Games reviewed… eventually
Building mystery and tension is a key component of any story. Without it, it’s all too easy for us, as readers, to give up; after all, if there’s nothing to solve, or to puzzle over, or simply to ponder, why bother reading on? It’s the mark of a great writer to craft that sense of … Continue reading One Night Stand
Sometimes you can get a general sense of what a game might be like from its title, or the first few images you see of it. Other times, well, you get Donut County. I really didn’t know, and nor do I think I could have guessed, what Donut County was about. Donut County (Android, iOS, … Continue reading Donut County
There’s nothing quite like flight in video games. All too often it can feel wrong in the execution, clunky, or awkward. But when being able to simply leap up and fly is one of the core tenets of your game, you’d better hope you get it right. AER: Memories of Old (PC, PS4 [reviewed], Switch, … Continue reading AER: Memories of Old
Bastion was one of my favourite games from its generation. Supergiant’s gorgeous, stunningly scored isometric action-RPG absolutely captured my heart when I played it, and of course Logan Cunningham’s rich narration helped seal the deal. And yet, Transistor has remained unplayed on my PS4 for years. I couldn’t tell you why at all. It’s time … Continue reading Transistor
Where do we draw the line between game and art? The debate is one which seems to attract divided responses, and perhaps one area which doesn’t help that conversation comes in the form of “art games”. Typically these seem to be games where the “game” part plays second fiddle to the “art”, but Bound seems … Continue reading Bound
I have a real soft spot for the hard-boiled grim detective trope in narratives. There’s something almost mystical about that image and its portrayals in games - from the cynical poetry of Max Payne’s dialogue to the jaded ultraviolence of Booker in Bioshock Infinite - tend to result in some of my favourite characters in … Continue reading The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Some games ask deep and meaningful questions about their players. Questions like “How much control do players have?”, and “Is the violence we express in games merely a symptom of our own, inherently cruel human condition?” Abzu shames all of these petty inquiries. Instead, it asks a truly monumental question of us as players. “What … Continue reading Abzu
Look, some days you’ve just got to play a really mad indie game about octopodes and fatherhood, right? Octodad: Dadliest Catch (Android, iOS, PC, PS4 (reviewed), PS Vita, Switch, Xbox One, Wii U) Released Jan 2014 | Developed / Published: Young Horses Genre: Adventure | HLTB: 3 hours Meet Octodad. He’s an octopus who, for … Continue reading Octodad: Dadliest Catch
Kickstarter has a mixed reputation but sometimes it produces a darling. If there’s one thing that strikes my notice from successful Kickstarter games however, it’s that promising a product which tugs at nostalgia seems to be a sure-fire win. Shovel Knight (3DS, PC, PS3, PS4 [reviewed], PS Vita, Switch, Wii U, Xbox One) Released Jun … Continue reading Shovel Knight
There’s something beautiful about a game that you can play and beat in an afternoon. It’s so very refreshing in this era of huge, expansive 100-hour experiences. Furi lasted me a scant few hours one quiet afternoon but in that short time I played a tightly-constructed and fantastically intense game that was an instant hit … Continue reading Furi
The Almighty Backlog 