Henry Viola

“Bounty Star is a title of interesting ideas that never fully realizes any of them. The narrative foundation is strong, the setting is unique, and the ambition to blend mech warfare with homestead management deserves praise. But the execution fumbles with its overly repetitive design and shallow systems.”

“Nixxes and Guerilla Games have made an already beautiful game even better. If you haven't yet experienced the origin of Aloy's story, then do yourself a favor and play Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered!”

“The Until Dawn remake is a bit of a mixed bag overall. While it breathes new life into a beloved horror classic, offering a revamped experience, it also loses sight of some of what made the original so special. It's a splendid upgrade in some areas and a massive downgrade in others. Find out for yourself if you can stomach the horrific asking price.”

“I commend Enotria: The Last Song for trying to do something different in an oversaturated gamespace, but it just doesn't quite hit the mark. This game needed a lot more time in the oven before being released, but nowadays it's the norm to ship out incomplete messes for a full price anyways right, so what's new?”

“Reynatis is close to a master at one trade, with its unique and refreshing combat system. But there's too many other pieces that drag the overall presentation down, especially with its outdated graphics, poor Switch performance, awkward camera angles, and high price tag. However, even through all its minor to glaring flaws, and believe me there are many, it's an adventure I find myself looking fondly back on the things it does well.”

“Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown doesn't break the mold of any other generic racing simulator, which isn't inherently a bad thing. It definitely scratches the itch of purchasing cool cars, racing them, upgrading them, and customizing them. The backdrop of Hong Kong Island is beautiful, but the overall visual fidelity here is lackluster and disappointing, especially in 2024. The progression wipe and constant server issues along with other technical bugs are unacceptable though, so I suggest waiting for a sale or more patches to polish out the experience.”

“Despite its incredible art direction and pixelated visuals, The Last Faith fails to encapsulate what makes its inspirations so brilliant. The plethora of poor and frustrating game mechanics and design choices, combined with technical performance issues and lack of accessibility options, makes this one of my biggest gaming disappointments of the year.”

“Achilles: Legends Untold is a serviceable indie Soulslike experience with an isometric camera angle that doesn't introduce anything revolutionary. Don't be fooled by the Diablo-esque visual style either, because this is not a dungeon crawling looter. There's no doubt that the game is in a much better state than it was in Early Access, but it still suffers from some core issues with its gameplay mechanics.”

“At the end of the day, I ask myself these questions about Quantum Error given the many genres it is trying to tackle. As a shooter game, is it fun? No. As a horror game, is it scary? Nope. As a firefighter simulator, is it cool? Sometimes I guess. Would I recommend this title as a full priced 60 dollar game? Never. TeamKill Media has done a commendable job being only a team of 4 to come up with something this massive and ambitious. However, this is another sad case of biting off more than you could chew. This might be up your alley if you're into janky, B-movie messes.”

“I believe that FuRyu laid down a solid foundation here with Crymachina. The narrative is there, the characters are there, the gameplay is there, but the nuts and bolts that glue all of them together aren't. This isn't to say the overall game isn't fun, but it could have been so much better. The game's overall gameplay loop is simply monotonous and dull. It boils down to sitting through mandatory dialogue sections and then running through a dungeon with one to two mandatory battles, and then fighting the boss. The concept of gaining humanity and questioning the whole concept of what it means to be human is a heavy and melancholic theme. I just wish it was delivered in a smoother manner. Even the naming of the game makes sense. Can machines even cry? If you're into the whole mechanical girls fighting robots and trying to save humanity thing, then there might be something here for you.”

“Fate/Samurai Remnant makes a worthwhile addition to the Fate series, as it expertly intertwines Musou-style combat with a unique historical backdrop all to tell a twisted take on the Holy Grail War. Those who are fans of the franchise are sure to enjoy its narrative rich dialogue and colorful cast of characters, but those just looking to jump into the action might find this experience a bit of a slow-burn.”

“Green Hell VR on the PlayStation VR2 is a competent and immersive survival simulator set in the gorgeous but deadly Amazon forest. It's a downright shame that this version is just a copy-pasted port of the Meta Quest version, and doesn't include many of the complex features that the PC VR version contains. Nonetheless, the game is a worthwhile hardcore experience for those who have never played any version of Green Hell before. For anyone who has, it's a tough sell. All I can say is, what a missed opportunity to take this game to new heights.”

“It's amazing to see such a passionate debut title from Studio Sai. Eternights elegantly blends in addicting and engaging action combat with dating mechanics while providing beautiful visuals and excellent voice acting. I can't wait to see what's next from this small team of developers.”

“Rockstar's port of Red Dead Redemption on the Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch provides an opportunity for both newcomers and fans alike to experience one of gaming's most memorable adventures once again. While there are some improvements to the visuals and performance, remnants of the game's age still bleed through. If you can look past the outrageous price tag and some cut content, then your journey back to the Wild West is definitely one worth taking.”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie serves as the grand conclusion to the Crossbell and Cold Steel story arcs, tying up loose ends with an all-star crossover cast of characters. It does very little to catch new players up to speed with the narrative and context, and ultimately is not a good place to start for newcomers. However, Reverie features an incredibly in-depth gameplay experience to keep even the most hardcore of fans engaged for hours on end.”

“Trepang Studios knew exactly what type of game they were trying to make from the start, and they more than succeeded in doing so. Despite a few technical hiccups, Trepang2 is an absolute banger from start to finish, providing exquisite gunplay and an intricate narrative. If you're looking for an adrenaline-fueled and horror-inducing shooter that keeps you on the edge of your seat, look no further because Trepang2 has got it all.”

“Fans can only dream and hope that Bandai Namco will one day create a brand new game in the Katamari franchise, but for now, modern remasters and ports of the original games will do. We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie remains one of the most inventive and quirky games that I have ever played, with its meta-narrative premise, wildly addicting gameplay loop, and incredibly wacky soundtrack.”

“If you can look past the many shortcomings of this imperfect game, then there's an experience here that contains some truly profound and meaningful messages. The unique take on traditional turn-based combat, the emotionally dark narrative, and the excellent musical soundtrack are the true rewards beneath poor dungeon design, an unimaginative causality link mechanic, and unclear objectives. The Caligula Effect: Overdose is a charming and worthwhile albeit niche JRPG as long as you go in with the correct expectations, given the game's low budget. Just know that this 2023 PS5 native port of the game adds absolutely nothing new to the 2019 PS4 version.”