Axel Cushing's Reviews
Drova: Forsaken Kin tries to mimic the "Nintendo Hard" action RPGs of yore, and succeeds to its detriment. If you're the sort of masochist who loves stunt challenges in Soulsbornes, you might find the 8-bit aesthetic and obtuse systems enjoyable. If you're not, then not so much.
Enotria: The Last Song definitely veers away from the typical gloomy Gothic look of the typical Soulsborne, but doesn't commit to the bit completely. Iffy combat, unhelpful menus, and lousy balancing make for a miserable experience. If you're trying to find the worst example of the genre, this one's a contender.
Stardock Entertainment and Ironclad Games bring us a worthy sequel which dazzles the eyeballs and challenges the tactical skills of 4X players everywhere. Only the lack of a cohesive and engaging narrative keeps this title from attaining perfection.
Artistically impressive, mechanically abusive, and narratively bankrupt, The First Descendant is (and likely will be for years to come) the defining example of how not to create a loot shooter.
Everafter Falls certainly takes some notes from similar games in the genre. At the same time, it feels oddly constrained and vaguely incomplete. If you're wanting to try a different flavor of Stardew-clone, this one might be something of an acquired taste.
Updated for modern systems, Riven reminds us why it's a classic adventure game. Perhaps a bit short now, occasionally obtuse in its puzzles, but still visually stunning and engaging.
It's hard to say what Astor: Blade of The Monolith wanted to be. Action-RPG? Open world adventure? Techno-fable? Biting social commentary? Whatever it's ambitions, the end state is a pretty looking piece with little in the way of challenge or narrative depth.
V Rising shows us that being a vampire lord isn't all about smoldering looks, frock coats, and soaring Gothic architecture. It's a lot of work, apparently. But it has its perks, such as roaming the countryside, picking fights with champions, and occasionally draining them dry for their power.
The Planet Crafter can't seem to make up its mind about what it wants to be. The survival mechanics are iffy, the narrative elements spotty, and the "chill" vibe it's shooting for misses badly. Avoid this particular rock.
Ikonei Island fills its niche in the kids' game segment quite nicely. It's maybe a little thin for grown-ups by themselves, but it makes a great way to spend time with the kids without worrying about what they're likely to come across.
Graven tries a little too hard to bring back the glories of early 90s shooters and gets the look right, but doesn't seem to realize the gameplay's retrograde complications dampen the potential enthusiasm.
Sovereign Syndicate does something impossible: it makes the notion of an urban fantasy Victorian England with Jack The Ripper boring and tedious. Visually impressive, narratively godawful, this is one tour through Whitechapel you can safely skip.
Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader delivers the sort of space opera CRPG we didn't know we needed. From excellent visuals to combat and character systems so detailed it almost hurts, Rogue Trader will keep CRPG players busy for a very long time.
Remnant II: The Awakened King gives players a new adventure beyond the Worldstone with new loot and a new Archetype. What it doesn't give is a good reason why you should play it other than the fact you bought it.
Fellowship has a whimsical visual appeal but seems to take a pleasure in making you fail and impeding your efforts to advance.
Wandering Sword promises sweeping wuxia action in a classic JRPG-style tactical RPG. Instead, it delivers a five-fingered death punch of bad localization, obtuse systems, and terrible save management.
Everspace 2 brings gorgeously rendered ships and a middling story, but can't quite make up its mind about being a space sim or a loot shooter RPG. Visually impressive, narratively and mechanically constrained, it could have been so much better.
If you're looking to experience some truly old-school gaming, or you're curious about the evolution of FPS games, Rise Of The Triad: Ludicrous Edition provides gamers with an oft-overlooked chapter of gaming history.
Remnant II gives players a brutal and beautiful odyssey across time and space. It won't hold your hand, it will barely tell you where you're going or how to get there, but the adventure is certainly one worth experiencing.
Jagged Alliance 3 restores the glory, guts, and joy to a tactical RPG series too long abused. Realistic weapons mix with nail-biting combat, larger-than-life characters, and a challenge so good, you'll be begging for another hit.