Subnautica: Below Zero Review
When first released into the wild, Subnautica took the survival genre by storm, offering a unique take that both dazzled and amazed. Between its deceiving simplicity to its beautiful nautical world, 2014’s Subnautica was instantly a cult classic. Fast forward to 2021, and Subnautica: Below Zero breaches through the surface to deliver another wonderfully thrilling adventure. Jumping into the role o...[Read More]
Immortals Fenyx Rising: The Lost Gods
The Lost Gods does one of the more admirable feats I’ve seen a piece of DLC accomplish in recent memory. Immortals Fenyx Rising has felt like experimental ground for Ubisoft ever since I played the game last December. As a Breath of the Wild-like, it hit the right notes while fitting nicely into the Ubisoft mold of open world games. The first DLC, A New God, integrated the base game’s ...[Read More]
Godstrike
Games like Godstrike are akin to mathematical puzzles. There’s a certain logic, a science behind the programming of the hundreds of balls of energy that encircle and threaten to harm the player. The fractal patterns of bullets spewing from a boss construct the constantly tantalizing bullet hells that delight the most masochistic. Being poor at math and, sometimes, pattern recognition, the ge...[Read More]
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]
DARQ: Complete Edition Review
The space for indie puzzle games is incredibly tight. Not only do puzzle games need to iterate continually to achieve any sort of recognition, but they need to throw in unique flair to stand out from the bunch. Enter Darq, a gothic-horror style 2.5D puzzler that manages to straddle the line of familiarity and uniqueness. From an unsettling art style to mind-bending puzzles, Darq knows exactly what...[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]
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]
Blue Fire Review
Sometimes a game can be torn apart by competing systems. Blue Fire by no means is a bad game; in fact, its platforming is some of the most fun platforming I’ve played on the Switch when it comes to indie titles. What bogs it down are the various other mechanics thrown in that seem to detract from an otherwise enjoyable experience. Borrowing mechanics from games like Dark Souls, Blue Fire tends to ...[Read More]