBA 2K21
Sep 13, 2020

NBA 2K21 marks a new low, which is really disappointing. At times, NBA 2K has been my favorite sports franchise, reinventing itself in ways that reverberated across the industry. But this year's edition feels incomplete and lacking. I would recommend revisiting older games before picking this one up; maybe the next-gen version will be more complete.

Read full review

70 / 100 - Wasteland 3
Sep 3, 2020

Wasteland 3 is a competent RPG that struggles to distinguish itself from the many other entries of the genre. With such games, the mechanics are all relatively the same, and the writing, choices, and world-building are so much more important. And in these areas, Wasteland 3 is proficient, but not overly impressive.

Read full review

52 / 100 - Skater XL
Aug 12, 2020

Skater XL feels incomplete. There's not a lot of content, and the game is lacking a personality, a vibe to engage the player. In a year that has Skate coming to mobile, the Pro Skater games being re-released (again), and Session also working its way through Early Access, you should hold off on Skater XL.

Read full review

Jul 29, 2020

There are elements acting as a glue-stick, keeping Paper Mario: The Origami King from completely falling apart, but it is in desperate need of a vision. If you really need a Mario fix, look to the superior Super Mario Odyssey, which is already available on the Switch.

Read full review

Jul 13, 2020

Superhot: Mind Control Delete feels like the fulfillment of the promise so many saw in the game when it was just a browser-based demo. With expanded mechanics, this takes an already smart concept and turns it into a powerhouse of design work. Part puzzler and part shooter - whatever it is, it's a truly unique experience worth checking it out.

Read full review