Stevivor's Reviews
Mafia The Old Country, visually, is a stunning success. Unfortunately… gameplay is best described as mediocre; serviceable, if not particularly enjoyable. Its story is a tragedy -- dull, linear, and so full of tropes that nothing feels new or fresh. Characters are flat cliches, generic representations of genre stereotypes, and nothing more.
When things are working, Ready or Not can be a lot of fun. The problem, is, Ready or Not rarely works, either as expected, as intended, or as I’d like it to. Some may enjoy its edginess, and others may find a completely different experience engaging in multiplayer. I’m frankly too concerned about toxicity from what I’ve heard in single-player to dabble in this exercise with randoms on mics.
Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV is a clever way to add fresh content to a recent multiplayer favourite, without coercing anyone to buy the more expensive edition just because they’re playing on Switch 2.
This is a true must-have for Batman fans — so much so that I am tempted to go drop my Arkham VR score down so, so many pegs — and even more of one if you’ve already got a Meta Quest 3S or Meta Quest 3.
All in all, Donkey Kong Bananza is an excellent return for the leader of the DK Crew. In the same way that Mario Kart World or Breath of the Wild felt like all-new takes on a classic formula, Bananza feels like it’s doing the same in two ways – for the Donkey Kong series itself, and as a guidepost of what we can expect from the Switch 2.
Death Stranding 2 On the Beach is a brilliant game which I largely do not care for. I think it’s inoculated me from the impulse to ever play a new open-world action game again, and I weirdly appreciate it for that.
While Raidou himself is a silent protagonist, he’s still given a lot of character in the way he moves and dresses. I had a great time unpacking the game’s wild story, and knowing that a sequel to this game already exists has me hoping it will receive the same love in the future – because I want to see what Raidou the 14th gets up to next.
FBC Firebreak is a chaotic, engaging romp that gleefully retains Remedy’s quirkiness throughout.
Unique, poignant, and one that will stick with you, The Alters also will win hearts with a $52 AUD price tag or availability through Xbox Game Pass. As a result, it's highly recommended and needs to be played to be properly understood and enjoyed.
Let’s just hope that Nintendo can broaden what’s available in-game quickly, akin to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. While we’re waiting for more Switch 2 games, we need more World.
Elden Ring Nightreign won't be every FromSoft fan's cup of tea, and this is especially true if you're a lone wolf.
AFL 26 is for the fans who love their footy enough to forgive the rough edges, push through the clunky gameplay, and accept the long-standing frustrations that have plagued AFL games for decades and likely always will, to chase their dream of lifting the Premiership Cup.
Onimusha 2 has a lot to be proud of. It was well received by critics and gamers alike in the same year that Grand Theft Auto Vice City and Metroid Prime were released. While I’ve no doubt that there will be a lot of fans out there that will defend its remastering, it does little more than highlight how far games have come for me — and highlight why I shouldn’t play the old ones.
I don’t enjoy this style of Doom compared to that of the previous two games -- it's just not the Doom I've grown to love. That said, The Dark Ages is in no way a bad game. Fans of classic Doom will really enjoy similarities in its larger areas, the high volume of slower projectiles to dodge, and the constant need to push forward.
This is a kind of story that hasn’t been seen in modern RPGs, with a level and distinctiveness in visual presentation that leaves many franchises right now in the dust. All this plus a star-studded voice cast makes Clair Obscur Expedition 33 an amazing first outing from the studio, and a powerful statement that the RPG genre is still growing and evolving to this day. JRPGs have had their time in the sun, sure – but I say, bring on the FRPGs!
South of Midnight accomplishes what it has set out to do, offering players something truly unique, empathetic, and enthralling.
Atomfall ticks all the right boxes. It's immersive, compelling, yet is extremely respectful of your time.
Shadows is best played with hidden blades as a stealth-action game reminiscent of what Assassin's Creed used to be, but its greatest strength is choice.
Split Fiction is an enjoyable romp. It is equal parts platformer, shooter, and puzzler. Grab a friend and get playing (though if you’ve not played It Takes Two as yet, that’s recommended above this).
There’s never been a better time to dip into the Monster Hunter franchise than with Wilds. Hope to see you out there, hunter.