Despite its lovely aesthetic and heavy worldbuilding, the messy plot and inability to show nuance or interesting developments make this an ultimately dull experience.
An ill-conceived parkour game with aged graphics and gameplay, but with an undeniable thread of lost potential underneath that makes me wish the development team had spent more time in the planning stage. PC version reviewed.
RWBY: Arrowfell feels empty and one-note, which is a far cry from the stylish action-packed show it draws inspiration from.
A promising premise bogged down by terrible visual optimization and an infuriating base mechanic.
While there is a simple and undeniable pleasure in the simple act of raising parameters and figuring out the best way to schedule Chilia’s time, Lair Land Story hasn’t aged gracefully. Its combination of raising sim and visual novel works in theory, but not in practice due to the overwhelming and frankly shoddy story, and lack of emotional beats to keep the player hooked. Individually there are two good tastes to be found in this game, but their combination ends up lesser than their sum.
A Perfect Day is a beautiful, but dull, visual novel and puzzle game hybrid that quickly wears out its welcome.
The gameplay loop itself is relaxing and easy. But the characters and the story are so shallow despite being such a huge part of the game that it can grow tiresome.
The atmospheric horror is sure to make shivers run down your spine, but it fails to maintain its momentum.
Let's School is a cute game that makes organizing timetables and classrooms fun, but the charm doesn't last long before it becomes a monotonous routine.
Labyrinth of Zangetsu is a uniquely beautiful dungeon crawler with interesting lore, but can occasionally feel shallow.
Despite its ridiculous premise, the plot of Raptor Boyfriend is so cliched and serious that it drags down a lot of its promise.
A group of documentary film makers receive a mysterious call inviting them to a modern-day replica of serial killer H.H. Holmes ‘Murder Castle’. But on arrival they soon discover they’re being watched, and even manipulated, and suddenly there is much more at stake than just their ratings. A brutal season finale with surprisingly palatable characters, but some issues with the narrative and buggy graphics keep it from its full potential. PS4 copy reviewed.
Stretch your legs, clean your whiskers, and dive into Nine Noir Lives. Enjoy a "point-and-lick" comedy-noir adventure, full of humour, crazy characters, and intriguing locations. A punny detective game with visual novel elements and a surprisingly earnest core beyond its snarky exterior.
A fantastic piece of horror game and video game history, with crisp visuals and smooth gameplay. Clock Tower: Rewind is a treat to experience, even though its old-timey inconveniences may make it hard for those used to how modern games handle.
While I personally really like the combat, characters, and presentation, the grid exploration and parts of the story can feel weak.
Despite its surprisingly sweet story and colorful cast, the game felt artificially long due to its easy mystery and lack of a skip function.
Join Snufkin in this musical adventure about restoring harmony and balance to Moominvalley, protecting it from the industrious Park Keeper. Nintendo Switch version reviewed. Switch version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes. Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a short, but sweet, pastoral game that both Moomin veterans and newcomers can enjoy.
Much like a mug of chamomile tea, Cuisineer is a great way to relax at the end of the day, but it can leave some wanting more flavor.
I admittedly went postal a bit the first ten minutes when I was hopelessly lost. Nintendo Switch version reviewed.
A unique story in a fun setting and with a really addictive gameplay loop, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code feels really original while retaining a familiar formula.