The (dry) bones of Super Mario 3D All-Stars are impeccable - three of the best games ever made, spruced up for one of the best consoles ever made.
Stellar writing and performances are paired with refined mechanics and an overall vibe that makes the whole thing seem effortless.
It’s just all so captivating and lovely, rising above small annoyances or shortcomings to prove why it has been held up as a classic for so long.
Mileage is very obviously going to vary on a game like Deadly Premonition 2 and I genuinely believe that should be embraced. For all of my (gameplay) criticisms, there will be another for whom they are points in the game’s favour and to them I say, have a blast.
The core narrative and its surrounding cast of characters is intriguing but unengaging quest design means it loses steam far faster than it ought to.
Sakura Wars is a serviceable entry point for Western audiences but fails to deliver more than a modest take on what could have been a remarkable game.
MLB The Show 20 is a confident, sleek package of the best of baseball with systems that welcome newcomers and veterans alike. Crisp user interfaces, extensive customisation options and solid core mechanics make for a game that has even this novice keen for the places the series will go next.
There are pockets of joy and engagement in Fallen Order, but ultimately it feels like a game developed a long time ago, before Star Wars moved on to brighter galaxies far, far away from this.
For $9.99 this isn’t a terribly hard game to recommend but newcomers need to be aware of the hurdles they’ll experience
Ultimately the Amnesia Collection feels caught between essential and outdated
The bones of a great game exist within the second entry, even today, but lop-sided gameplay and uninspired presentation obscure them far too much.
Redeemer: Enhanced Edition is almost the game it wants to be, the game we all want it to be, but even this improved port can't change the fact that it simply isn't.
In a time when marketers are tripping over themselves to distance their games from the overt politics they draw upon, The Church in the Darkness unapologetically runs in the opposite direction. Freedom Town isn’t just a facsimile of a political movement, it’s a borderline reenactment that asks players to take its world, and history, seriously.
For whatever visual blemishes show up, or for however far the third act strays, Observation remains a deeply fascinating experience.
The Cinema Rosa presents a fascinating mirror image of its creator and how a vision to create something that feels pure can often collide dramatically with reality.
This is your adventure, your journey as an Arisen, and while it is not free of technical hiccups, the game well and truly earns its reputation as one of the best fantasy games of all time.
Pressure Overdrive is a fun, lighthearted romp of a game.
She Remembered Caterpillars is fun to play but even more enjoyable to bang your head against and although its presentation can feel clumsy at times the feeling the game leaves you with is undeniably beautiful.
Overall, Claybook‘s presentation isn’t bad, it’s just completely ordinary. Which is a brand that Claybook never really elevates itself above
Fans of Travis’ previous adventures may be disappointed by this down-scaling but in reducing the size of his vision, Suda has been able to finally begin adapting it for a modern market.