Lee Mehr's Reviews
"Style over substance" is a reflexively-bandied phrase that's diminished in meaning over time. Although I partly agree to its usage here to highlight certain gameplay flaws, I don't think that should tarnish Narita Boy's immense successes. Studio Koba designed what they knew best – reverent 80s nostalgia, inspired techno-spirituality, beautiful 2D art, & more – with a sincerity rarely seen today.
Hitchhiker ultimately feels like an unengaging road trip you can steer clear of playing.
Between its endlessly creative co-op gameplay and genuine story, It Takes Two is a one-of-a-kind experience.
It wants to be a choose-your-own-adventure movie template while consistently disrespecting player choice. This poisons player investment in a story that rarely elevates to fun B-movie shlock, despite some acting & musical talent.
Evil Inside resigns itself to being a cliché-laden homage of P.T.
This humble farmer – for all his faults – deserved a better goodbye.
In almost every respect, Marvel's Avengers is a confused title with a grinding structure that takes an Infinity War to reach its true Endgame.
3 out of 10 surmounts the low bar set by its self-aware title, but this first season may prove too uneven for some ardent adventure fans.
Between the scant content, absent personality, and dry gameplay loop, it's not worth the outrageous fare.
By blending social deduction with survival mechanics Other Ocean has successfully avoided any Among Us clone accusations. Regardless of my tempered enthusiasm from Day One DLC and some polish concerns, Project Winter is a well-devised game that can lead to moments of intense distrust and cooperation few online games can equal.
All in all, Earthblood is a promising assortment of competent and mismanaged concepts. Yet even with several annoyances and late-game repetition, there's no silver bullet taken against my primal enjoyment.
Another Dawn is less of a game and more of a reeking pustule residing on a game storefront. While it can't be called "broken" insofar that it can barely be finished, this wretched shooter made me wish the opposite so I’d have a reason to leave earlier.
Destruction AllStars is like an unreliable hot rod sold by a used car salesman, but perhaps genre fans won't mind so much with the new discount.
There are a few writing and gameplay demons to exorcise, but that only keeps Bloober Team's latest from séance-sational horror game status.
Summer in Mara slowly morphed into a winter of discontent.
Due to lackluster porting and misjudged value, Down in Bermuda is slated to be lost amongst genre fans' collective memories.
Morkredd's main mechanic succinctly reflects my own thoughts on it altogether. The glowing orb represents life: punctuating atmosphere, inspired visual design, and a motivating gimmick. But when you begin to step away, as you wander outside its glow, you encounter death: day-one DLC, technical problems, an atrocious finale, and more. These severe disparities, bright day and atramentous night, imply even genre fans will be ambivalent towards it.
The Coalition's first expansion often excites, but the ephemeral length and mismatched gameplay loop tempers its fiery ambition.
Whether in respect of gameplay or storytelling, the longer Twin Mirror peers at the glass the easier it is to see a pale reflection of DONTNOD’s previous work.
Whether due to its miserly length or disjointed puzzles, Mojiken's exploration of loss is already distant in my mental rearview mirror.