An engrossing combat system and numerous novel gameplay mechanics save what would have otherwise been merely a passable Dark Souls tribute from total mediocrity. Sadly, there's still too much harming the experience to justify a wholehearted recommendation. It ain't Souls and it certainly ain't polished, but it's not terrible either.
I've sunk dozens of hours into Heroes of Hammerwatch and eagerly await the chance to spend dozens more. With numerous layers of progression systems, multiple distinct classes and more content than seems reasonable for its low price tag, Heroes of Hammerwatch is a must-play for roguelike fanatics or people after their dungeon-crawling fix.
Varied items, engrossing gameplay and a killer soundtrack make Risk of Rain 2 one of the best roguelike shooters in recent years. The lack of a mid-game save feature and some uninspired environments hold this sequel back, but the astonishing translation from 2D to 3D more than makes up for it.
Hunting Simulator 2 combines arcade and simulator elements to form a game that lacks much of an identity. Hardcore hunting enthusiasts will find things too simplistic; players after an animal shoot 'em up will be frustrated by the more realistic elements. While not completely devoid of fun, it's just too dull to fully recommend.
Even with its many imperfections, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated ultimately succeeds as an attempt to spruce up a 17-year old game. It doesn't stand alongside the 3D platforming greats, but it's a fantastic, humour-filled tribute to a beloved show. People less familiar with the yellow sea sponge's exploits will find it harder to overlook the creaky, PlayStation 2-era quirks. It looks better, but that doesn't mean it plays better than it did 17 years ago.
Project Warlock wears its 90s first-person shooter influence on its sleeve. It's fast, violent and perfectly paced—a must play, whether you harbour fond memories of its inspiration or not. Besides some minor setbacks caused by level design quirks, Project Warlock was pure, unadulterated fun from start to finish.
Atomicrops is frenetic, challenging and addicting in the way that all the best roguelike/lites are, with a silly streak that helps give the title its own identity. A lack of content does harm the game's longevity.
In the gameplay department, Cloudpunk simulates the boredom of a minimum wage job a little too well. Looking back, I'm happy to have played Cloudpunk, but I never want to sit through it again.
With a simple but engaging upgrade system; enough weapons and gadgets to make James Bond blush; and a great parrying mechanic that brings an unexpected rhythmic element to combat, this is one title that warrants a purchase even without any fancy VR setup. Repetition with enemy variety and level structure may mar the experience for some players, but it's easy to overlook these faults when the core game has so much to offer.
A would-be bland, but harmless kids' platformer that, due to insulting levels of gameplay padding, crosses over into dreadful territory. Truly, it's hard to imagine anyone enjoying this tedious, personality-devoid bore of a game.