Kenneth Shepard's Reviews
All of these twists and turns in Blizzard’s messaging have no doubt made things harder on the folks making Overwatch 2 as they deal with strife within Activision Blizzard in the midst of its harassment lawsuits, turnover at Blizzard on both a managerial and rank-and-file level, and forcing a once work-from-home staff to move back into the office after establishing their lives elsewhere. I feel for the team because, underneath all the poor planning, there is clearly a lot of talent and love for these characters desperately crawling out of the hole poor business decisions have put them in. I just hope that something, anything comes along that feels like it captures that passion, because I can feel my own dwindling every day Overwatch 2 doesn’t live up to its promise.
It’s a sublime fighter that makes smart changes that honor what makes the series great.
Despite my frustrations with its structure, mechanics, and the fact that it looks and runs like a middling GameCube game most of the time (there were several instances, even outside of the open-world areas, where character animations would drop to near stop-motion levels of movement), I still left Scarlet and Violet enamored by its character relationships and neatly tied-up themes of finding one’s own joy in the big, wild Pokémon world.
Life is Strange 2 ended as it began: an emotional, uncompromisingly political story that succinctly represents player choice in its final moments.
Sayonara Wild Hearts' is gorgeous and packs an incredible pop soundtrack, but the actual levels the music accompanies never feels as natural as its audiovisual splendor.
While occasionally caving under the weight of its ambition, Greedfall delivers a world worth exploring inhabited by characters and stories just as memorable.
Catherine: Full Body has more interesting things to say about relationships that are dragged down by a story too cynical to let it shine.
"Faith" continues Life is Strange 2's examination of a broken system to showcase a series at its most powerful.
Telling Lies is a game defined by the individual's own terms and parameters, rewarding the wide spectrum of curiosity of anyone willing to put the time and thought into its mysteries.
Cadence of Hyrule is a lovingly crafted, challenging, but rewarding ode to 30 years of music.
Persona Q2's has a lot of fun dungeon crawling to offer, but doesn't make the most of its great cast's time together.
"Wastelands" has a better understanding of what makes Life is Strange 2's story work, and is more enticing for it
Devil May Cry 5's risk-averse approach grounds it as other games in the genre are reaching for the sky.
Dancing in Starlight pays a loving tribute to Persona 5, but without a stronger setlist it doesn't stand alongside its fellow rhythm game spin-offs.
Dancing in Moonlight uses twelve years of songs to bring the Persona 3 cast the musical tribute they deserve.
Life is Strange 2 sets up a very different story that cares a lot of the original game's strengths with it, and leaves some of its weaker points behind.
Just Shapes & Beats' excellent soundtrack spawns intricate levels in a stylish aesthetic that is sure to challenge even the most dedicated players.
Unravel Two is a clever and endearing take on the original's formula, but doesn't come through on its cooperative premise.
Captain Spirit's use of a child's imagination to contextualize a dark, poignant story sets up a strong foundation to build Life is Strange 2 upon.
"Farewell" succinctly captures everything that Life is Strange does well in a beautiful and devastating package.