Expansive's Reviews
Octahedron isn’t going to be for everyone. You’ll grit your teeth or pull at your hair. It’s unforgiving and harsh, often relishing in your misfortune. But it’s hard to deny the game has a clear hook, managing to still entertain while reeling you in.
New Star Manager is the most satisfying football experience on Switch
Life is Strange 2 Episode 2 Rules is strong follow-up from the hard-hitting first episode but plays a little too safe at times
The Raven Remastered is a well designed, thought out, and ultimately enjoyable adventure, that shows Switch should become the new home of the adventure game
Suffer the Children isn’t awful. There are some clear high points here which have us interested in what comes next, but it is, unquestionably, some of Telltale’s worst work. Considering the circumstances behind the scenes, it’s completely understandable, but also a real shame since it follows one of their best episodes in years.
Resident Evil 2 Remake evolves, iterates, and expands on just about every conceivable and desirable component of the base game and the lore within it to make a more enticing and enriching modern experience that opens new doors for the franchise. This is a monumental achievement that has been well worth the wait.
Pikuniku is an absolute treasure, whether you play on Switch or PC. Sectordub have smashed it with the fabulous soundtrack, the way it looks, plays, feels, and everything else in-between. Pikuniku has me completely wrapped around its’ overly long legs.
Onimusha: Warlords must be experienced, whether you were a fan of the games’ before or have never tried them before. Especially with the portability of Switch, the game has never felt more at home. Whether this is the last we see of Onimusha from Capcom remains to be seen, but having dived back in after all these years away from feudal Japan, I realise that I’ve never wanted to revisit this franchise more.
A lot has happened in ten years. A decade is a long time, but in the case of Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition, it’s fair to say that it’s all been worth the wait.
Battle Princess Madelyn is never subtle about its inspirations but that’s ok. Because it really does capture the heart and soul of what made those games so great, a rare find in the ‘modern masterpiece’. It’s not perfect nor the best representation of a side-scroller or Metroidvania, but the clear passion of the developers, as well as the charm and style of the game continually win me over. Even when I’m constantly lost and effortlessly overrun.
Pang Adventures is just good – solo or co-op – old-fashioned retro arcade fun that is perfectly suited to handheld play. There’s nothing different from the Switch version compared to the rest, but it's a fair argument to say that this is the definitive edition.
While Silver Lining is certainly a concluding arc to this chapter of game development, it never feels like an ending. The over-familiarity will wane on you, but it’s clear there’s much more to come from this franchise. Even though Silver Lining has plenty of optional extras to mop up once the final credits roll, it’s hard not to be more excited about the future. In that, the DLC has served its purpose perfectly.
Turf Wars definitely lacks the spark of The Heist. Not only is it short and a bit lacking in ideas, it genuinely feels like a middle-of-the-road DLC that bridges a thrilling beginning and what will almost certainly be an exciting end.
Below is very self-aware of the pace and tone it’s going for. This is a confident game that has clear nods and winks to titles that have inspired it but also brings them together in a way that feels fresh and unique. 2018 has already had some incredible gaming experiences and with the quality of a game like Below, it’s clearly not over yet.
The Forgotten Sanctum is a DLC that meets both of its predecessors in the middle, and often feels like a bit of a hodge-podge, conflicted and unsettled about the approach it takes to reach the end-game. Fortunately, that same end-game leaves multiple, interesting questions open for the future of Pillars of Eternity, and speaks to Obsidian’s future ambitions for the series. It’s just a shame the road to get there is quite often disrupted and ever so slightly unsure of itself.
Gris is a wonderful, mystifying, and everlastingly beautiful end to an unforgettable year of video gaming.
Pokemon Let’s Go is enchanting, refreshing and delightful. A few design choices and slight concerns aside, this is one of the easiest recommendations I’ve made this year.
For the most part, Luigi’s Mansion is a great and welcome port on 3DS with many neat new features and additions to enhance and add longevity to the overall game.
Black Ops 4 is one of the best and enjoyable all-in multiplayer experiences out there right now and arguably the best COD in a good many years.
The Heist strikes a good balance. Offering a thrilling start to this exciting Season Pass, while giving us lots to look forward to in the coming weeks. Slight Street Crime fatigue aside, The Heist easily ranks up there with the best DLCs this year with its quality in narrative, generous offerings, and its ability to continue iterating on an already excellent game.