The game is plagued by unavoidably problematic writing and character work which for others, like myself, is too high a barrier to overcome. Those representation issues are very real and paired with the distinct dip in overall quality from the first game makes me question if Deadly Premonition 2 was even in on its own joke.
Sakura Wars is a serviceable entry point for Western audiences but fails to deliver more than a modest take on what could have been a remarkable game.
MLB The Show 20 is a confident, sleek package of the best of baseball with systems that welcome newcomers and veterans alike. Crisp user interfaces, extensive customisation options and solid core mechanics make for a game that has even this novice keen for the places the series will go next.
There are pockets of joy and engagement in Fallen Order, but ultimately it feels like a game developed a long time ago, before Star Wars moved on to brighter galaxies far, far away from this.
For $9.99 this isn’t a terribly hard game to recommend but newcomers need to be aware of the hurdles they’ll experience
Ultimately the Amnesia Collection feels caught between essential and outdated
The bones of a great game exist within the second entry, even today, but lop-sided gameplay and uninspired presentation obscure them far too much.
Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is almost the game it wants to be, the game we all want it to be, but even this improved port can't change the fact that it simply isn't.
In a time when marketers are tripping over themselves to distance their games from the overt politics they draw upon, The Church in the Darkness unapologetically runs in the opposite direction. Freedom Town isn’t just a facsimile of a political movement, it’s a borderline reenactment that asks players to take its world, and history, seriously.
For whatever visual blemishes show up, or for however far the third act strays, Observation remains a deeply fascinating experience.