It Takes Two
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was probably the first game to make me weep. The microwave tunnel. Forcing Snake’s ancient body through a deadly claustrophobic space by mashing the triangle button… it was like sending an old friend to die. But that wasn’t the only thing going on. Split horizontally across the centerof the screen, Snake’s struggle–the gameplay...[Read More]
Outbuddies DX
After spending decades enamored with Super Metroid, it’s constantly puzzling that Nintendo continues to shun one of its staple franchises. The countless times I’ve read the term “Metroidvania” over the past few years in the indie game scene make me wonder why Nintendo hasn’t in some way attempted to rattle the corpse of 2D Metroid games for obvious profit. Holding the...[Read More]
Narita Boy
Players seeking a virtual oasis slathered in the most intricate and bizarre 1980s aesthetics will likely find solace in Narita Boy. Few games have oozed with such reverence from every line of code, like a sweaty cocaine-fueled partygoer dripping sweat from every pore in a club called Technoir. Imagine Grand Theft Auto: Vice City or Hotline Miami. Just without so much bloody violence. Instead, imag...[Read More]
Angry Video Game Nerd I & II Deluxe
The Angry Video Game Nerd is not for everyone. James Rolfe’s abrasive, vulgar, frustrated gamer character has been around for over a decade, lambasting terrible games from the 8-bit era and beyond. I’ve watched the AVGN for years, savoring his directorial talent and ability to make me want to play a truly awful looking game. The character is mostly parody but has spurned a YouTube gene...[Read More]
Immortals Fenyx Rising: Myths of the Eastern Realm
Upon completing Immortals Fenyx Rising: Myths of the Eastern Realm, I wondered if the series would become Ubisoft’s new flagship for taking players across the tomes of history. For so long, Assassin’s Creed has been a grand vessel for taking players on voyages to the past. We’ve seen the Crusades, Ancient Rome, the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and even Atlantis. Wh...[Read More]
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (PS5)
Infuriating or ingenious, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time made its mark last year. The long hiatus of one of PlayStation’s iconic mascots came to a close in 2020 when Toys for Bob developed the fourth “mainline” Crash game. Surprisingly, time was kind to the bandicoot and Toys for Bob showed a great deal of care in remaining faithful to what made the series such a powerh...[Read More]
Sir Lovelot
Sir Lovelot wears inspiration heavily on its sleeve. In less that a few screens players may confuse the titular knight with Meat Boy or Mario. His goal, after all, is the same: find the princess. But Sir Lovelot may just be slightly less noble as his dangerous jaunts across the kingdom consist of bedding a revolving door of potential suitors. To be fair, though, he’s just trying to find true...[Read More]
Yakuza: Like a Dragon (PS5)
Last year, we reviewed Yakuza: Like a Dragon when it splashed onto “next-gen” on the Xbox Series X. After a few months of semi-exclusivity, PlayStation 5 owners can experience Ichiban Kasuga’s bizarre journey with a handful of new features. Personally, I’ve only dabbled a bit in the Yakuza franchise–mainly because of a lack of time–and was slightly fearful of ap...[Read More]
Curse of the Dead Gods
Curse of the Dead Gods‘ labyrinthine temple is an oppressive, hopeless place. Constructed of intricate traps and endless danger, it festers with death. What better place for a dungeon crawler? Through the numerous runs players will conduct to fell the God of Death, PassTech Games’ stab at a roguelike will instill that daunting sense of dread, only to occasionally soothe it with a sense...[Read More]
Hitman 3
Agent 47’s five-year revitalization has come to a head. One of gaming’s apex predators has appeared in some form or another for nearly 20 years. Bald and barcoded, Agent 47 has crafted dastardly assassinations, “accidental” deaths, and painterly murders. The Hitman series has provided players with levels both intimate and expansive to conduct puzzle-like assassinations. IO ...[Read More]
Little Nightmares II
Before players reached Little Nightmares‘ final act, they were forced to guide protagonist Six through one of gaming’s most grotesque chase scenes. A banquet of obese, deformed humans who towered over the yellow raincoat-wearing protagonist caught wind of her and proceeded to ravenously seek her out as the next morsel. Stumbling over plates and food, these “people” reached ...[Read More]
Immortals Fenyx Rising: A New God
Immortals Fenyx Rising is undoubtedly an underrated piece of 2020 gaming. It plucked just enough from Breath of the Wild and the greater pool of Ubisoft ideas to become not a carbon copy but an expansive world packed with action, varying levels of humor, and a celestial labyrinth of Olympian puzzles. Poring over the deep corners of the game, I found myself constantly surprised by the effort the As...[Read More]