James Cunningham's Reviews
Bore Blasters may have one rough edge in terms of its time limit, but the rest of the game is a solid blaster through a large series of fully-destructible levels backed by a pounding soundtrack. Each biome has its own hazards, like growing blocks that can regenerate right in your path, or lava blocks shooting fireballs, and all the firepower in the world isn't going to be a substitute for paying attention to the level hazards. Even a failed Bore Blasters run is a lot of fun packed with satisfyingly-explosive moments, but there would be a lot more them if there was time to amble to the end rather than sprint.
Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game has a lot of tidying up to do to become what it should be, but there's a wonderfully-rewarding game in there once you've learned its quirks.
Phantom Abyss is a trek into a lost and trap-filled temple that constantly has you on your toes. Each room is filled with several ways to die, or at least take a good amount of damage, and the constant pressure from the guardian means you have to think while moving. While there's something to be said for tearing through the level at top speed, the rooms are frequently interesting enough that it would be nice to stop and look around for a minute without being pushed forward. The secrets are highly satisfying to find, and when a guardian is dropping poison bombs or just relentlessly advancing that can feel like it's working against the necessary concentration or experimentation needed to reach them. A lot of the time it can feel easier to just dash on through, ignoring the intricate room design to reach the door to the next one, and the next and the next until finally reaching the exit. Every once in a while, though, Phantom Abyss manages to balance the speed and exploration, and that's when it's at its best.
While rough in places, Cookie Cutter manages to brawl its way to the top thanks to a strong combat system and wonderfully-bad attitude. The story and world-building are surprisingly well done, and Cherry is a strong hero despite being on a rage-fueled spree of bloody vengeance. While the ending has everything but a "To Be Continued..." dialogue box, the game is a satisfying first entry that does a great job of introducing its cast and detailed setting. Cherry's world was broken long before she was created, but that's not really her problem. Doctor Fallon's abduction destroyed her in more ways than one, and if the world of Cookie Cutter is improved by a rage-fueled robot's ultraviolent rampage, then that's just going to be a bonus.
A Highland Song is a wonderful adventure through mountains that were old before people arrived and will be there long after their ruins have eroded away. Moira's journey is as much about the Scottish Highlands as it is about her life so far, with history and myth being equally important to both. It can sometimes take some thinking and experimentation to find the way through a new area, clambering back and forth over rocks and cliffs to find a clue that points to the path forward, but the information is there for an attentive explorer to uncover. It all comes together to make for an engaging, unforgettable and frequently musical trek you'll want to make several times over to learn the histories and hidden paths of Moira's mountain home.
What makes While the Iron's Hot work is a combination of a pleasant series of tasks and quirky, entertaining characters in every new town and point of interest.
Radiant Silvergun is considered a classic for a reason, and it holds up today as strongly as it did on release.
Tevi is an exceptionally strong metroidvania-RPG, with a detailed combat system and a large number of enemies with varying attack patterns to use it against in intricate levels filled with hidden goodies.
Oddly enough, though, that's kind of the charm.
The ambition of the game design makes it easy to overlook Wildmender's technical flaws.
Disney Illusion Island is a great all-ages platform-adventure that works hard to appeal to players of any skill level.
Nova Lands isn't the deepest automation game around, but it's also not trying to be Satisfactory or Dyson Sphere Project so doesn't need to be.
Up until the Dread Lords, Doomblade is easily one of the best metroidvanias I've played in a long time.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a solid throwback FPS that makes up for being too generous with the resources by its excellent weapon, monster and level design.
Lunark is a strong cinematic platformer, more than good enough to hang with the classics of its genre.
Atomic Heart is an "everything and the kitchen sink" type of adventure that feels like it should explode from the weight of its ambitions, yet keeps it together through a combination of good pacing of new elements and a deeply likeable world.
Once the controls are sorted out, Akka Arrh reveals itself as an absolutely fantastic shooter that plays like nothing else out there.
The Knight Witch is excellent in a lot of ways despite its forbidding difficulty, the kind of game you'll be glad to have beaten even if the journey to completion is sometimes a bit much.
Sonic Frontiers is a hugely ambitious new direction for the series that comes close to hitting on all cylinders.
Even with the story not living up to previous entries, Yomawari: Lost in the Dark does a good job continuing the unique horror series.