Shaan Joshi Avatar Image

Shaan Joshi


Favorite Games:
  • Braid
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials And Tribulations

122 games reviewed
79.9 average score
80 median score
74.6% of games recommended

Shaan Joshi's Reviews

I write about games. When I'm not writing about them, I'm probably playing them. And when I'm not playing them, I'm making them.

Dead Nation is a title that's actually deserving of your money, even if it's still carrying the same baggage from its first outing.

Read full review

- Fez
Apr 7, 2014

I used to think that the joy of exploration and unbridled sense of discovery was lost to the games of consoles past, but Fez has not only proven me completely wrong, but it has given me hope for the future.

Read full review

Apr 16, 2014

Still, it's not hard to recommend Trials Fusion, especially to longtime fans of the series. I can't say it comes as much of a shock that RedLynx was not able to match the refinements from the previous outing, but even with its flaws and shortcomings, you shouldn't be worry about giving this one a go. Trials Fusion is a worthy addition to the series, even if it isn't the complete package we were hoping for.

Read full review

Still, even if you don't subscribe to that particular analogy; that Octodad is code for anyone a little different that needs to figure out how to act in mainstream society, there's still a lot of fun to be had here. Even when the overall challenge of living a day in Octodad's shoes bears too much weight, the game is amusing enough to quell most of the frustration.

Read full review

May 14, 2014

BattleBlock Theater feels like it was designed for the child that still lives inside me. It's juvenile, colourful, and silly. But more importantly, it achieves everything it set out to do, with a near masterful level of execution. The addictive multiplayer and excellent level creation tools are just the icing on the cake.

Read full review

And that is maybe the one issue that stands out the most with Tesla Effect; it's a game that is very clearly made for the fans, mainly those who have played the previous games. The puzzles, the writing, the acting, and the humor is all ripped straight from the 90's, and if you're fixated on modern gaming sensibilities, you probably won't last ten minutes in Tex's world. But for those who have been waiting for the return of the world's greatest PI, look no further. Tesla Effect is a love letter to a genre that is all but gone.

Read full review

Machine Games has taken an aged franchise and brought it into the current world of gaming, yet they've done so without compromising the core tenets that are at the heart of Wolfenstein's identity. As competent as it is a shooter, The New Order elevates itself from your standard run-and-gun action game by crafting a world that is actually worth caring about, and it's done so with a level of confidence that is worthy of commendation.

Read full review

Jun 25, 2014

Like many of the games in the same league, it's hard to recommend 1001 Spikes to those who aren't patient enough to learn its deadly and intricate ways, or to those who are prone to smashing their controller through their TV screen in frustration. But to those who live off buzz words like "rage-inducing" and "old-school hard", look no further.

Read full review

Jun 29, 2014

There are plenty of reasons to love Shovel Knight, and I'm sure more seasoned gamers than I will relish its mechanics, tight controls, or obsessiveness with all things retro. But more importantly, it's easy to fall in love with a game that manages to breathe new life into old mechanics, without feeling like a retro-throwback that is content with playing the same hand we were dealt all those years ago. It's the perfect example of a passion project done right, one that realises that it is important to look back, in order to move forward.

Read full review

Jul 16, 2014

While Abyss Odyssey suffers from a few design choices that ultimately hold it back from greatness, its easily ACE Team's most playable game to date, which doesn't come at the sacrifice of the look and feel we've come to love with earlier titles. Hopefully, many of the shortcomings can be addressed in future updates, which seems to be a big part of ACE Team's plan for the game post-release.

Read full review

In the end, this makes New 'n' Tasty less difficult than the original, but more enjoyable and easier to access this time around. While there are plenty of platformers around, few of them place such a heavy emphasis on stealth and puzzle solving.

Read full review

Aug 26, 2014

One might be quick to dismiss CounterSpy as nothing more than a half-broken stealth game, but you'd be remiss for doing so. I for one prefer to look at it as a half-working stealth game, one that has passion and enthusiasm where it counts. Dynamighty may not have hit a home run the first time around, but based on the love of the medium of the team there, I wouldn't count them out just yet.

Read full review

Sep 2, 2014

Despite its unyielding dedication for all things realistic, I rather enjoyed the demanding style of play The Golf Club prides itself on, even during the first few hours, where the game will either draw you in or turn you off completely. I wouldn't necessarily recommend The Golf Club to the less serious player (there are plenty of more laid back golf titles to choose from), but it's a no-brainer for golf enthusiasts and purists alike.

Read full review

Sep 9, 2014

If you've already had the luxury of playing through Second Son, you might be tempted to write off Infamous: First Light as a quick cash-in, but you'd be doing yourself a great disservice. At times, it can often feel like an overly distilled version of Second Son, but First Light works because it trims off the fat, leaving behind an engaging story and breakneck gameplay that will appeal both to returning patrons and first-time customers.

Read full review

Oct 20, 2014

Looking back on this review, I'm actually a bit depressed that the highlight of the game (for me, at least) was simply how good Ryse looked. It's obvious that Crytek is capable of so much more, but Ryse simply borrows the best that a few franchises has to offer, and instead chooses to cobble them together quite lazily with a few superfluous mechanics thrown in for good measure, rather than refining and building upon the core game. Granted, Ryse could have been doomed from the start, having started out as a Kinect-only title with a fairly limited control scheme, but I can't help but feel that a brand new IP deserved a little bit more than what we ultimately got. But hey, at least it looks good, right?

Read full review

Nov 14, 2014

Even with all of its Halloween charm, Costume Quest 2's greatest strength is that it knows its limits. It's a short experience, and it's to it benefit as it never feels bloated. It's the quintessential bite-sized RPG, wrapped in all the Halloween charm you could ever hope for.

Read full review

If anything, the release of Captain Toad goes to show just how confident Nintendo is, and more so with how much it understands its audience. In a blockbuster season filled with plenty of firearms and fistfights, Captain Toad shows us more creativity and style than many new IPs out there.

Read full review

Dec 29, 2014

While it may have flown under the radar for some (I imagine the last minute name change didn't do it any favours), you'd be doing yourself a disservice by dismissing Kalimba, even with its rather straightforward and barebones presentation. As great as it is as a single player outing, Kalimba really shines when you can bring a partner along for the ride.

Read full review

Jan 26, 2015

Unless you're absolutely dying for a local multiplayer racer, Riptide GP 2's barebones approach to jet ski racing isn't worth the time, even with the low price of admission.

Read full review

Feb 2, 2015

I would have simply been content with Techland releasing another Dead Island game, as long as it came with some needed polish to help it realise its potential. Instead, we got Dying Light, a surprising mix of old and new, which has managed to once again rekindle my excitement for both the genre and the developer. It may stumble every so often, but Dying Light is still the most fun I've had in a while.

Read full review