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The look and tone of Between Me and the Night will undoubtedly appeal to many gamers, but they may ultimately be disappointed by its approach to puzzle design, overly fussy controls, limited inventory system and a mood that has little variety save unease and tension.
If the story is nonsensical, the fighting and platforming are great fun.
There is real appeal to the idea of living in a little rural community where everyone is pleasant and quirky, where the rhythm of life and the gentle change of seasons are tied to working the land and the world's secrets are not dark and menacing.
The PC version of Rise of the Tomb Raider is a step above its 2015 release.
There's not a lot about Attractio to pull you in from a distance. It doesn't look, sound or even feel that great. Its story is obvious and uninteresting. Everything about it screams "knockoff" like a "ROLAX" watch, but don't be fooled: if you're a fiend for devious puzzles, Attractio is the real deal.
Gravity Rush Remastered is close to perfect.
Asking The Witness to be a traditional video game is essentially asking the impossible.
Minor issues aside, The Deadly Tower of Monsters is a pleasant surprise indeed and a particularly impressive budget action game showcasing a lot of creativity.
The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human may have its share of flaws, but is a highly original and mostly enjoyable entry into the increasingly congested metroidvania subgenre. That it would acquire some of its inspiration's inherent flaws was inevitable; that it would manage to replicate, even partly, the experience of traversing a hauntingly beautiful world populated by majestic creatures and generate a similar sense of guilt in destroying them, marks it already as a success.
Maybe it's the somewhat featureless terrain of Kharak, the simplified, streamlined interface and missions or the slightly shallow multiplayer modes, but there is a real sense that Deserts of Kharak is a throwback to a much earlier RTS style of game.
Describing Tachyon Project as derivative is not intended to be dismissive.
Gemini: Heroes Reborn in itself is an enjoyable superhero simulator, but it gets by as a Heroes game in title and references only and is far too long winded and repetitive to be considered much else.
Thanks to the unique perspective and concept of the tale itself, the setup of Strawberry Vinegar leaves room for all sorts of potential.
Much like The Bible is full of sections of endless "begats," describing Zheros becomes a list of "berefts.
Despite its affinity for the supernatural, Oxenfree's soul is firmly planted in reality.
Darkest Dungeon is difficult, but not because its systems are unclear or unfair.
Resident Evil 0 HD Remaster is a fantastic reworking of a solid entry into the mainline series.
Cossacks fixes the diplomacy system in a way that was sorely needed.
All these elements come together to make an arcade-style game that easily lives up to its Pang/Buster Bros.
Played on its own, without worrying about whether it effectively changes up the hallowed tropes of early JRPGs, or conversely, sticks a little too closely to them, Echoes of Aetheria is fun.