Jason Rodriguez's Reviews
The Talos Principle 2 has almost everything I could ever want out of a puzzle game. It builds upon the foundations of the original, and is a perfect callback to classics such as Portal and Myst. There’s a brave new world out there for you to explore, numerous sentient robots to meet, and countless puzzles that will make you wrack your brain.
Alan Wake 2 takes you to the quiet locales of Washington and the streets of New York, places where darkness has taken root. Along the way, you can expect a tense and foreboding atmosphere, frantic action, and a memorable, mesmerizing romp. Sadly, there were several glaring issues that became prevalent during the course of this review.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty offers an exhilarating romp in the dystopian setting of Night City and Dogtown, and it’s further bolstered by numerous changes from Update 2.0. Those who played the base game years ago would find a satisfying conclusion to V’s story, while newcomers would be treated to a quintessential futuristic RPG experience like no other.
Starfield is a massive game with countless mechanics and features that reach for the stars.
WrestleQuest has all the right tools to pique a pro-wrestling fan's interest, but it fails to deliver when it matters.
My tastes have changed over the years, and I neglected certain franchise titles in that time. However, despite its missteps, I can wholeheartedly say Final Fantasy 16 managed to bring together in one title the things I loved about the earlier series’ entries, all while making most of the experience fresh and entertaining. The grim-dark tone, spectacular “kaiju battles,” and grandiose transformations with over-the-top action kept me entertained.
Age of Wonders 4 makes a triumphant return to the realms of magic and fantasy, but is there enough to keep you occupied for hours on end?
After a couple of years in early access, can Everspace 2 live up to its promise?
Hogwarts Legacy sets a new benchmark for video game adaptations of novels and films. Although it has some notable flaws, it has numerous moments that leave you spellbound.
Forspoken isn't perfect, owing to a middling campaign and a need for more optimization. Still, its spell combat system and parkour mechanics are top-notch, with landscapes and abilities that can truly amaze.
Amazing visuals and stellar atmosphere notwithstanding, The Callisto Protocol is held back by a cumbersome combat system, technical woes, and other issues.
Marvel's Midnight Suns offers a surprisingly complete experience, going above and beyond what you're used to in XCOM-esque tactics games. From the dynamic card combat system, robust customization options, and hilarious banter with teammates to the fact that you've got a fully explorable hub with secrets, it's got everything you could ever want and then some.
With an unsettling atmosphere, gripping tension, and new actions for characters, The Devil in Me is a major improvement for the franchise. It just needs a way to skip scenes during replays to avoid the tedium.
Pentiment's vivid art style, tight narrative, and choice-driven gameplay are a treat to experience. However, the restrictive save system and constant clicking to finish dialogue conversations can be detrimental to your enjoyment.
In any case, I’ll continue progressing further in Floodland. While my first impressions are certainly far from positive, I’m hoping that things become more interesting down the line. You can expect our finalized review score by the end of the week.
The arena combat features in Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties are refreshing for a time. Unfortunately, the clunkiness and tediousness from the base game remains. Worse, there's a litany of crashes, and a game-breaking bug that can cause issues with your save.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force has exciting combat mechanics and a fun traversal system, but it's hampered by poor performance, bland cutscenes, and questionable pacing.
Signalis borrows concepts that made survival-horror games successful. However, the unique twists, quirky style, and abundance of puzzles make it a mesmerizing romp.
Victoria 3 is, without a doubt, grand in scale and scope, and it's downright gorgeous, too. Sadly, the countless mechanics mean that there are too many moving parts, which lead to more questions than answers. The automation and streamlining of battle is, likewise, a baffling change. Even as a veteran of Paradox Interactive's games, this is still one series that I can't get behind.
With gorgeous visuals, well-written characters, stunning atmosphere, and an amazing Photo Mode function, A Plague Tale: Requiem surpasses its predecessor. However, the gameplay and puzzles tend to remain fairly easy and straightforward.