Baz Macdonald Avatar Image

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.
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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

Nov 22, 2016

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

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

Mar 23, 2018

Revenant Kingdom is a better game than its excellent predecessor, which makes it a must-play for genre fans and curious folks alike.

Read full review

8 / 10.0 - 39 Days to Mars
Apr 24, 2018

39 Days to Mars manages to make steampunk more than tolerable with this charming and innovative adventure game, developed by Christchurch designer Philip Buchanan.

Read full review

May 30, 2018

Detroit is great step forward for interactive storytelling, with the impressive scope of its branching narrative and world ultimately overcoming the continued failings of David Cage's writing.

Read full review