Gameffine's Reviews
I came away from Tenebris Somnia appreciating what it was trying to do, even if I don’t think every part of it works equally well. The live-action scenes are easily the most distinctive feature, and the practical effects give the horror a different feel from what you’d normally expect from a pixel-art game. The atmosphere is creepy, and the story gives you a reason to keep going. The gameplay is a little less impressive. Some puzzles are confusing, combat could be smoother, and a few sections feel rough around the edges. These issues stop the game from being as good as it could have been.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 is a textbook example of a good sequel. It builds on what made the original work while addressing its shortcomings, delivering satisfying gunplay, fluid movement, a well-balanced difficulty curve, and a diverse range of environments. The addition of a second playable character, the Dragonfruit on top, adds another welcome layer of variety to an already excellent BoomShoot.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is to Dragon’s Dogma 2 what Dark Arisen was to the original Dragon’s Dogma. Wow, they really should’ve gone with a simpler name. Something like Dark Arisen 2, perhaps? Anyhow, beneath the baffling naming convention lies a substantial expansion that builds on the base game’s strengths and softens its rough edges. An essential purchase for all owners of Dragon’s Dogma.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is one of the most unsettling survival horror games ever made, one that may be difficult to stomach for some but the one that would be deeply relished by the Hellraiser fans. It’s an uncompromised take on Clive Barker’s legacy with stunning performances from its cast. While many of its mechanics may be borrowed from the well-established horror franchises, in execution it manages to stick the landing.
Well Dweller is the kind of game that reminds me why I love indie games in the first place. It has a clear identity, a world full of personality, satisfying gameplay, and an art style that stays with you long after you’ve stopped playing.
If you enjoy Kingdom Come: Deliverance and The Witcher, and appreciate an RPG that expects you to learn its systems with relatively little hand-holding, Dawnwalker is worth your time. It certainly earned mine.
Despite its many flaws in storytelling, hand-holding, and highly linear level design, Marvel’s Wolverine is still an enjoyable game to play. I’m really interested in how Logan and Jean’s story moves forward, so I hope this game gets a sequel. The combat, though occasionally repetitive, is really captivating while being brutal and bloody as it gets. With plenty of visual spectacles and cinematic moments, it offers a short yet entertaining experience for PlayStation players.
SPRAWL zero is, without a doubt, one of the standout first-person shooters to emerge from this otherwise depressing year. From its immaculate mid-2000s FPS aesthetic and soundtrack to its snappy, fluid gunplay infused with modern sensibilities, it nails the BoomShoot formula without feeling stuck in the past. It’s a game worth experiencing at least once.
Even with some rough edges, The World Well: Blood of Caro stands out quite a bit because it commits hard to its world and mood. If you’re into dark fantasy with political bite, a strong central mystery, and VN choices that push you into different routes, there’s a lot here to appreciate. I’d recommend it, just with the heads-up that the pacing and translation aren’t spotless, and the later stretch could’ve used a bit more breathing room.
BLACKWOOD is a game that works in concept but doesn’t translate well to good gameplay. Even for a purveyor of all that is jank, it’s a tough sell. There are janky games that are fun to play, and there are ones that are not. For now, BLACKWOOD falls into the latter category.
ReStory has a brilliant gameplay core that’s worth the price of admission; the electronic repairs. With a huge range of electronics and their parts, and each having its satisfying way of disassembling and repairing, it’s as much a puzzle as it is a zen activity. Everything around that core is a big mix of okay ideas and frustrating experiences. The narrative has good hooks but meanders a lot before falling off; the character writing ranges from mediocre to frustrating, and the plot hints at something bigger that doesn’t leave much impact. There is grinding to obtain licenses, and tedium sets in fast, so it is best to play in small sessions. You will be playing this for the solid gameplay and hilarious knockoff brand electronic names and references, and not much else.
Twisted Tower is a solid game all around. While I don’t think it will do much to change Thomas Brush’s reputation within the indie scene, it certainly demonstrates his artistic vision and exceptional eye for visual design. If you have four hours and $14.99 to spare, Twisted Tower is well worth a look.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a masterclass of action, blending fast-paced swordplay with graceful character movement for an experience that feels both fantastical and grounded. Rather than sticking to the formula of its predecessors, it takes bold risks and delivers an unforgettable story about the greatest swordsman who ever lived. Capcom couldn’t have closed out its stellar year on a higher note.
Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster is not the kind of Metroidvania that completely changes the genre. It doesn’t need to be. What it does have is personality. The hand-drawn art immediately gives it an identity, while the Beastmaster mechanic provides a genuinely interesting reason to explore the world. Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster feels like a game made by people who genuinely love old-school fantasy adventures. It wears its influences proudly, throws a ridiculous amount of blood and monsters onto the screen, and gives you enough unusual systems to keep the adventure interesting. It’s rough around the edges. But underneath all that roughness is a surprisingly likable Metroidvania.
The Sinking City 2 left me with mixed emotions. The developers nail the world design, lore, and audio incredibly well, but the erratic nature of its level connectedness, lack of actual investigation, and staccato story flow will keep you painfully confused. It left me with a sinking (pun unintended) feeling about all the things it could have gotten right to make it a stalwart in its genre. As a sequel, it goes two steps forward but takes one step back. Frogwares’ The Sinking City 2 might feel a little rough at the seams, but it’s a bold step in the survival horror genre. The game betters its combat, scares, and atmosphere from its predecessor and manages to hold on to its dark linear narrative till the very end. A confident sequel that begs for the adage: third time’s the charm.
Star Wars Zero Company is a triumph. It may lack the depth and replayability of XCOM, but it makes excellent use of the Star Wars universe while serving as a compelling entry point into the world of tactical games. It proves that Star Wars lightsabers and blasters can be just as thrilling on a turn-based battlefield.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is easily the most refined entry in the series yet. With a polished, well-paced gameplay loop and enjoyable combat encounters, it represents a noticeable improvement over Requiem. Unfortunately, the series’ defining strength—the emotional weight of its storytelling—feels significantly diminished here. A predictable central narrative, forgettable characters, and an overreliance on deconstructive fantasy ultimately make for an experience that feels less impactful than it should.
While the era of the 2010s Akihabara people may be dwindling, STEINS; GATE RE: BOOT manages to recapture and preserve their nostalgia in a great way. It stands shoulder to shoulder with its original counterpart for the most part. It remains one of the best visual novels ever made. While the cut content may upset some of the older fans, it greatly improves the pacing for the new audiences. Still, considering its hefty price, you can consider buying this at launch if you are a diehard fan or waiting for a sale.
Mortal Shell 2 could have played it safe. It could have taken the original game, added a few new shells and weapons, increased the resolution, and called it a day. Instead, Cold Symmetry went considerably further. The sequel takes the Shell system that made the original interesting and builds an entire game around it. Combat is faster, the world is larger, exploration is more rewarding, and the sheer number of weapons, abilities, and dungeons gives players plenty of room to experiment. It doesn’t always get everything right. But I’d rather play a sequel that occasionally reaches too far than one that never tries anything new.
Marvel Tokon is a brilliantly executed tag team fighter that just works perfectly for newcomers and veterans alike. Each character comes with a fighting style group and a unique set of abilities, making each fight a fresh situation to tackle. The art style does great justice to the universe, along with voice-overs that do much better in the Japanese version. The matchmaking is quite good in terms of skills, but it’s hard to find players, possibly because of the network bug or maybe a low player count. Overall, the PS Store price of 3,999 is definitely better than the launch price of Tekken 8 at 4,799 for the disc edition.