Elden Ring – Everything We Learned From Playing It Early

Recently, I had the chance to go hands-on with Elden Ring’s network test, which will be available to a greater group of players this upcoming weekend. If you elected to get into the test, I hope you get in. First and foremost, let’s get this out of the way – this text contains lots of […]

Hands-On With Weird West – A Frontier Worth Exploring

Weird West is the upcoming isometric twin-stick shooter from Wolfeye Studios, a relatively new developer headed by former Prey and Dishonored co-creators. It doesn’t take long to feel their immersive sim handprints. In fact, once you’re through the basics of Weird West’s twin-stick shooter action, the same combat scenario experience in games like Dishonored makes […]

Unsighted Review – The Ultimate 'Beat The Clock' Challenge

Unsighted combines entertaining and thoughtful combat and engrossing exploration with a devilish premise. As Alma, you’re a human-like automaton who awakens with amnesia and faces two problems. First, your partner, Raquel, is missing. Second, the world has lost its Anima, the energy source that gives automatons emotion and free will. When an automaton runs out […]

Jett: The Far Shore Review – To Boldly Go Nowhere

“Surrounded by wonder, touched with dread” is a line from Jett: The Far Shore’s holy writings. These scriptures guide Mei, the protagonist, and seep into every aspect of the game. Conveniently enough, the quote is an apt description of my time with Jett, and not always for the best reasons. Some narrative moments reach high […]

Hot Wheels Unleashed Review – Simple, Satisfying Speed

You could be forgiven if you were ready to dismiss Hot Wheels Unleashed as another shameless licensed release vying for younger gamers’ attention, but that would be a mistake. While the game is undoubtedly entertaining to share with the family, this racer is more than it first appears. Thanks to the rewarding speed, clever course […]

The Good Life Review – Shoot For A Higher Standard Of Living

The Good Life has been in development for a long time – it failed its initial funding campaign in 2017. But after several development pauses, funding attempts, and visual alterations, its bumpy development led to a bumpy gameplay experience. Despite that, The Good Life contains flashes of fun in the more absurd moments, and its […]

No More Heroes 3 Review – Dead Or Alive

Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture’s nerdy assassin Travis Touchdown returns in the first numbered No More Heroes in over a decade. Many of the series’ telltale features return, including stylish trimmings, Beam Katana battles, and completing mundane yard work to earn a buck. No More Heroes 3 is best when the action is heavy, and […]

Psychonauts 2 Review – Well Worth The Wait

Over 16 years have passed between Psychonauts games, but not much time has elapsed for protagonist Razputin “Raz” Aquato. His scratchy, high-pitched voice still screams of youthful inexperience, and his actions almost always show an eagerness to learn. That’s precisely what developer Double Fine Productions has also done over the years. Time has allowed this […]

Dodgeball Academia Review – Head Of The Class

Story-driven sports RPGs such as the early Mario Golf and Tennis games, or most recently Golf Story, have slowly come back in vogue. Brought to life with the art of veteran animator Ivan Friere and Brazilian studio Pocket Trap, Dodgeball Academia is a confident combination of Shonen anime, sports games, and Saturday morning cartoons, creating […]

Twelve Minutes Review – Stuck In Hell

Getting stuck in a narrative time loop game is a unique sort of hell. On the one hand, being stuck creates a connection between mechanics, story, and player engagement rarely possible in video games; like your protagonist, you’re trapped, both caught in a never-ending cycle you are unable to break. On the other hand, the […]