Kotaku's Reviews
Tacoma ultimately succeeds as a piece of emotional storytelling. Every moment spent with the crew is spellbinding, as their strengths and struggles play out in painful detail. The experience is sometimes frustrating, but Tacoma leaves a lasting impression.
Whether you spend a handful of hours seeing the sights or days delving into meta-discussions on the best builds, Absolver's fresh approach to hand-to-hand combat is a welcome addition to the pantheon of one-on-one fighters.
Words I didn't expect to type in 2017: I really like the new Knack. So much for the running joke that this PlayStation 4 exclusive is a sequel that no one wanted. Good thing we got it.
I've got everything I look for in an action RPG right here.
I'm far more invested in War of the Chosen than I was XCOM 2, and I thought XCOM 2 was fantastic.
Mario himself might not have been my favorite part of the game, but the reverence with which the game's creators hold Mario and friends was evident in every inch of this adventure. And it helped make the game come together so well.
Lost Legacy tells a winning tale of friendship set against a backdrop of gorgeous mayhem, and it might even teach you a thing or two about Indian history along the way.
Agents of Mayhem is many things, but mostly it's what happens when the development studio responsible for one of the raunchiest game series dials back the dildos and gives its heroes a little more maturity and humanity. It's something special. Like Uranus.
Sonic Mania clearly articulates Sonic's true appeal: Sonic is pure joy, a spinning ball of fun blazing a trail towards the next adventure.
For players who enjoyed the first game, Splatoon 2 is not a reinvention, but it doesn't have to be. It adds here and there, retaining what was best about the cheerful original while giving it a graphical upgrade and portability. Splatoon 2, at its best, is still Nintendo with confidence and flair.
Pyre is good in many ways. It's even good enough that it made me call my boss a m*********.
This second time around, Final Fantasy XII has surprised me. I can credit some of my improved regard for the game to this remastered version's visual polish and convenient fast-forward button. I credit more of it to the game's innate quality. It holds up. It works well. It functions like no Final Fantasy before it or since.
Stormblood's epic narrative, gorgeous new locales, spectacular battles and some fresh gameplay mechanics make a great game even better.
Ever Oasis is an intriguing blend of genres that serves as an interesting proof of concept, but is far too bland and repetitive to be a classic of the ARPG genre.
Arms is a one-trick pony. That one trick is polished and addictive, with deep minutia worth mastering.
If you're ready to hit and kick other players until they stop moving, whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newbie just getting your feet wet, Tekken 7 is the real deal.
I do not regret my time with A New Frontier, but the emotional core at the center of the series seems rotten. There are seeds of greatness here, but A New Frontier never gave them the necessary time to grow.
Endless Space 2 is now one of the real standard-bearers in the 4X space. While some of its more direct elements come up short, its implementation of politics is a masterstroke, adding depth and complexity to part of a game that often feels like an arbitrary chore.
Where follow-ups to traditional comic book events often fail, Injustice 2 is a worthy successor to the original in almost every way.
The combat, although robust, tends to frustrate and the story, although impeccable in presentation, doesn't quite feel as sweeping and romantic as previous titles on the 3DS.