Joseph Pugh's Reviews
The free-running is fantastic, the combat feels excellent, and the crafting and skill system are well designed. Dying Light Plays well, and the story is entertaining, even if it is fairly basic. The gunplay definitely sours the experience when it comes up, and the lack of any real consequence for failure tarnishes every mechanic of the game. If that doesn't turn you off then there is a lot to love about this zombie romp
The reality is if Insurmountable were a real board game, I’d be interested in picking it up, and the price would be much steeper due to the physical pieces. The digital experience it offers is a unique one worth having for any fans of slower-paced strategy games, even if its freshness is shorter-lived than I would like.
Outriders is still a great game. In a lot of ways, it’s the absolute best iteration of the looter shooter genre out there. The repetition is a bummer, but the combat, class, and loot system are worth riding it out for. The amount of playstyle customization you have access to is a true anomaly.
It doesn't stray far from its inspiration but still delivers key improvements with stronger replay value, better visuals, and an experience that's fresh enough to feel new while staying true to itself. If it could have ditched some of the flaws that plagued the original it would have been perfect. Regardless, Evil Genius lives To Die Another Day
Space Otter Charlie is cute, fun, and easy to play with, clever but simple puzzles, enjoyable old-school boss fights, and plenty to explore, find, and craft. It’s a game aimed at a more casual demographic that I’m really not a part of, but that’s okay. I still found a lot to appreciate.
Tetrogue Dragons is clever, fun, and addictive, with an interesting take on the falling block style of puzzle game. The rogue-lite elements fit perfectly, and the way the variety of classes play is impressive.
Watch Dogs Legion is a solid if familiar title. However, the innovative recruitment system and neat simulation elevate the experience into something novel and worth experiencing, even if the game doesn’t always commit to its design the way it expects players to.
The variety of well-animated machines and the combat system based around targeting different parts of them is incredibly well-executed and the selection of tools and ammo types is nice. The general combat and gameplay go a long way toward making up for the shortcomings of the game elsewhere.
Earth Defense Force 5 isn't winning any awards for narrative. It doesn't have a large open world with lots to do, stunning graphics or meticulous details. But it doesn't want those things. It wants to be a shooter with epic battles against goliath sized enemies and make those battles fun. And in that, it passes with flying colors.
Regardless The Oathbound faction is incredibly cool, fun to play, and brings another unique playstyle to the game. Star Kings is a powerful final act for the elegant beast of a game that we call Age of Wonders: Planetfall. Previous fans would be doing themselves a disservice by missing out on it.
The core of Breakpoint is a fast-paced arcade experience, and the game absolutely nails it with addictive gameplay and eye-popping visual effects. I know people still like arcade games because they keep buying old ones repackaged. Breakpoint costs just under five dollars, so why not make some new nostalgia instead?
For Sparta is a small but mighty game with a ferocity to honor its namesake. The gameplay is fantastic, and it very cleanly side steps the repetitive pitfalls the genre sometimes falls into. Its laser-focused direction does it a lot of favors. It’s not a long-term grinding game with a billion things to unlock, and it doesn’t try to be.
Curse of the Dead Gods boasts some very compelling and unique game mechanics combined with a fantastic combat system that demands mastery of the content it offers. Hades may be the social pretty boy of the genre, but Curse of the Dead Gods is that disciplined old adventurer ready to whip you into shape. Fortune and glory kid, fortune and glory.
Risk of Rain 2 stacks up as one of the most well-designed rogue-lites on the market, and is a clear example of early access done right. Its replay value is high, and its fun factor is even higher, especially with friends. The cracks of its porcelain skin are ugly, because of how pristine the rest of its form is.
Legend of Keepers nails the gamblers high of unpredictable randomness while putting the player’s agency at the forefront to actually use that randomness in a meaningful way, that’s the hallmark of a good rogue-lite game.
Ratropolis is an engaging real-time strategy and kingdom building game that successfully fuses with the thoughtful deliberation of deckbuilding, tactical card play, and resource management. I sometimes think cards can make any game better, Ratropolis certainly makes a strong case for it.
Avengers misses the mark of true perfection, but only just. It’s still phenomenal with one of the greatest combat systems out there. It’s the Avengers game I’d hoped I would get for the last decade. If you’re a Marvel fan, this is a must-have
Fuzz Force Spook Squad manages to be thrilling to play, strategically satisfying, and simple to learn. It’s a dice game all about randomness, but every step of the way it asks “How do you want to do this?”
Going Under might lack the replay value of other rogue-lites, but it makes up for it in charm, detail, and theme with great enemy variety, solid gameplay, and well-designed boss fights. Top it off with a small yet well written humorous story, and you have a game worth interning for.
It's entirely worthwhile to learn and navigate the games clunky interface to access the garden of Eden underneath. RimWorld is an experience that is rarely replicated in gaming and one worth every penny that it asks.