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Baz Macdonald

Kaabaz
Baz_Falstaff

Favorite Games:
  • Fallout 3
  • Persona 4 Golden
  • Mass Effect 2

57 games reviewed
78.7 average score
80 median score
64.3% of games recommended

Baz Macdonald's Reviews

I am a freelance games journalist living in Wellington, New Zealand. I contribute news, articles and reviews to several outlets in New Zealand and Australia including Gameplanet and The Wireless. I cover a wide range of titles, but my area pf expertse is in narrative driven experiences.
Mar 4, 2018

The Bayonetta titles remain two of the most fun action games ever made, and so the chance to revisit them is a treat – especially as you can now play them anywhere and in their most technically reliable form.

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7 / 10.0 - The Station
Feb 20, 2018

The Station tackles with some of life's biggest questions with finesse, and will have you pondering it all long after the credits roll.

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The Frozen Wilds introduces many poorly-designed elements which make it a lesser experience than its brilliant base-game.

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Nov 8, 2017

Super Mario Odyssey is an innovative masterpiece that takes an already creative series to the next level, demonstrating that there is no limit to the adventures that can be had in games or the ways they can be played.

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Sep 11, 2017

That a crossover as bonkers as "Mario plus Rabbids by way of XCOM" even exists is to be celebrated, and fortunately it's an absorbing title that's only slightly diminished by some simplistic cover mechanics.

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8 / 10.0 - Tacoma
Aug 16, 2017

Tacoma's augmented reality cast allow it to tell its engaging story in a unique way. It's a slow burn of a game that deftly interrogates interpersonal relationships in an engaging sci-fi setting.

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8 / 10.0 - Farpoint
May 29, 2017

Farpoint is a generic shooter with a cool aim-down-sights mechanic that's elevated by its great story and affecting cutscenes.

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May 12, 2017

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe takes the franchise to a new level, and makes further argument that the Switch is a fantastic portable console.

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7 / 10.0 - Halo Wars 2
Feb 23, 2017

Halo Wars 2 both illustrates the problems traditional RTS titles have on console, and demonstrates how to overcome them with its excellent Blitz mode.

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6 / 10.0 - Final Fantasy XV
Dec 20, 2016

FFXV's ambition is laudable, but it's flaws are too big to fully cast aside. The result is an interesting and spectacular-looking title likely hampered by a protracted and unfocussed development.

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Nov 22, 2016

World of Final Fantasy could be an ongoing offshoot of the FF franchise, and has all the baggage to prove it.

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7 / 10.0 - Mafia 3
Oct 25, 2016

Mafia 3 is a great step forward for storytelling in games that is dragged down by its consistently unpolished and poorly executed mechanics.

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10 / 10.0 - Abzu
Aug 3, 2016

If you aren't entranced by mechanically shallow games like Journey, don't bother. But if you find exploration titles even marginally interesting, Abzu is an absolute must-play – it's the most majestic one yet.

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7 / 10.0 - I Am Setsuna
Jul 25, 2016

Old school JRPG throwback I Am Setsuna tells an interesting story with a fittingly sombre tone, but features none of the combat oomph of its predecessors.

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Jul 8, 2016

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is a cult classic for good reason. It's a strange title, but an engrossing one that's only let down by some one-note characters.

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9 / 10.0 - Overwatch
May 26, 2016

We'll never know what Titan was like, but thanks to Overwatch we won't care. A first-rate team-based FPS, it has seen Blizzard rise to the top of yet another genre.

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6 / 10.0 - Battleborn
May 17, 2016

Battleborn has plenty of ambition, but it just isn't particularly satisfying to play. It isn't broken, it's just the whole experience feels lightweight and derivative.

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7 / 10.0 - Severed
May 5, 2016

Vita owners thirsty for new titles will rightly give an arm and a leg for this one, but they should know ahead of time that it can be hard on the ol' swipin' appendages.

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Apr 28, 2016

The Banner Saga 2 isn't mechanically distinct from the first game and its story suffers second act syndrome, but it's nonetheless a cracking title that will both satisfy and leave players in desperate need of the trilogy's closing act.

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9.5 / 10.0 - Quantum Break
Apr 1, 2016

Quantum Break is magnificent, pushing the boundaries of what's possible both technically and from a narrative perspective.

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