Silksong feels like everything Hollow Knight fans dreamed it would be. It’s smoother, punchier, more alive and way more respectful of your time. Hornet brings the oomph, the world drips with atmosphere, and the bosses are absolute bangers. Honestly, I can’t wait to sink another 20 hours into this silken nightmare. Though I’m sure you already bought it before you even read this review. Let’s be real.
Even though I physically could not finish the game, from what I experienced, The Cosmic Wheel Sister featured a fairly compelling story and characters. However, it would often forgo the age-old show don’t tell technique, leaving the audience feeling like its biggest scenes are happening in another castle.
Syberia Remastered is nice to look at, yet painful to play. Best appreciated as a piece of gaming history, not as something you’d actually want to play today.
MindsEye fails with buggy missions, disastrous frame rates and some of the worst AI we’ve seen in modern gaming. You’ll find the odd spark here and there that’s enjoyable, but you shouldn’t have to trudge through layers of cookie-cutter content to be entertained.
Fort Solis is a major disappointment, missing almost all of the aspects that make for an enjoyable horror/thriller experience.
Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief should have stayed a Japanese exclusive. Multiple mechanics fall flat and the tedium of go-fetch quests quickly starts to stack up several hours in. Constantly spamming one button for a full minute to steal valuable items isn’t fun. Neither is repeating the same generic mission setup with extremely vague target instructions. Doesn’t help that the branching storylines and characters aren’t particularly interesting either, apart from a few interesting designs here and there. So if the wacky, over-the-top silliness can’t grab your attention, it’s hard to say what else will.
She’s Leaving boasts a bold forensic-horror premise and some brilliantly tense atmosphere, but its clunky mechanics, rushed story and uneven pacing hold it back from greatness. There are flashes of something special here, yet the experience ultimately feels more janky than genuinely gripping.
This reboot of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? has failed to modernize its lauded 80s formula, offering only a repetitive and shallow experience that leans too heavily on nostalgia without enough depth or innovation.
Even with the help of three Square Enix vets, Reynatis has regrettably fallen short. Its dated PS2-like graphics, copy-paste environments, blatantly reused boss fights and annoying mechanics inevitably damper this 12-hour action RPG. While Shibuya looks lovely, the combat is flash and the narrative about wizards overcoming oppression is intriguing, the gameplay, story and certain characters could’ve been fleshed out further. The drama does have its moments and the Japanese voice-acting is high quality, it’s just a shame that the experience leaves much to be desired.
Hellblade II is an unequivocally bland game, with repetitive combat and puzzles that lack any overarching sense of excitement.
WarioWare: Move It! inflicts more pain than it does joy. Arms will become tired, motion controls will frustrate, and then the experience will end well before it should. There are some fun microgames packed in here, but it’s such a shame that the execution really lets this entry down.
Redfall turned out almost exactly as you thought. Not only is the usual Bethesda jank on full display, but the game is just straight-up lacking in quality.
What starts out as a calming restoration simulator, quickly devolves into mundanity: the video game.
I can’t remember the last time I played a game that was as linear and repetitive as this, but Gungrave G.O.R.E really takes the boredom cake. Yes, there are some cool mechanics like reflecting rockets and using soldiers as meat shields, but unless you enjoy mindlessly shooting thugs for days, it’s best to steer clear.
Babylon’s Fall bears the shell of a Platinum Games release, however, it doesn’t go anywhere beyond that. The combat is dull and colourless, the story and graphical presentation are weak, and the micro-transactions it tries to shove down your throat feel like blatant predatory practices. There are some enjoyable moments of co-op gameplay, although they are few and far between.
A faithful and atmospheric RPG with excellent world-building and replayability, held back by repetitive quest design, underwhelming combat and a few frustrating technical hiccups.
When you’re hurtling through Skate Story’s fast-paced courses, it feels incredible; smooth, stylish and almost transcendent. But the moment the game asks you to slow down, explore or solely rely on its trick system, the cracks start to show. Bosses aren’t memorable, hub areas drag and the skating just isn’t intuitive or expressive enough to stick the landing. There’s definitely magic here, though it’s wrapped around mechanics that never fully shine. A vibe showcase first, a skate game second.
Blades of Fire had the potential to be a blazing sleeper hit, but too often settles for a safe, lukewarm affair. It’s not bad—it’s just painfully mid. And in today’s crowded action-adventure space, mid doesn’t quite cut it.
South of Midnight is a visually distinctive action-platformer with tight platforming mechanics and a unique stop-motion aesthetic, but it suffers from excessive hand-holding, lackluster combat, and a story that leans too heavily on exposition. While its momentum-driven traversal can be satisfying, the rigid level design, repetitive encounters and underdeveloped narrative threads prevent it from reaching its full potential.
Ys X: Nordics introduces an interesting combat system with Duo Mode, but it quickly becomes repetitive due to limited party dynamics and a lack of damage type mechanics. While the exploration and improved graphics are highlights, the slow-paced story, Saturday morning cartoon villains and so-so gameplay make the experience fall short of expectations, especially when compared to previous entries in the series.