Axel Cushing's Reviews
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.
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.
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.
Being re-released on console has not done "Du Lac & Fey: Dance of Death" any favors. The efforts of its well assembled vocal cast can't overcome the weak visual appeal, awful controls, and shoddy narrative work.
Fans of the anime series or manga may eat it up with a spoon, but "Made In Abyss: Binary Star Falling Into Darkness" is less an action-JRPG and more of a misery simulator which equates willingness to blindly accept the painful systems as "enjoyment." If you're not a fan of the series or a glutton for cruel and unusual punishment, pass this one by.
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.
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.
Three years in Early Access has brought "Re:Legend" to a highly polished visual state, but hasn't found the right balance between the disparate game systems it's trying to weave into a cohesive whole.
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.
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.
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.
While Aliens: Dark Descent adds an interesting RTS-twist to the typical tactical RPG, and nails the visual aesthetic of the film, the not-quite polished systems and underwhelming plot diminish what could have been one of the best games of the year.
"The Valiant" give players hungry for a squad-based RTS something new to chew on. Its aesthetics are in the right place but certain design choices may frustrate even fans of the genre.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.