Gurn
2016
Imagine editing a spreadsheet in night mode while listening to the most epic music you've heard in your life.
A bizarrely relaxing work simulator and a humorous exercise in environmental storytelling. This is a good one for chilling out while listening to a podcast or an audio book or whatever.
2007
It's a robust and polished first-person shooter with an excellent multiplayer component, sure, but—these virtues notwithstanding—I find myself inexplicably enamoured with the original Halo trilogy because of its goofy-ass story, which this third entry concludes magnificently. There's something epic (in both a traditional and a 2007 sense of the word) about fending off the alien hordes as Master Chief, humanity's last hope. It's shamelessly puerile power fantasy stuff and I love it.
1997
The ideas in this game are crazy cool. I love the fantastical sci-fi post-post-apocalypse of Fallout, and the visual irony of a retrofuturistic utopia buried amid the rubble of a nuclear wasteland, swept aside as new nations build houses of adobe brick to hide from the mutant scorpions outside.
That said, Fallout is not a perfect game; there are some real character viability issues (it's easy to build a character that will manage well enough during the early/mid game but become useless towards the end) and the UI is straight up clunky. I truly think this is a fantastic title that still holds up in a lot of ways, but you have to accept it for what it is and don't be ashamed to follow a guide if you get stuck.
That said, Fallout is not a perfect game; there are some real character viability issues (it's easy to build a character that will manage well enough during the early/mid game but become useless towards the end) and the UI is straight up clunky. I truly think this is a fantastic title that still holds up in a lot of ways, but you have to accept it for what it is and don't be ashamed to follow a guide if you get stuck.
2020
Vibes. I'm not sure if I'll ever come back to complete the whole thing (for such a simple concept there is a lot of it) but I really enjoyed inhabiting Venineth's stark alien worlds. Put some headphones on, play without distraction and let it hold your attention for a while. It's rather meditative.
1997
The feature-length of Star Fox 64 means that you can sit down with it, get a full experience in a couple of hours—a bit like playing an action movie. It's a cool idea, and there's quite of bit of replay value to be had finding all the secret levels, getting the alternate ending, and so on. Good fun!
2018
Neat little indie; novel idea, charming presentation. Worth the short amount of time it takes to complete.
2015
There's some stuff here that I really appreciate (the robust weapon customization and settlement building feel very appropriate for Fallout) but they neutered the dialogue system and, furthermore, it frustrates me how little roleplay there is in this supposed roleplaying game.
2019
No other game has allowed me to explore its narrative in a such a personal way. I loved piecing together the mystery of Outer Wilds and found the experience to be ultimately quite affecting.
A bit forgettable to be honest. A solid, no-thrills platformer that I'll likely never revisit.
2015
A joyous little experience that doesn't overstay its welcome. The climbing mechanic feels wonderfully tactile when using a controller.
1996
Not only did Super Mario 64 set the template for 3D platforming—it's also a really solid game. Charming presentation, tight controls, plenty to do. The camera can feel jarring but it's amazing how much they got right first time.
2019
There's a concise and creative third person action shooter at the core of this game, and then there's some other stuff that may or may not float your boat. I'm not sure if the bordering-on-pretentious narrative presentation worked for me, especially since it's sometimes at odds with the pacy action gameplay. Nevertheless, Control's oddities and failures were interesting to experience.
2016
A deeply satisfying game about problem solving and genocide. I love the murky pre-rendered aesthetic and foreboding soundtrack. The factory must grow.
Despite moments of enjoyment, I couldn't get over how disrespectful of my time this game was. It felt like I was being intentionally frustrated so as to drive me towards the prominent in-game store, where XP boosters and legendary weapons can be bought for real money.