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Joshua Kowbel

Syracuse, New York
Boss Kowbel
Boss_Kowbel

Favorite Games:
  • Resident Evil 4
  • Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
  • Too many to name (Portal 2, BioShock, The Last of Us, etc.).

37 games reviewed
58.1 average score
60 median score
21.6% of games recommended

Joshua Kowbel's Reviews

@WikiGameGuides Reviews Editor | We Got This Covered (@wgtc_site) staff writer. I say things on the Internet.
Oct 11, 2015

Caffeine: Episode One stars game-breaking glitches and scenery that acts of its own free will, sabotaging this walking simulator's serviceable atmosphere.

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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.

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Jun 25, 2016

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.

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Feb 3, 2016

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.

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Sep 17, 2015

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.

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Sep 6, 2016

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.

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Jul 17, 2016

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.

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Jan 25, 2016

Baseball Riot teases cartoonish destruction, but an over-reliance on luck and the repurposed enemies and obstacles cheapen the physics-related fun.

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Aug 26, 2015

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.

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Sep 7, 2015

Mad Max's fondness for never-ending upgrades and tedious open-world quests stymies the exceptional car combat and compelling characters.

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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.

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Jan 8, 2016

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.

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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.

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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.

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Sep 22, 2015

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."

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Oct 14, 2015

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.

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Jul 12, 2016

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.

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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.

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Mar 14, 2016

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.

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Jan 27, 2016

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.

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