Deceive Inc. isn’t merely the umpteenth Among Us clone, as it picks a setting that is prone to suspicious stealth action and camouflage and adds the gadgets and panache to it. Although there isn’t much to praise on the shooting aspect and the low number of maps is disappointing, this is a game that works when you find a group that plays by the rules. The more enthusiasm and immersion the better, and it is very enjoyable when that happens. But find a few ruthless players who will just try to botch your efforts and barely move, and things take a turn into frustration avenue. Still, this is a clever and engaging game that deserves a shot if you enjoy the garish style and multiplayer shenanigans. Even though some repetition sinks in, the concept is fresh and deserves a look – to paraphrase what that legendary spy once said: Yeah, baby!
It’s not a flawless game, but the anguish and thrills that it conveys are almost one of a kind, delivered with confidence and brutality to match the source. This is one for horror aficionados and everyone else who likes a good old-fashioned game of murderer cat, and stealthy mouse.
Amnesia: The Bunker does what it sets out to do, and after finally completing your mission, you may look back and realize that every chill, every shiver down your spine was absolutely worth the price of admission, no matter the fate of our hardened French soldier.
More than an attempt to cash in on the growing popularity of a series that started out in a somewhat niche way, Risk of Rain Returns is a welcomed remake that offers enough quality-of-life improvements and new content to be relevant and appealing to both fans and newcomers to the action roguelike genre. It plays great, has enough content and diversity to keep you entranced for weeks, and the new additions might just be what the game needed to appeal to a crowd that wasn’t attracted by the original. While not perfect, it’s a blasted good time where every frustrating death is nothing but an invitation to another run with renewed confidence.
All things considered, even after more than a decade, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective remains a gem that can’t be missed, and that’s a true testament to its long-lasting quality. With brilliant design, improved visuals that are remarkably smooth and pleasant to watch, a challenging adventure, and a story that has more nuances than you could ever expect during its 10-hour duration, this is a unique game that delivers so many thrills, so many funny moments, that you won’t regret a single minute invested in it.
Aliens: Dark Descent showcases care and respect for the works that it is based upon. This is the antithesis of a cash-grab – this is a game that tried to deliver something different, something exciting that isn’t a mere rerun of previous offerings. It’s moody, the odds are clearly stacked against your squad but that makes each success even more rewarding, and the tactical scope is extremely enjoyable. Fans of a good real-time squad-based game shouldn’t think twice and just dive into this nightmare, weapons blazing.
Meet Your Maker is the kind of game that makes you raise an eyebrow, wondering just what you got yourself into, but after a couple of hours you are addicted. It’s extremely original and clever, there’s already enough content to burn and it will only grow from here, and the build tools are great, providing everything you need but without pointless overcomplications. You can even raid outposts in co-op mode with a friend, and while that doubles up the fun factor, it’s not even essential as the game is a joy to play alone as well, so don’t make that extra multiplayer bullet point as something to significantly weigh on your decision to get this game. And get the game you should. Meet Your Maker comes with a compelling gameplay loop of raid-build-upgrade-repeat that always kept me eager for the next few round. Despite my traditional reluctance for anything involving map editors, I was extremely satisfied and even a bit proud of my creation, adding more to it at every opportunity. A great example of how to make a genre mix work, Meet Your Maker is a delicious melting pot, even if I don’t trust the Chimera as far as I can throw it.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a mesmerizing journey into a place that is very much unlike anything out there. It’s fantasy and technology boldly clashing and offering a sprawling, remarkable world that deserves all sorts of acclaim. The more you explore, the more you realize just how amazing this planet is, the windy peaks making for some jaw-dropping vistas, the parkour navigation and Ikran flying a contrast that ironically couldn’t work any better.
With a playtime that deserves all praise, easily clocking in at over 20 hours if you don’t rush through it, Alan Wake 2 is absolutely worth the time and money. It’s a remarkable achievement that is meant to be both devoured and enjoyed slowly, despite what this sounds like, plunging into all the details, exploring every beat of the locations without rushing through the main goals, as to appreciate the colossal work that has gone into it. This is a terrific television series gone videogame, with a sophisticated plot that grips every fan of survival horror and never lets go. The fantastic looks help, but the perfect pacing and intriguing mysteries keep you going despite some frustration that may arise from the Angel Lamp puzzles. It’s one of the greatest survival horror games ever made, this shouldn’t be skipped. A fantastic example of how different types of media can crossover and create a very special outcome, it was absolutely worth the wait for Alan Wake to come up with a plan to escape the Dark Place and write an outstanding story about it for us to read, watch, play, and above all, enjoy.
Do yourself a favor: ditch your reservations and step into Sanctuary as soon as you can. It’s likely going to be literal hell during the launch queues, but you’ll have a beautifully grim and visceral adventure ahead, one where every leveling up sound will feel like music to your ears. Enjoy it to the best of your possibilities because an action-RPG of this caliber may only arrive in another decade or so, and missing out on Diablo 4 would be something that may just reserve you a spot in hell.