Vincent Ternida

“1998 The Toll Keeper Story is a compelling narrative simulator that invites players to experience the grounded struggles of an ordinary citizen caught in extraordinary circumstances. With its thoughtful premise and morally driven gameplay, the title delivers a relevant message through the lens of personal survival and societal pressure. In a time when global political tensions continue to rise, 1998 The Toll Keeper Story offers a timely reflection on civil unrest and the human cost of systemic instability. GameChanger Studio has crafted an evocative experience, one that makes you think after you've put the title down.”

“The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition is the ultimate way to experience The Outer Worlds, both as a first-time player or someone who’s re-discovering the game. The added quality-of-life features, such as improved performance and load times, don’t interrupt momentum and allow you to experience the game at its absolute best. That said, there are still concrete issues plaguing The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition as of this writing, so it remains to be seen when these can be addressed. Despite all of the good things that can be said, it is hard to fully recommend a purchase right now until the issues have been resolved.”

“Vanaris Tactics is a solid strategy RPG that’s a little too straightforward for its own good. It delivers a technically sound strategy RPG that can easily onboard any long-time fan to the experience. It is easy to the point of being cozy, and that may not resonate with enthusiasts of the genre. It’s a quick, fast experience for those who want a game to complete. However, for those looking for a longer strategy RPG that tests their mettle, Vanaris Tactics may probably be inadequate. I do look forward to what Mattheus Reis and his team make in the future, as Vanaris Tactics is a solid, albeit straightforward, experience.”

“OlliOlli World: VOID Riders adds a ton of value to the base game with a new technique, new cosmetics, and new backbreaking challenges to keep you playing. It makes an amazing game even better, with the caveat of getting good if you want to enjoy the elite rewards. VOID Riders is a great expansion that adds more of what made OlliOlli World an already fantastic experience, and that’s definitely not a bad thing in our book.”

“There’s a lot of enjoyment to be had with Metal Max Xeno Reborn in the long run, but it’ll take a long while before you get there. The moment you’ve established your base of operations, recruited all your survivors, and maxed out your tanks, there’s a real cathartic way that the post-apocalyptic world of Dystokyo comes to life with its intense bounty hunting and fetch quests. However, the game terribly suffers in its early to mid-game, which can be a bit of a disappointment due to its rushed tutorials and unforgiving difficulty spikes. As a longtime JRPG fan, it really reminds me of old-school JRPGs that had a bit of jank but had their unique charm. As with classic JRPGs, it also comes with its quirks that make the game frustrating, especially when starting out and getting lost in the process. It gets better in the endgame if you last that long.”

“Personally, I appreciated A Place For The Unwilling due to its atmosphere and unique way of interacting with the world. The title really makes you feel the alienation and awkwardness of being a stranger in a strange land, while always having you be on your toes for an unseen danger. However, from a gameplay perspective, it is marred with inconsistencies that rob the game of its enjoyment.”

“The Legend of Tianding hands down is one of my favorite indie action/adventure games for the year. It is a tried and tested concept improved by a fresh Taiwanese perspective usually dominated by Western and Japanese influences. You have likable heroes, fun gameplay mechanics, and a quasi-open world to explore and challenge, making it well worth the price of admission and then some.”

“While I honestly enjoyed the concept, Jessika is quite a difficult one to recommend without many caveats. There are many ways the game is totally innovative, but also it has some issues with accessibility, especially if you’re playing it on the Nintendo Switch. The biggest issue Jessika has is that the content is not for everybody, especially if you’re the type of player who’s easily disturbed as they don’t pull any punches with how the character delivers some of her speech.”

“There is an audience for The Long Gate and unfortunately, I’m not it, and unless you have an engineering background or enjoy this specific type of puzzle game, it’s a hard sell for the mainstream audience. It’s not a bad game and there’s a lot to appreciate in this puzzler, but appreciation doesn’t necessarily lead to enjoyment.”

“I really liked this game from the get-go, but I slowly became confused with the puzzle-solving aspect and hoped that there was more to it than what was presented. The soundtrack is great and having a fully visual story that could tug at the heartstrings really made the game shine. Sadly, some backstory and some context could’ve been provided with some text and would not completely take away from the emotional experience.”

“I commend Neil Jones for his passion project and providing us with a unique experience with this free-running game, and I fully support his vision. While the game is a bit light on gameplay, the soundtrack to it is the icing on the cake and I would most definitely recommend buying it and supporting his composer Daniel Wilkins as well. As for the game, it’s an accessible experience that could be easily picked up and once you complete it, harder difficulties could be unlocked for some speedrunning options.”