Joshua Kowbel
- Resident Evil 4
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
- Too many to name (Portal 2, BioShock, The Last of Us, etc.).
Joshua Kowbel's Reviews
Caffeine: Episode One stars game-breaking glitches and scenery that acts of its own free will, sabotaging this walking simulator's serviceable atmosphere.
With its minimal content and cars that prove impossible to control, Rock 'N Racing Off Road DX butchers the arcade action that Super Off Road perfected in the '90s.
Dreadful from a technical, mechanical, and financial standpoint, Umbrella Corps sets a newer, lower bar for Resident Evil spinoffs. Although Operation Raccoon City met fans with lukewarm reception, Umbrella Corps leaves diehard Resident Evil supporters with no expectations at all.
Bombshell could have been a fine six-hour shooter, but the unfulfilling fetch quests, uninspired firearms, and meddling glitches stretch the story until – like the game's suicidal aliens – you, too, beg for death.
Cross of the Dutchman's "based on a true story" narrative is neither accurate, nor are its battles a substitute for action RPGs like Diablo. I would rather read Pier's Wikipedia entry again, which offered greater entertainment at zero cost.
If Verdun had adopted a free-to-play model on consoles, I could see the beauty in its unrefined animations or crudely rendered environments. But with a superior PC version on the market, it’s best to forget this PS4 port even exists.
Kill Strain may find its following as a free-to-play game, but I expect more polish, more stability from shooters that we’re asked to play for long periods of time. I can’t accept the odd matchmaking decisions, nor the way Kill Strain sabotages teamwork by encouraging lone wolf playstyles.
Baseball Riot teases cartoonish destruction, but an over-reliance on luck and the repurposed enemies and obstacles cheapen the physics-related fun.
Beyond Eyes is an art showcase – beautiful to behold, undoubtedly – but I dreaded the majority of my time playing it. Unless you need to know what happens to a stray cat, don't feel guilty for keeping Beyond Eyes in your blind spot.
Mad Max's fondness for never-ending upgrades and tedious open-world quests stymies the exceptional car combat and compelling characters.
In its fourth episode, Hitman takes a step back from global conspiracies to examine the morally gray profession of contract killing. It’s the déjà vu of another extravagant mansion, however, that made me consider Agent 47’s potential career changes.
Hardware: Rivals provides exploding jeeps and tanks aplenty, but in this online-only game, the small player population will end your car combat fun before it gains traction.
Assault Android Cactus – between its twin-stick gunplay, dialogue, and ample modes – exhibits a rare polish among its peers, but the atrocious HUD, useless unlocks, and local co-op that's actively better without friends keep Witch Beam's debut from rivaling the genre's titans.
A neo-noir aesthetic, gruesome investigations, and pending showdown between Eliot Ness and superhuman cultists separate "The End of Peace" from its genre rivals. However, awkward dialogue pauses, no worthwhile choices, and an inexplicable alternate timeline stop this episode from surpassing them.
Eradicating ghosts that mimic your preceding actions is an inventive notion, but the rest of the gameplay hooks meant to keep Extreme Exorcism players happy embody the saying "been there, done that."
Contrary to its looks, Crimsonland still delivers frenetic fights that are impossible to reproduce in web browsers. But bigger and more beautiful twin-stick shooters rose to fame during the game's decade-long slumber, leaving 10tons playing catch-up.
The stylish visuals and streamlined combat that define Necropolis slowly succumb to repetition, laying waste to this roguelike’s longevity. If you have three friends, multiplayer is the way to go.
Hitman retains its strong gameplay core in light of setbacks. The developers fail to capitalize on Marrakesh’s intricately rendered crowds, and performance bugs that were once corrected have returned.
The Guest tests an array of mental abilities throughout the three hours it lasts. But when buying into “a first-person exploration game,” you don’t expect this many plot holes.
Punch Club provides a parody-filled look at one man ‒ your man ‒ and his rise to martial arts stardom. Managing his hunger, training regiment, and social life contains all the appeal of The Sims franchise, but punishing stat decay and RNG-heavy fights cripple Punch Club's lasting shot at fame.