Alex Santa Maria's Reviews
FORCED SHOWDOWN combines TCG mechanics and roguelite action gameplay into an enjoyable arcade mix that will appeal to a wide audience.
A benchmark in the roguelite genre, Enter the Gungeon is a triumph that mixes familiar tropes and an arsenal of bombastic weapons that makes every run exciting and new.
Overwatch's core gameplay is fantastic, but it's a one trick pony that fails to hold your attention for more than a few matches at a time.
Mutants in Manhattan looks flashy and captures the spirit of the Turtles, but the campaign is over in a flash and the combat is boring and uninteresting.
Hard Reset Redux remixes the original cyberpunk shooter in smart ways while still retaining what made it unique years ago.
Kirby: Planet Robobot is another fun ride through Planet Popstar that only falters in its lack of innovation and short length.
PAC-MAN 256 is everything you'd want out of a modern reinterpretation of the arcade classic. It may not have all the substance in the world, but it's a great time waster to put into the rotation whenever you have a podcast to listen to.
The Turing Test strikes an impressive balance between Portal and Planet of the Apes that will keep players blasting through test chambers in search of more answers.
Gears of War 4 is probably the best Gears campaign so far, but it's saddled with uninteresting robotic enemies, a multiplayer suite that makes no concessions to casual players, and a loot treadmill that pushes microtransactions too aggressively.
Shadow Warrior 2 is a delightfully bloody romp that pleases shooter fans of any age. Despite a short length and some technical hiccups, nothing can stop this game's crazy momentum.
Killing Room is a flawed first person roguelike with a lot of heart. It's not for everyone, but fans of first-person roguelikes or general cheesy nonsense can do a lot worse than tuning in to this deadly reality show.
Titanfall 2 effortlessly improves on the original release's deep multiplayer gameplay and adds in a memorable single player campaign that stands out from the pack. All that and a bundle of explosive ninja stars make this a must play FPS.
Small Radios Big Televisions has trippy visuals and an interesting premise but fails to accomplish anything meaningful as an interactive experience. Add that to its ephemeral nature, and it's unfortunate just how forgettable this adventure can be.
The tables of Bethesda Pinball have great presentation, but the majority of the action is spent doing things that don't feel arcadey. The lack of focus on gameplay makes the tables feel too gimmicky to be playable for more than a few sessions.
Dead Rising 4 lacks both the conviction to truly strike out on its own and the features and mechanics that will please franchise fans. As is, it's a game that is bland at its best and downright contemptuous at its worst.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero has an amazing presentation and precise platforming that will make gamers of all ages smile. If only the game stuck to its guns instead of devolving into a tedious collectathon that shatters the game's pacing.
Rise & Shine makes an amazing first impression, but the game hiding underneath lacks the depth and replayability of the many SNES action games that it attempts to imitate.
Nefarious features unforgettable characters and interesting mechanics, but the substandard running and jumping make the game harder to recommend than it should be.
Double Dragon IV is a pure nostalgia trip, but it comes with enough interesting combat tweaks and bonus modes to be worth a few playthroughs for anyone with an appreciation of the NES originals.