Shaan Joshi's Reviews
I genuinely wanted to find the fun in Stupid Never Dies. With each run I started, I hoped its combat would finally kick into high gear. With each boss I beat, I prayed for a new mechanic that wouldn’t force me to grind run after run until I could reach the next boss with a high enough level and enough time left on the clock. With each trip to the body-hacking upgrade shop, I was sure the right equipment would present itself and let me rule the Underworld once and for all. But, sadly, that moment never came. Instead, I had to grapple with the reality of the situation. Rather than lean into the roguelikes it clearly takes inspiration from, Stupid Never Dies is content to lift ideas and mechanics from the genre without any idea how to assemble them into a fun experience. It’s a complete buzzkill of a Frankenstein, and is perfectly happy to let you shamble through its slog of a campaign.
I’ve only scratched the surface of what Order of the Sinking Star has to offer. By my estimate, I still have around 600 or so puzzles left to discover and solve, many of which have remixed the very premise of the game in some truly surprising ways that I won’t dare spoil. But with several dozen hours of playtime logged, I can safely say that it is, without exaggeration, one of the best puzzle games I’ve ever played, standing toe-to-toe with the genre greats. There are very few games on the market that are this intentional with their design and are unwavering in their dedication to a handful of core principles. For all the moments where I found myself stuck in my tracks or banging my head against a wall, there were many more “AHA!” moments and flashes of insight and realization that made the struggles all the more worth it. Order of the Sinking Star is unparalleled in communicating ideas and concepts without saying a single word, but more impressive is that I feel like I’m having a genuine conversation with it with each puzzle I solve.
That being said, if you’re looking for a way to play through two of the franchise’s best entries without fiddling with emulators or digging your aging PS3 or PSP out of the closet, it’s hard to take issue with what’s on offer.
Silent Hill: Townfall offers up one of the most tense and compelling survival horror experiences in recent years, as long as you're willing to meet it on its own terms.
It’s a bit of a shame that Marvel’s Wolverine isn’t able to crawl out from under the shadow of its spiritual predecessors. It certainly leans into the brutal, frenetic nature of its hero, and when it’s firing on all cylinders, it offers up some of the best, most action-packed moments we’ve seen this year. If it were a more confident game, it would cut out some of its hand-me-downs in favor of a leaner, more focused experience, but as it stands, players will have to learn to take the old with the new.
Even though Blood Dungeon occasionally stumbles when it comes to its platforming or its hub world, it’s hard to deny just how effectively it sinks its teeth into you, convincing you to do “just one more run,” even though that’s the exact same thing you said to yourself over an hour ago. The slow drip feed of new unlocks, completed quests, and bosses to conquer is more than worth the price of admission, and I don’t see myself uninstalling this one any time soon.
With the addition of rideable buggies, the streamlining of its tool system, and the sheer amount of content to work through, Grounded 2 is a no-brainer for those who bought into the series’ unique take on the survival genre. We’ll have to see how the game progresses as it inches its way out of early access, but so far, things seem rather bright in Brookhaven Park.
Still, even with these minor narrative missteps, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a standout remake, taking the best bits of the original and sprucing them up for the modern era.
Even though Beatspell falls a bit short of the mark, Rhythm Heaven Groove is still a triumph through and through, offering up some of the best rhythm-based antics the series has seen to date. I can only hope that Nintendo doesn’t decide to lay it to rest for another couple of console generations before it decides to revisit this criminally underrated franchise.
More seasoned Hitman veterans might have seen this one coming, then – when 007: First Light builds upon the formula that IO Interactive laid out with their flagship franchise, it fires on all cylinders, offering up some of the best stealth-focused action that we’ve seen in a Bond game to date.
As the debut title from developer Nobody Crown, there’s a lot to like with Feline Forensics and the Meowseum Mystery. Sure, its bloated menus and decidedly uncomplicated approach to crime solving might not scratch the itch of the most diehard genre fans, but its laid-back atmosphere and cozy aesthetic help to smooth out the rough patches, even if they don’t completely eliminate them.
Pragmata’s mash-up of tight third-person shooting with an easy-to-grasp, yet rewarding hacking mechanic is more than enough to be worth the price of admission, but it’s everything surrounding this gameplay hook that sets it over the top. A bevy of collectibles, combat challenges, training missions, and a robust upgrade and modifier system; all of it makes for an incredibly engaging experience, one that’s anchored around the heartfelt and endearing relationship between Hugh and Diana.
Poker Night at the Inventory offers up a few laughs and a chance to reunite with some old friends over some poker. At times, it certainly shows its age (especially when it comes to its four main stars), but if you're looking to take a trip down memory lane, it's still worth checking out.
Detractors might cry foul that Capcom has forced two wildly different experiences into one package, but I prefer to think of it as two sides of the same coin. It’s an endless buffet of nail-biting, pulse-pounding action, and, I would argue, survival horror at its finest.
While there’s plenty of content on offer, Black Ops 7’s well-executed (if not overly familiar) multiplayer and Zombies modes are eclipsed by a truly baffling, nonsensical campaign. Here’s hoping that 2026’s Call of Duty manages to find its footing again and, hopefully, stick the landing.
LEGO Voyagers is a rather brief affair (my first playthrough clocked in at just over three hours), but each minute brings with it something new and novel. Whether you’re working together to repair a train track or taking a minute to unwind and play on a makeshift see-saw, it’s packed with these special moments that highlight the importance of friendships in our lives. It’s also, surprisingly, an incredibly emotional game (especially during its final moments), but I won’t dare spoil any of that for you. Even if LEGO Voyagers could be reworked into a strictly single-player affair, the result wouldn’t be half as good as it currently stands. It’s very much a game that’s not about the destination, but rather, the journey you make together.
Still, for the few areas where Helldivers 2 falters, it largely sticks the landing when making the jump to Microsoft’s consoles, though that should come as no surprise. Barring huge technical missteps or compromised ports, a great game is a great game, regardless of what platform it’s being played on, and that’s certainly the case with Helldivers 2.
For every birdie or eagle that Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots lands, its head gets stuck in a sand trap just as often.
Still, even with its limited modes and maps (or rather, map, singular), Midnight Murder Club makes for a wildly good time if you can sign up a few friends. It might lack the flash and panache seen in modern live-service titles, but if you’ve been yearning for an online shooter that emphasizes gameplay and good times over all else, look no further.
Whether you’re adventuring solo or bringing a friend along in co-op, there’s a lot of fun (and a few laughs) to be had.