Dylan Blight
Dylan Blight's Reviews
Desperados III is simply one of the best stealth games can play right now.
It’s equal parts Metroidvania and player directed blood-bath and one of the best games of the year so far.
There’s undoubtedly a lot of Life is Strange in the DNA of Tell Me Why. The latest episodic narrative adventure from developer Dontnod deals with similar themes and features two young adults at the head of a personal narrative, with a little bit of supernatural twist thrown in.
With beautiful art direction, smart puzzles and terrific performances, Call of the Sea is a must-play for anyone who loves mystery, puzzles and romance.
RE: Village is an almost-perfect mix of the franchises' inspirations, with some of the most eccentric and exciting villains the series has seen in years.
Even while I got lost in the narrative's reliance on drawing from the encyclopaedic franchises' past, I got caught up in the human story between Master Chief and The Weapon. Halo Infinite features an addictive campaign that moves from one objective to the other, and muttering "I'll stop after the next mission" is almost always a lie.
If you're able to practice your martial arts, breathe in and have patience and persistence, you'll find a deep combat system, rewarding fights, and moments that make you feel like a flawless kung fu master.
Stray is a vibe, starring a cat that'll go down in hiss-tory. I fell for the feline companion and the strange, wonderful world it tumbles into in a heartbeat.
I was surprised at just how tightly the narrative in A Space for the Unbound grabbed me, and it's sure to be either one of the indie hits of 2023 or one of the most under-played gems.
A quick shortlist for one of my favourite games so far in 2023, Wild Hearts is a thrilling action RPG that's bound to scratch an itch for Monster Hunter fans while providing something alternative for fans of the genre.
There's little to dislike about Quill and Moss outside of how short it is, especially now that the technical complaints are cleared up. This is a beautiful entry into a VR series that'll hopefully have more than just one sequel, and Quill is a wonderful character who deserves more players to get to know her.
Combat feels more lively from the get-go, with Cal already able to use plenty of force abilities and feeling like a Jedi; the narrative is much more exciting thanks to a clear focus in the opposite direction of the upcoming events of the films, and instead into the secret untapped potential at the feet of all Star Wars storytelling.
As the credits rolled for Venba, I began thinking about how this would be someone's favourite game of 2023 and maybe one of their favourites of all time.
The cast of characters here is super-likable and is the most I've enjoyed a High School cast in a video game since Life is Strange: Beyond the Storm. KO_OP may have taken a long time to get Goodbye Volcano High out the door, but it's been more than worth the wait for this final product, which is one of my favourite games of the year.
I appreciated having Read Only Memories on my Switch to play it as a portable. The pixel art looks great on the screen and you're not losing any detail not playing docked. The INTEGRAL version doesn't add much to separate it from the many other versions you can pick up, but of the portable versions available (Vita, iOS, Android) I'd much prefer it on my Switch and the game is best experienced as a portable book to pick-up as you wish.
Old Man’s Journey is a heartwarming, sad, and intriguing story unfolding in a world that feels magical with its always eye-opening impressive visuals. A journey well worth your time.
Oh, and you can make all your Bat-Gadgets purple: plus ten points.
Ruiner ticks a lot of boxes for what I love in video games: fun gameplay with a degree to master it; an interesting story with characters I’m intrigued by; most importantly though, this art style and music -- I’m an admitted sucker for it. Fortunately, it is more than just art and music; it’s also fast-paced combat that requires thinking and reflexes with a story that belongs in the worlds it feels inspired by, which is a compliment. Ruiner is, most definitely, another kick-ass game published by Devolver Digital, where you just so happen to play as a guy wearing a mask (it's actually a helmet.)
Even if the nostalgia of the objects littered throughout the islands is before your time the emotional resonance of The Gardens Between should work for everyone in some regard. Memories from being younger, simpler times. The ending is bittersweet, but the journey there is every bit rewarding through interesting mechanics and subtle story-telling.
Life is Strange 2 is a brave choice for DontNod who had a hit with the first season. They could have done much of the same again here but chose to do something very different with the story of Sean & Daniel. I applaud it. Judging from the premiere episode their story is going be an interesting, hard and emotional one in ways I may not be prepared for and yet, I can't wait for the next episode.