Joe Bariso


17 games reviewed
78.2 average score
80 median score
70.6% of games recommended
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Nov 22, 2024

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a shining example of what RPGs are capable of and what stories are. Why they matter to us, and why we keep coming back to them.

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Sep 17, 2024

The Plucky Squire is a fun & fresh take on a classic game style, full of heart with a great message for all ages. Just because a story seems simple, doesn't mean it doesn't matter.

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Mar 20, 2024

In a lot of ways, there’s a great game buried under the surface of Dragon’s Dogma 2. All of the components should work together. I’ve never played a game I was so frustrated with, but equally wanted to keep playing. For someone out there, I can guarantee this will be their favorite game ever. I’m sure it checks a lot of boxes for a lot of people looking for something different. I was looking for something different too, but I just feel like there was too much in the way for me to truly enjoy it. I’m still going to give it more time, I’m willing to be wrong, but for now I can’t help but feel disappointed.

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The DLC does fall into a lot of the problems the main game and prior DLCs did, mainly some overly large levels that take a bit longer than you’d like, and intricate hard to reach machinery that feels like you can just never get clean. It’s also very short, about the length of a Back to the Future movie. You’d also hope for a little more references to the movies themselves, there’s a cute moment when you finish cleaning the Delorean, but that’s about it.

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4.5 / 5.0 - Starfield
Aug 31, 2023

Starfield is a Bethesda game pushed to the absolute limits, it's a good thing that Bethesda is still the very best at what they do.

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5 / 5.0 - Baldur's Gate 3
Aug 21, 2023

Baldur’s Gate 3 is possibly one of the greatest RPGs ever made. It’s a game you dream about when you’re not playing. It makes the possibilities feel endless, like your character’s story matters above all else. And in Baldur’s Gate 3 it does.

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2 / 5.0 - Forspoken
Feb 13, 2023

If you really want to play it, maybe just throw on a podcast and mess around with the magic.

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3 / 5 - Saints Row
Aug 24, 2022

Imagine a huge bustling world yours for the taking. Beautiful sandy deserts, towering skyscrapers, endless enemies to kill. Now imagine doing the same things you’ve done in other video games countless times in this beautiful world. That’s Saints Row.

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Aug 10, 2022

Strong satanic style outweighs nearly everything else even if the gameplay is a bit flat.

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Jul 19, 2022

Sunbreak takes a while to get going, but the new monsters, mechanics, and armor make it worth the initial trudge through familiar content.

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Apr 6, 2022

If you’re in the mood for a cyber noir soaked old-school point and click, then no further. Chinatown Detective Agency does justice to the old school vibes it aspires to while also setting itself apart by having a fun and unique way to solve puzzles. It can get a bit overwhelming at times, especially as the clock starts ticking down, but the satisfaction of cracking a case is worth the extra stress.

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Oct 25, 2021

Guardians of the Galaxy is a love letter to fans of the movies, comics, and just the cosmic side of Marvel as a whole. As a long time fan of all of these I had a big nerdy smile on my face the entire time.

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Overall, Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut is well worth the price for Iki Island alone.

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Jun 3, 2021

It’s rare that a game from your youth doesn’t just meet your nostalgic expectations, but completely surpasses them.

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4 / 5.0 - Bugsnax
Nov 9, 2020

A weirdly moving love letter to community and found family hidden inside of a game about cute food bugs. I can’t recommend it enough.

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3.5 / 5.0 - Ghostrunner
Nov 2, 2020

Ghostrunner isn’t here to hold your hand. It watches you get frustrated and laughs, because it knows you’ll be back in 20 minutes.

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Jul 27, 2020

Every duel starts with you pushing up the katana with your thumb and it’s freaking rad.

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