Ryan Meitzler's Reviews
Instead, Thimbleweed Park shows that adventure games very much have a place in 2017 as they did in the ’80s and ’90s thanks to its loving callbacks to the genre, but also its willingness to improve upon them in many ways. As the game’s trailers have used the slogan that “a dead body is the least of your problems” in the game’s dilapidated town, Thimbleweed Park hides many more secrets and ways of enjoying it beyond its murder-mystery plot, for those willing to look just a little bit deeper.
Outlast II excels on all fronts when it comes to terrifying players thanks to its convincing scares and setting, and while its copious amounts of gore will get under your skin, its bigger, grander ideas are sure to get inside a far more sinister place: your head.
However, for those with just a little bit of patience, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is an immensely rewarding title that will occupy you for many, many hours on end. It may take a while to get going, but those willing to hear its tale told will not be disappointed.
Though it may not quite hold up anymore as the prettiest or most innovative title nowadays, Resident Evil 4‘s current-gen ports are still suitable releases for one of the best games in the last decade, and make returning to Resident Evil 4 for the second (or third or fourth or fifth time) just as rewarding as that memorable first experience.
While the game does have a few slight irritations when it comes to its design, Headlander still manages to keep its head on its shoulders (or traveling through space via rocket propulsion) thanks to its eclectic blend of old-school, side-scrolling gameplay and its art direction that sci-fi fans will truly enjoy. Though it shares more similarities with the likes of Metroid, Logan’s Run, and so many of its other influences than it may for something completely new, Double Fine and Adult Swim Games have still managed to make Headlander into an experience that’s funny, delightfully weird, and might just make your head turn.
Having only been announced and revealed this past March, it’s been a bit of a shame that Kirby hasn’t had the same level of attention that Mario, Link, and Nintendo’s more prominent stable of characters have enjoyed over the years. While Planet Robobot may be a title that has flown a little under-the-radar for some, it nevertheless is a worthwhile addition to the Kirby series, and more than worthwhile to be a part of a 3DS owner’s library. More experience platforming players may want a bit more of a challenge, but for light, breezy fun in a richly-colorful world, by no means should you pass over Kirby: Planet Robobot. More than anything, where else will you get the chance to pilot a transforming, mechanized pink puffball?
What this title may lack in the more memorable qualities of classic RPGs, it more than makes up for with its clever gameplay and cast of characters — while it may not be filled with grand, epic moments, Lost Dimension instead is filled with situations and events that will make you think twice.
However, like the film did last holiday season, few series can capture that imagination as that of Star Wars, and its LEGO rendition offers that and more with plenty to enjoy from its charming take on the latest film. Like the endless possibilities that its toys have offered, LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens captures the heart and humor of Star Wars in a world where we can build Rey's story to (almost our own liking), and shows the Force is indeed still strong with the series.
As a massively popular franchise that has already dominated the imaginations of fans that have devoured the five novels and those that have survived five seasons of its brutal television adaptation, Telltale Games' Game of Thrones certainly walked a difficult path in playing the (figurative) "game of thrones." While it sometimes felt a bit overburdened by trying to recreate scenarios and situations from its source material, Telltale proved itself more than capable of providing a supplementary experience to the television series/novels that Game of Thrones fans can certainly enjoy in its own right, and in particular will certainly find rewards in replaying events differently for wildly-different outcomes. The world that Game of Thrones evokes is one of bloodshed and many hardships, and whether you win or die by the end of Telltale's version of the series, Game of Thrones is still an enjoyable experience, all the way to its bloody end.
Developer id Software is able to hit players hard and fast with gameplay that calls back to an era that many may think was left in the past. However, DOOM instead brings the past roaring back to life, and for once makes the phrase "go to Hell" seem like an invitation more than anything else.
Figuring things out and uncovering the truth in Fabletown surely isn't easy, but with Episode 2 continuing to prove The Wolf Among Us as another excellent addition to Telltale's roster, playing through the latest chapter of the noir crime saga is not nearly difficult at all.
As players have been at Clementine's side since the first season, this episode is proof that things for Clementine and the group may be dire, but there's always the chance of a new beginning.
The title is certainly not without its faults with fairly simple gameplay and puzzle-solving, and a sometimes over-reliance on historical facts and pop-up text to describe its WWI-inspired world. Yet, like the greatest feats and tales of the first World War, this tale, though difficult to witness at times, is nonetheless an important and great one for the ages.
Standing next to titles like Titanfall or Call of Duty in a genre that's even more crowded, it may not be the next "big" shooter to take online multiplayer by storm -– and it probably never will. But, with more than enough fun unique twists than several other shooters by comparison, it's assured that this game easily stands apart from the crowd — whether it's the brain-munching kind or not.
The first episode of the game series is a finely crafted adventure game adaptation — it's a good blade with a few imperfections, but with some polish and sharpening, it will be keen as a blade in the night.
But, by the end of Episode 1 of Life is Strange, the game at the very least also proves that life is filled with rewarding challenges and beautiful moments, even if they fade like a weathered old photograph.
Though its long-term ability to survive has yet to be seen, in the short run that this first-person shooter has been out in the wild, it's already proven itself as a beast of a different color, and one that certainly will provide thrills and the joy of the hunt for anyone looking to stare right back at it.
Even though Hotline Miami 2 asks much of what the original title asked of players, specifically if they "liked hurting people," the tough questions and even harsher consequences made me want to keep looking, even if it was unbearable and uncomfortable to do so at times.
In its final chapter, Life is Strange 2 delivers a gripping finale that is unafraid to delve into some deep, politically-relevant issues.
With fast-paced, unpredictable gameplay, Killer Queen Black is a must-play multiplayer experience that breaks out from its arcade roots.