The Jimquisition
HomepageThe Jimquisition's Reviews
The combat of the campaign is fundamentally sound, the multiplayer is well crafted as always (despite the usual shotty problem), and Horde mode is great entertainment. As a complete package, the game is worthy, if only for the fact it’s a Gears game and the true heavy lifting was already done by Epic in 2006. Nevertheless, the campaign is flimsy, and despite claims of signifying a new generation for the series, Gears of War 4 is ultimately an upholder of the status quo.
Zenith isn’t just badly made – it’s appalling. A boorish, cynical failure of a comedy game broken in ways I’ve never before seen. The fact it somehow – everso rarely – manages to show a glimmer of wit under all the misery only worsens the deal, highlighting how this could have perhaps been something decent before it was run through whatever thresher led to it becoming the mangled carcass it is.
With Virginia, Variable State has created a grounded piece of interactive narrative, free of the waffling conceit of the genre’s worst offenders, but not quite evocative enough to be a true classic.
Dear Esther may have played a huge part in the growth of interactive drama, but it remains an acorn compared to the trees it helped grow. It’s an ultimately shallow game, one that rattles off a story directly without any finesse or attempt to integrate it with the gameplay.
With three great games and additional content that some would say is even better, The BioShock Collection is worth picking up for pretty much anybody interested, be they existing fans of totally fresh to the series. Despite some annoyances, each game runs better and looks better than ever before, and the content to price ratio is more than favorable.
There’s no doubt in my mind that this is the cleverer of the two titles, boasting an inventive central mechanic that informs some thoroughly brilliant level design. Regardless of which may be the superior Pac-Man, this second round of Championship remains a bloody terrific time.
Eden isn't as big as No Man's Sky's universe or even Far Cry 4's mountainous terrain, but it's got far more compelling reasons to stick around.
The Tomorrow Children is bland, clumsy, and monotonous. A fantastic core idea wasted on yet another cumbersome burden of a game.
In short bursts, Attack on Titan can be a fun distraction. It definitely looks and feels like the animated series, runs through its narrative nicely, and features lots of stuff to unlock, upgrade, and play through. Sadly, almost every mission feels just like the last one, and with very little to shake up the process.
Despite a few missteps, Valley is an overall rush of an experience. Taking cues from BioShock with some Fern Gully on the side, there are few games that can claim to put players into the metal legs of an interdimensional necromantic freerunner, and be bloody infatuating while it does so.
Even with a somewhat disappointing final furlong, one can't help but be satisfied by what Mankind Divided has to offer. A solid story that manages to keep its more ridiculous elements in surprising check, tons of gameplay options with hours of optional material, and the simple satisfaction that comes with being a mechanical metahuman, the latest Deus Ex is possibly the most accomplished in the series, despite not being as complete as it seems it should've been.
ABZÛ is a lesser game than Journey, but since I consider Journey to be one of the more sublime pieces of interactive entertainment I've enjoyed, that's hardly a damning indictment. While it struggles to be truly resonant, Giant Squid's aquatic adventure is nonetheless enjoyable, alluring, and ultimately pleasant.
Bound really is stunning to see in motion, but the keyword is “see.” I dare say I’d have had a lot more fun watching someone else playing it as opposed to playing it myself. Simply soaking in the color and music is captivating. All that splendor, however, is balanced with equal weight by the troubling truth that it’s just really, really not that enjoyable to play.
Reigns is shrewd and playful, with a straightforward interface and a handful of terrific twists thrown in for good measure. Whenever things risk getting too stale, a new event or set of cards can turn up to keep one hooked, and a single playthrough won’t uncover all the secrets, as well as the ways to meet some grisly fate.
I’ve seen so many planets, met so many aliens, and mined so much goddamn carbon and not once have I been surprised. Not once has the game thrown me a curveball. Every new location is just a different coloured home for the same old routine, and the procedural generation means that things feel far less diverse than they could be –- when randomized pools replace handcrafted designs, the lego bricks piecing everything together are far too obvious.
Rhythm Heaven Megamix is a great jumping off point for series newcomers, collecting some fantastic games while adding a healthy portion of fresh material. Old hands will still find lots of love thanks to the remixed levels, added challenges, and scores of bonus content.
It could have – and should have – been far better than it is. Held back by a lack of ambition and never daring to crawl from the shadow of better games, I Am Setsuna stops itself being something special.
With The Technomancer, we have a game trying to be a sprawling sci-fi adventure while paradoxically not trying much at all.
BoxBoxBoy! is just more Boxboy! when you look at it plainly.
It should go without saying that Inside is an easy choice for anybody who enjoyed Limbo. At its most basic, Playdead’s newest presentation is a continuation of its prior work – a macabre puzzle-platformer with a gloomy visual style and forsaking atmosphere. Beyond that, however, Inside is so much more…