It may not be the most compatible game to navigate, but Maiden of Black Water’s sound design, lore, and general aesthetic brings the horror of Japan’s real-life Aokigahara forest to life and will at least leave you churning with insomnia this Halloween.
Supermassive has an incredible talent for creating gripping narratives of a horror persuasion, and despite some technical bumps in the sand, my retrospective opinion on House of Ashes still remains the same: It’s a bloody good creature feature. I often thought that House of Ashes would make a better film or television series because of its layered narrative, but then I remembered the fun I had weaving my own outcome, navigating the sheer scale of the game, and using parkour mechanics over nearby obstacles.
At the end of the day, Aragami 2 is a bit of a disappointment. Yes, it supplies some decent thrills if you fancy conquering a mission or two, but you can’t help but daydream about better games that provide similar mechanics and use Japanese culture to heighten its creativity instead of saving it. The appealing character designs and settings, carried over from its predecessor, have lost stylistic flare alongside repetitive missions. However, Two Feathers’ score, pretty backgrounds, and smooth sneaking are the sequel’s saving grace.
Ultimately, cancel your weekend plans and step into Yagami’s detective shoes for a stimulating saunter around Japanese streets, and don’t forget to experience the games-within-a-game arcade because, let’s face it, work can wait.
Referring to the world above as the “Forbidden Land”, with the threat of being sent to an ambiguous realm as punishment for rebellion, Eastward leans on fantasy to flavor its story, without forgetting about its core, real-world values. Its fluid, well-paced progression, and control movements thankfully allow you to explore and admire the view before continuing because Eastward is all about the journey despite its fascinating destination.