Axel Cushing's Reviews
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.