Pyre backs up its eye candy with some pretty impressive world-building and fun gameplay, particularly in Versus Mode. Though the battles in the main campaign don't offer too much of a challenge, the controls still make it feel great when you drive your team into your opponent's goal. All that supplementary reading in the Book of Rites might not be for everyone, but even without it, Supergiant has still built a memorable, visually spectacular world.
It's a stylish game centered around an interesting moral dilemma. However, there just isn't enough world-building to hammer the point home.
The Enemy Within has some great action sequences, but it leans too much on the wider Batman universe as a crutch. It doesn't put in the effort to make you care about the characters or the situations, and because of that, none of the choices feel meaningful.
If the thought of flinging fava beans instead of fireballs leaves you cold, then this isn't the game for you. But if you're smiling at the idea of a world where meateors crash into the earth and distribute bits of meat — then, hey, it's time to go west.
This newcomer thinks that Yakuza Kiwami is a blast. I can't speak to how different it is from the first game, but the sheer amount of content and personality makes it worth checking out. Though the fights could get repetitive at times, the combat system kept things interesting on the whole.
The Metronomicon: Slay the Dance Floor is a lot of fun if you're into rhythm games. I do wish that each of the levels were a bit more different, but what it lacks in variety, it makes up in solid gameplay. I don't think any other game quite like it is out there. I only got a chance to play using a standard controller, but I do know that it's also compatible with Rock Band 4 guitars. Next, I hope they'll consider rigging this up for DDR pads as well.
Hiveswap is oozing with teenaged charm, from Joey's obsession with Clarissa Explains It All to her gloriously sparkly Lisa Frank posters. It's a surreal world where monsters can pop out of nowhere and a mysterious portal in the attic can send you shooting through space to an alien planet without any warning. The combat system is baffling but entertaining — in one battle, I think I actually killed something with paprika — and I'm interested in learning more about Joey and the adventure she's found herself on.
Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story is out now on PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android. The publisher sent us a code for this review.
With each episode, John Doe edges ever closer to irredeemable insanity, and the question of whether or not you can save him remains an engaging one.
If you're a horror buff, you'll likely be disappointed because there aren't that many unique monsters in the game. It's not even scary, to be honest; most of the tension and fear comes from the lack of ammo. All in all, it's not a bad game, but it's not a great game either. You'll probably have fun shooting the zombies and checking out the occasionally cool surreal locales, but that's it.
High Hell is a fun, fast-paced shooter with a lot of personality. It keeps it simple — you can crouch, jump, and shoot — and it doesn't take itself seriously at all. It's challenging, but there aren't any long load times between death and charging back in again to give it another shot. If you don't mind the short playtime, you'll enjoy the charm and quirky boss battles.
Assassin's Creed: Origins offers a rich world and a compelling story at first, but it's waylaid in part by the repetitive side quests and a weaker second half. It has secrets to find, but you'll have to go looking for them — and you'll have to do a lot of grinding along the way.
It feels like the Gentlebros were having a blast making this game. After beating the boss, there are plenty of other side quests to go on if you'd like, and the generous save system makes it possible to play it for just a little while and then put it down. Cat Quest doesn't reinvent the RPG genre. Instead it just does it well, with some cute cats to boot.
Whether or not you'll like Far From Noise depends on if you're looking for a contemplative experience, one that asks you to slow down and enjoy the view. One playthrough will probably run you one to two hours, and it has replay value if you want to see where it can go.
Battle Chef Brigade is a delightful snack-sized game that combines its disparate elements in a whimsical, entertaining way. I loved the style and the occasional clever puns. The kitchen battles to be a lot of fun, especially because they were timed, and used match-3 mechanics in an innovative way. If you're a fan of Iron Chef, Studio Ghibli, or both, you'll like enjoy this foray into the world of Victusia.
With only two episodes left, Telltale needs to raise the stakes and ramp up the urgency of Batman's mission.
Once I'd experienced my first fish explosion and got over how thirsty all of the Final Fantasy XV characters were being, Monster of the Deep just felt like a chore.
It's a terrific sequel with its own personality that still leverages the fun, minimalistic mechanics.
Gorogoa is a brief but beautiful foray into mystery. But its puzzles are elegant rather than elusive, relying on internal logic and a cohesive exploration of the main character's psyche and the world around him.
Toward the end, Genderwrecked drops its pretenses and casual memes. I almost felt like it was rewarding me for making it so far — like it trusted me enough now to show its emotional core. It exchanges its flippant jokes for an earnest dialogue about how messy it can be to unravel the threads of identity, to figure out who you are when you're not backed in a corner by external forces and oppressors. And it reassures you that it's OK to not know, it's OK to be considered monstrous by those who don't understand. There will always be people out there who do.