Spiritfarer
We all need someone to ferry us through the journey of life. Whether a loved one, a mentor, family, friends, or some other divined presence, guidance can help us through countless perils. From birth we are held, carried. Hopefully throughout the years, we won’t have to carry ourselves for the whole exhausting voyage of existence. But what happens after death? Do we have souls? Do our spirits...[Read More]
Othercide
Bathed in grey tones, stark blacks and whites, and pungent splashes of red, Othercide is a remarkable feast for the eyes. Its visual palette will burrow into the memory for years to come, a game that looks so distinct. I was afraid that, unlike its Gothic appeal, Othercide‘s gameplay would flounder under the weight of an unmatched aesthetic promise. Surely something this stylish couldn’...[Read More]
Neon Abyss
Neon Abyss works exceptionally well, despite a number of important flaws that would otherwise dull similar games in its vein. When crafting a roguelike, developers must rely on that careful balance of frustration and joy doled out by the Random Number Generator Gods. At any point, a run through a cave or laboratory or dungeon dance club can go flawlessly. Through sheer force of luck a player might...[Read More]
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
Increasingly I have become convinced that the massive stable of games set in the daunting Warhammer 40,000 universe are meant as entry points for people to begin scooping up any other media the name appears on. After playing Warhammer: Chaosbane I felt no more knowledgeable about the world than I really did before. After all, how are demons and priests stomping around in the same universe and time...[Read More]
Ghost Recon Breakpoint Update Brings AI Teammates and New Live Event
Each time I write about Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, a strangely protective feeling washes over me. As flawed as the release may have been for some, Breakpoint has received that special Ubisoft treatment where minor and major improvements have only served to make the game even better than its initial promise. The Terminator came to Breakpoint earlier this year, bringing a fun event t...[Read More]
Disintegration
Disintegration succeeds where it counts. Developer V1 Interactive set out to make an FPS/RTS hybrid and does so with surprising efficiency. But further and further into the game, it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore the rough edges that weaken what could have been a fairly exceptional package. Players fulfill their first-person shooter dreams by taking on the role of Romer Shoal, a former c...[Read More]
Trackmania
Few racing games are as simple in execution as Trackmania. Abandoning the complexities and realistic slant of simulators like Gran Turismo or Forza and stripped of the wild mechanics of arcade racers like Need for Speed or Mario Kart, Trackmania primarily wants players to go fast. And faster. And faster. On PC, I can play Trackmania with one hand. My fingers on the WASD keys turn the sleek car, pr...[Read More]
Those Who Remain
Over the course of Those Who Remain, the player should feel a strong bond with lead character Edward. His dialog often acts as a sort of catharsis for players, his words expressing similar thoughts racing through players’ heads. Many play horror games to be swept up in tense, fearful situations and allow a rush of adrenaline to spike them through breathless chases and eerie moments. A lead c...[Read More]
The Last of Us Part II
The Last of Us Part II does not need to exist. Naughty Dog’s masterpiece serves as a generational culmination and capstone, exposing players to profound storytelling only possible through this interactive medium. In the years since, The Last of Us has been dissected and revered, achieving universal acclaim and reverence for its accomplishments. By all accounts, it is a special game. Not perf...[Read More]
JBL Quantum 800 Wireless Headset
Tuning out the world. It’s something I often do when playing games. Theme music plays, press the start button, begin a journey into a new place that isn’t your own existence. This blissful form of escapism is possible with other forms of media but none resonate with me like gaming. Not only can you play games–see the movements of your fingers translated into movements on the scre...[Read More]
Huntdown
Huntdown‘s near-impeccable distillation of classic arcade shooting is a thunderous endorsement of a seemingly bygone era, one where raw skill was often only matched with the amount of quarters lining your pocket. Its 16-bit shooting style mimics what a player might find in Contra or an odd gem like Blizzard’s Blackthorne. The game is drenched in the 80s overtones of the best dystopian,...[Read More]
Trackmania Preview
Being only a casual fan of racing games, I’m very much new to the Trackmania series. Despite several installments being released since 2003, none of them have ever come up on my radar, which might be due to the fact that they are primarily PC games. If I’m going to be behind the wheel of a virtual vehicle, it’s usually on the run from cops in Need for Speed or tearing up the pave...[Read More]