Chris Brown's Reviews
A Plague Tale – Innocence is the type of game that comes around rarely in the risk adverse gaming space. Bleak and beautiful it will leave an indelible mark on any gamer willing to enter its rat-infested world.
With wonderful combat and more charm than any game I can name off the top of my head Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a very easy recommendation from me despite a few undercooked ideas.
Returning to Aventasia was a delight. I revisited all the sights I loved and caught up with the good folk who made my last foray into their lands such a joy. The fact everything looks exactly like it did all those years ago was a comfort, but I couldn't help but think they really should have given the place a bit of a spruce up after all this time.
Blood Money and Absolution are great games but even with the enhancements they are showing their age, not only when compared to the most recent entries but also to each other.
4A Games have rekindled my love for the world that was left behind. A post-apocalyptic journey out of darkness with a uniquely eastern European accent. Equally gorgeous and grotesque Metro Exodus is sure to please newcomers and the returning faithful alike. I just wish the road was a little smoother and with fewer bugs skittering about.
Elegant design, streamlined but effective storytelling, and expertly executed game systems make the Road to Eden a journey well worth undertaking.
Not quite the triumphant return long-time fans had hoped for but nevertheless Darksiders III is an enjoyable and worthy entry in the series. The biggest issue here is that newcomers will likely find Fury and her world a little too unwelcoming. To those of us who have already shared the trials of War and the journey of Death delivering Fury's wrath is a satisfying if somewhat guilty pleasure.
A lazy, broken, and boring slog through the most ineptly realised post-apocalypse I have ever encountered. This is not Fallout. Every defining feature of the Fallout experience has been excised or compromised to accommodate a poorly designed and executed multiplayer experience.
A perfect visual and audio upgrade to a bonafide classic that sadly can do little to bring its dated game play and simplistic design to a modern audience. Fans and kids alike however will no doubt find many hours of enjoyment in this expertly presented package.
The almost perfect marriage of elegant game design, evocative audio, and stunning visuals delivers a gaming experience far richer and affecting than I could have possibly imagined. It's not without a few flaws, but they are easily forgotten almost as soon as they have passed.
CD Projekt Red have delivered an exceptional adventure in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. One that any Witcher fan should not hesitate to experience. While Gwent is undeniably fun, it falls short of its full potential in a single-player only game with AI opponents.
There are hints of a great game buried under the decaying leviathan that is Call of Cthulhu, but they are interspersed with the detritus of too many disparate or poorly executed ideas that those hints feel more like broken promises than unrealized ones.
Despite stumbling at the very beginning Red Dead Redemption 2 cements Rockstar Games' place at the very top of the games industry. It's been eight years and well worth the wait.
Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption nails its combat but loses ground almost everywhere else. This Souls-like boss battler leans too heavily on its inspiration and has no sense of itself as a result.
Last year I named Divinity Original Sin II the best game I had played this millennium. This year I need to amend that statement. Divinity Original Sin II – Definitive Edition is the best RPG I have ever played. Its transition to console might not be a smooth as I would have liked, but there are a slew of improvements and welcome additions that make it more than it was, and the exceptional quality of the game is undeniable.
Daedalic Entertainment's State of Mind wants players to explore the idea of what is it that makes us us, but never provides the player any real opportunity to do so. You simply follow the path and mark off another check mark. In the end all you're really doing is little more than counting electric sheep.
Sonic Mania Plus on the Switch is the best way to play the best Sonic game in over 20 years.
Semblance is fun game that nails the fundamentals, but the limited scope and brevity don't allow it the opportunity to really shine. Puzzle-platform fans will enjoy what is on offer here but will be left wanting for more.
Vampyr is a dark and dour adventure that drips atmosphere. Its shortcomings can be easily overlooked by anyone wanting a character-rich journey into darkness.
A pocket-sized noir adventure filled with genuine charm and challenge that doesn't really feel all that comfortable on console.