Console Creatures
HomepageConsole Creatures's Reviews
Coming in fast and furious, Milestone's Screamer is an excellent arcade racer. It's a successful reimagining of a beloved '90s series, and it looks, plays, and feels incredible. It is a competent racer, providing enough challenge to test all skill levels around every bend. As far as arcade racers go, Screamer is technical, stylish, and immensely capable of offering thrills at breakneck speeds.
Etrange Overlord is fun and short, a perfect palette cleanser for those who are looking for a shorter experience.
If you give Marathon your time, it will reward your patience. I really believe that. I also think the time commitment is a big reason this game won’t be for everyone. And maybe it doesn’t have to be. After all, a game for everyone is a game for no one.
The content Pokopia hides rewards those who dive in, something that is naturally reinforced by its history, giving the series, currently celebrating its 30th birthday this year, another, almost essential dimension.
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake mostly succeeds as a remake and understands what made the original tick.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection continues the spin-off series' success with style, brutal battles, and tons of monster hunts.
Planet of Lana 2 is a gorgeous sequel that does all the right things with its puzzles and story, building a rich history with complex layers and characters.
There's a lot of variety and some cool new approaches to the beat'em up throughout Scott Pilgrim EX. The roster of heroes and enemies is amazing, and the adventure they go on is one only the Scott Pilgrim universe can truly provide.
Esoteric Ebb is incredible. Saturated with fantastic writing and memorable characters, its systems blend CRPG and TTRPG in clever ways.
Tales of Berseria Remastered is a bizarre pick for Bandai Namco to update, but it is uniquely the most adult title the series has put out.
One of the most fascinating things about Resident Evil, as a franchise, is how often these games take on different interpretations as the series progresses. We don’t think of Resident Evil 5 the same way as when it came out, or Resident Evil 6, or Village. This is one of the few gaming franchises that meaningfully uses the past, both narratively and from a design standpoint. These are games integrally shaped by their place in time, the world, and the larger series. And similarly, I think Requiem is a game that we’ll be talking about for years to come, reevaluating more than once.
Ys X: Proud Nordics is the definitive way to play Adol’s seafaring adventure with a great story alongside a strong, memorable cast and even better re-balanced combat that feels like a solid entry for new fans to get into the franchise.
Whether you’re traversing massive buildings, meeting new characters, unlocking cosmetics and gear, or just exploring the open seas, Demon Tides demands the attention of any 3D platforming fan. Demon Tides is a rewarding 3D platformer with fast, tight mechanics and exceptional level design, just waiting to be mastered.
God of War: Sons of Sparta might bring fans back to Greece, but it isn't the way you expected to return. Ghost of Sparta did a fine job of filling in Kratos' backstory before his reign of chaos. Sons of Sparta muddies the past while revisiting a time in Kratos' life that few fans care about.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse might not be the scariest follow-up, but it doubles down on effective storytelling, better writing, and better characters. What you end up experiencing is a crafted story that will linger in your thoughts as you play. My mind would drift to The Mermaid's Curse when I was in public, getting groceries or in the car on the way home, and it was because of the incredible writing that I'd scramble home to pick up and continue uncovering clues to learn the truth.
High on Life 2 might be bigger, but does that make it better? In a few ways, yes, it is fun because it has some new mechanics, like a skateboard to explore and lots of charming guns to use. Those come at the cost of clear technical mishaps, including slowdowns and glitches that often rear their ugly heads.
Under the Island wears its 2D Zelda inspiration proudly on its sleeve and pulls it off exceptionally well, with a great game and stunning modern pixel graphics that feel like Saturday-morning cartoons from the '90s.
Reanimal is both beautiful and horrifying, carving out a unique identity. The blend of co-op mechanics and atmospheric storytelling mixed with nightmarish creature design creates an experience you won't soon forget. Despite playing solo, I enjoyed my time with Reanimal but felt I would've appreciated the gameplay much more with someone I know to help me navigate the island. Ultimately, Tarsier's penchant for telling bone-chilling horror stories is why they continue to make a lasting impression.
Mario Tennis Fever is easily Nintendo's best Mario-themed tennis game in ages. Filled with tons of racket types and characters to unlock, the fun you have playing online or against the CPU never falters or feels stale. I've had such a great time diving into the pretty solid Adventure mode and Trial Towers. The strategic layers the game adds through various racket types go a long way and mesh well with the fast pace of tennis.
Romeo Is a Dead Man is yet another strong action game from Grasshopper that’s sure to be divisive. It may not be the best game of the year when all is said and done, but it’s hard to imagine anything else feeling quite as unique.