Stevivor's Reviews
[PROVISIONAL SCORE] The fact that STALKER 2 is complete and ready for an imminent release is nothing short of a miracle. It’s just a shame that my experience... is damaged by a constant stream of ever-present bugs and issues.
Tetris Forever is the most joyful and wondrous experience I’ve had with a video game all year and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone and everyone. Its only crime is that it does such an intensely good job of getting you keen to consume every weird version of Tetris that’s out there that it can’t help but bring a twang of disappointment at its inability to deliver most of them as playable builds within itself. The folks at Digital Eclipse are doing remarkable and important work with these collections and I hope we continue to see many more of them.
With so many bespoke moments for each little mini-story, complete with unique minigames and interesting character arcs, Brothership is bursting at the seams with fun things to do.
While I’m always thrilled to see more sensibly scoped and budgeted games come along at a lower price point, it’s eminently clear throughout that Slitterhead suffered a messy development. While I’m hugely sympathetic to the situation Toyama’s team found themselves in building the studio and starting production just a few months into the unfolding chaos of 2020, Slitterhead’s realisation just misses the mark in almost every area. It’s an incomprehensible slog to play through and I regret spending so much of my week with it.
Dragon Age The Veilguard is the epitome of 'better than the sum of its parts'. It’s been so long since I experienced this level of joy in a long-form RPG; I have a compulsion to keep playing and finish one more quest.
Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is a spectacular return to form, after Modern Warfare 3 fumbled blurring the line between expansion and sequel. We were ready for something different, and that’s exactly what it has delivered with speedy and satisfying multiplayer and a highly engaging and well-paced espionage thriller campaign that’s one of the best in the Call of Duty series. With excellent gunplay across all modes and an addictive combat loop, Black Ops 6 is the best Call of Duty game so far this console generation.
All up, Unknown 9 Awakening is a competent title with some outdated and flawed designs, but with a larger universe and lore that is undeniably compelling. It’s well worth dealing with the rough edges if that idea excites you (especially at its reduced price tag!).
Darksiders 2 Deathinitive Edition isn’t for those who’ve played the original release, but its a great way for those who missed out to get on board before Nordic Games makes some original content. Now that this is out of the way, bring that on, Nordic — we’ve still got two Horsemen to meet.
Priced at $80 AUD, you know what you’re getting into with Super Mario Party Jamboree. While Nintendo die-hards will find fun in the single-player mode, most of us will pick this up alongside a handful of friends and a slab of beers. If you need to freshen up your party game experience, this one should be a good fit.
Metaphor ReFantazio sets out to blend the best of its predecessors’ gameplay with an all-new setting, and the result is far greater than the sum of its parts.
All up, Dead Season is a fun mix of genres provided they’re in your wheelhouse. I very much enjoyed plunking away at a mission or two between titles like Until Dawn and Silent Hill 2 — again, all perfectly timed for the spooky season.
All up, Dead Season is a fun mix of genres provided they’re in your wheelhouse. I very much enjoyed plunking away at a mission or two between titles like Until Dawn and Silent Hill 2 — again, all perfectly timed for the spooky season.
The Silent Hill 2 remake is close enough to the source material for fans, yet modern enough for those who’ve not played it before. It’s a great way to honour the 2001 original.
Diablo 4 launched with Season 0 just over a year ago now, but with Vessel of Hatred’s release, the game today is nearly unrecognizable. Virtually every system has felt the gentle caress of the quality-of-life bat, and the game is far better suited for it. Season 6, the one just before the expansion’s launch, was absolutely the best the 4th installment in the storied franchise has ever felt to date.
Again, the issue here is that Until Dawn didn’t need a remaster. Or a remake. I would wholeheartedly recommend everyone reading this buy and play the 2015 original, and I would equally recommend you banish this remake from your mind to never think of again. Fun fact: one image in this article is from the original and not the remake. Have fun deciding which is which!
The EA NHL franchise has seen of lot of change in the last few years, both positive and negative. Despite EA throwing terms like ICE-Q at us, it finally seems like big gameplay changes from the last few years are starting to gel with one another. X-Factors plus pressure systems plus smart AI? It’s a literal gamechanger. I’ve had a blast so far and I hope that continues in weeks to come.
The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom is a unique new addition to the Zelda family. It’s wonderful to see the same boundless creativity celebrated in a smaller-scale title.
All up, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster felt like going home for this veteran player. And with a retail price of only $70 AUD, it's all the better.
While both Astro Bot and The Plucky Squire are about creativity and joy, the latter manages to get in its own way in comparison. The result is jarring.
The amount of dedication and passion that’s gone into Astro Bot is obvious in every pixel of every texture; there’s not a single bug, glitch, or texture issue to be seen. Its controls are easy to understand and incredibly tight, with Astro moving exactly how you need him to. In the 15 hours I’ve spent so far in finishing its campaign and going back to replay levels to pick up missing Bots, I’ve not encountered a single moment of frustration. It’s beautifully designed both in its self-contained levels and those dedicated to much-loved, Sony-exclusive franchises.