DayOne's Reviews
What we’re left with is a mostly competent, not particularly memorable arcade racer with a handful of highs, but some baffling lows as well.
God of War Sons of Sparta has a weak start, solid middle, and strong ending. If you can get through a tedious first few hours you will eventually be rewarded with solid combat and an emotional story.
High On Life 2 is bigger yet smaller. It’s both bold and more reserved in how it dishes out gameplay mechanics and story beats. I loved my 15 hours with it
REANIMAL doesn’t give us all the answers by the time the credits roll. There’s no comforting closure here – it’s a game and a world that lingers. I have so many unanswered questions, so many theories. Tarsier Studios have taken their signature DNA and refined it – it’s not perfect, but it’s a sharp, confident experience.
Romeo is a Dead Man, I feel, is a tremendous example of style being enough to shoulder the burden that comes with a lack of substance. So much of the game’s action, along with its systems, feels antiquated enough that it shouldn’t be memorable at all. Yet with innovative art direction, a Suda-typical contrast of ideas, and unconventional, albeit confusing, story craft, Romeo is a Dead Man’s style proves irresistible.
It took six entries, but the RIDE franchise has finally graduated. What used to be promising, enjoyable, but ultimately not particularly remarkable motorcycle racers, now gave way to RIDE 6 – a legitimately great bike racing game.
Kotama’s game doesn’t always nail every aspect that same of the greats of the genre do, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have a solid combat system, boss fights, and excellent visuals and information relaying. This is a solid Metroidvania title to add to your ever-increasing backlog.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a mostly competent remake of an original that needed an update. The combat and upgrade changes are welcome, though those in the ending and its attempt to justify the expansion are not.
Carmageddon: Rogue Shift is a mechanically satisfying destruction-based racer, offering high-octane and chaotic races combining bold weapons, lots of zombies and lots of crunching metal.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure is both a relaxing and oddly time-consuming cosy life sim adventure. If getting things done day-by-day sounds like an appealing premise, this is a game for you. You’ll get to hang out with a family of Sanrio characters as you build your homes and trick yourself out. It’s a good time here on the island of Big Adventure Park, and I don’t think there’s anything quite like this one out there.
Don’t Stop, Girlypop! presents a brilliant audiovisual experience, combining over-the-top “girly” Y2K aesthetics with one of the fastest FPS modules on the market. If you’re a fan of the 2000’s pop culture, the high-energy female vocaled pop music of the era and have been dying to dazzle your weapons in a shooter, this game is for you. Those searching for an Ultrakill-tier boomer shooter, however, might walk away disappointed, as underneath it all is a slightly clunky, not particularly memorable sequence of arenas with big hordes of enemies and weak platforming on the side.
Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven is an excellent, pricy expansion. I spent over twenty hours, having an absolute blast, learning the secrets of the mountain. If you have an endgame save, then Woolhaven is absolutely worth the cost for fans of the title.
VIDEOVERSE’s best moments are in its setting rather than its characters and it’s not often I pursue a game to its finale for its setting and premise rather than the overarching narrative. I found it stretches itself a bit too thin with the number of characters and stories that need to be told, but it is a novel story that’s far more accurate to its connection to the ancient interwebs that even the best of authors can’t replicate. For lovers of Web 1.0 and teenager internet goofs. ■
And so we reach the end of this road and the start of a much, much longer one. As I mentioned before, I went into Final Fantasy VII Remake with little to no nostalgia at all, and I’m glad to say I came away happy with my experience. Yes, I have my complaints, mainly that the game often wasted my time unnecessarily or that the combat took too long to really get going. But I also appreciated the narrow scope of the game and the various story elements (which I won’t spoil or talk about here) had me excited to see what happened next, and of course, what happens next. Would I have been as lenient with the Midgar-centric scope if this was the only Final Fantasy VII Remake game I had for four years? That's not my reality, so who cares!
Mysterious intrigue, tight platforming, satisfying combat, and an emotional soundtrack carry you through 20 enchanting hours. It can be overly difficult at times in its optional parts. Whether on Game Pass or a full purchase, MIO: Memories in Orbit is an incredible game and well worth checking out for any action platforming Metroidvania fan.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is a fun, repeatable, relaxing time. Few games let you stare so much before blowing a hot load of lead directly into the target of your gaze.
At Solo Leveling’s best, you really feel like the Solo Leveller himself—a unequivocal badass that leaves blood, guts, and edge in his growing shadow. Here’s a recommendation for Sung Jinwoo’s sheer hubris and longform level grinding. ∎
Ultimately, like many licensed games based on pre-school programs, Dora: Rainforest Rescue is not a deep or innovative platformer. It is, however, very loyal to the Dora IP, it is bright and colourful and incredibly accessible for even young players’ first videogame ever. It could have used some more inventive or variety, but it’s a great Christmas gift for young Dora fans. Especially now that it’s 50% off!
When I rolled credits for the third and final time, I put my controller down and let my thoughts and feelings carry me. The last third had some of the best moments in the title, and I can confidently say that Hollow Knight: Silksong is better than the first game in almost every single way. More agile, more expressive, more fun, more… everything. Hollow Knight ran so that Silksong could sprint.
Atomic Owl is an enjoyable little romp that has some good ideas and even goes as far as to trust the player right off the bat with the protagonists full arsenal. The visuals are lovely and the music was probably the highlight of the game. But middling level design, uninteresting boss fights, and a lack of polish do drag down what could otherwise have been a really good game. ∎