I am very mixed here. I found the writing and performances to be absolutely excellent. The atmosphere was incredible. There are strong gut wrenching moments and even though you can see the ending coming it hits you like a truck.

But the way this story was told was disappointing and there isn't much else going on to substitute that. Most events involve little more than just standing around blankly staring while the characters talk. When interaction is at play its so limited like its almost an after thought. The strongest example is during the car repair scene when the hitman is just staring at the engine. He never interacts with it but eventually just says it's all fixed. Moments like that just took me out.

It's a shame because there is a lot of little touches to appreciate. The hitman has a cold stare but a warm voice that feels very sincere. You can hear his footsteps right behind you as he follows you around the farm, but it still felt like you were walking with a friend. It's a balance between threatening and comforting.

I recommend you play it because that narrative is great. I just wish it had more going on besides that.

Red Dead 2 frankly suffers from a lot of problems. It's gunplay and cover mechanics are archaic issues not new to Rockstar. It's narrative suffers from pacing problems that make the adventure feel bloated. There are mechanics that never feel fully realized and plenty of "should have been cutscene" game design moments. Overall the open world and the main story clash so often that this game shouldn't work.

But it does due to its story, characters and little moments. Arthur Morgan is one of the best written and performed characters in fiction. The setting is elevated by its atmosphere and there is a strong balance between levity and pain. It's a story and world worth exploring at least once. One about being apart of a world that doesn't want you anymore.

Red Dead 2 is a great game that I will never call a masterpiece. But it's a work of art none the less.

Playing Pseudoregalia is like experiencing a lucid dream. Having full function while being mesmerized by the world around you. Absolutely incredible controls, fantastic movement and a beautiful atmosphere. I think the only thing that holds this one back is the combat. If that had been perfected to match the other skill set I think the game would be perfect. But as it stands it's pretty damn close. When it was all over I only had one question....



Why they make the main character so thicc?!

Its destruction mechanics are just incredible and gunplay feels absolutely top notch. But it suffers from severe balance problems across its classes and the content added post launch doesn't feel very substantial.

The use of AI voice acting also just feels icky, and I'll never understand the drive to buy skins for your character when you are playing entirely in first person.

Did I have fun? Absolutely! But right now I don't think this game has the staying power to keep most people's attention.

Seve was a character that kind of took me a minute to get a proper feel for. He's heavier in movement than I expected, but once I spent some time with him I found the controls and gameplay to be really strong. It leans more in the Banjo Kazooie styling, forgoing tight controls for hefty platforming. I don't think it will be everyone's taste but there is a good amount here to experiment with.

Part of me is hesitant to say this, but this might be the best looking N64 style game. I just really loved the way colors complimented each other. Character designs had a timeless feel while being very retro. Humors good and the soundtrack while limited is pretty solid. I don't think any song get better than the Tutorial theme. It's even the one they included in the trailers. It's just a really unique sounding song for the N64 style, at least from what I have played so far.

The main/only real level is pretty great but it is also an example of the games main problem. It's not the length of the game as Kiwi64 showed us you can have a short adventure as long as there is some solid variety. As much as I think the level is iconic and very memorable, it would have worked better to have a few smaller locations rather than one larger stage.

Overall this review sounds like a mixed bag but I think the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Corn Kidz 64 is a strong platformer that I really would love to see a sequel for.

Complimented by melodrama and covered in cheese. The original Devil May Cry has a lot of that Resident Evil DNA baked into it, but there is defiantly enough here to make this a memorable adventure in its own right.

Dante immediately is showcased as a fun character to play as. Taunting, slashing and shooting your way through demons is a cool time. It isn't the most complex feeling game but you get to pull off some really sick moves. On top of that I really enjoyed the gothic atmosphere and some enemy designs are really memorable.

The true threat of this game however isn't the Demon King or his army of goons, it's the camera. I think the camera taunts more than Dante, as at times it didn't want to function and led to some bullshit deaths. I truly think the difficultly of this game comes from its camera more than anything else. One boss in particular sure was a....nightmare. Pun intended for those in the know.

But while that did frustrate me it is hard not to appreciate what is here. It's a strong first outing for a game series that I am sure won't suffer from being wildly inconsistent.

I played about half of the content the game has to offer and had every intention of returning to and finishing it. But as the months go by I find myself increasingly less interested in returning to a game that personifies a hollow pastry. All personality without the satisfaction of a fulfilling dish.

With that I mean I love the presentation. Characters are charming, visuals are nice and the music is peaceful. Locations are relatively diverse and it has a good sense of humor. But its gameplay is bogged down by too many tutorials, boring fetch quests and a limited amount of variety when it comes to property management.

Too be honest I would be willing to stick it out until the end if not for the rather abysmal switch port. It runs horribly and the controls are at best questionable, at worst horrific. I won't accept that a game that looks like this couldn't play/run better on Nintendo's hardware even with its age.

Overall I am disappointed. I think the game maybe strives to do too much and got lost along the way. If I ever give it another try it will be on PC. As for the Switch version it's a classic example to make sure you check the reviews before you book your stay.

Like a thief in the night, "En Garde" will swoop in, steal your heart and vanish in a flash.

The energy feels like a perfect fit for a Saturday morning cartoon, with its charisma and over the top nature. Combat is snappy, quick and begs you to just kick every person you see into whatever hilarious obstacle they happen to be standing next to. Presentation is pretty good overall. Cutscenes are rather stiff and lifeless but the voice actors give it their all and the environments you fight it are great set dressing.

This is a game where I recommend the harder difficulty setting. It feels very tuned for that mode and the more aggressive enemies make them feel really eager to be kicked down the stairs by a strong women. I can't blame them of course.

Overall a pretty solid experience that I just wish was longer. That should be taken equally as a compliment and criticism. If you go into the title knowing that it's short and you want a goofy thrill, then I think you'll really enjoy yourself here.

I came for the Max Payne style gunplay. Stayed for the raw emotional story about abuse and the trauma that comes with it.

I'm incredibly impressed with what is for offer here. The writing, voice acting and visual design all adds a sort of texture to the story. A human tale of one miserable breakup between two people coated in an end of the world style flair. The real shine comes from the impressive camera direction in cutscenes. Most of them take place in the same location but the level of creativity on display make that location feel rich, constantly shifting the tone from safety to suffering.

The gunplay is strong but does have some content pacing problems. New enemies and weapons show up at odd intervals leading to long stretches without anything new to offer. However, due to the short length of the game it's less of a deal breaker and more of a noticeable blemish. The enemies all showcase specific weapon weaknesses, which is good to keep the players switching from old reliable. It's likely not going to be the thing you remember this game for but it is still incredibly entertaining to bullet time dive through a window. Just this time it will involve werewolves in a bathroom.

I really recommend you check this one out. It's another great example that we don't need photorealistic AAA graphics to tell an impactful and moving story.

I'm really bummed that this wasn't the slam dunk experience I was hoping for. It lovingly emulates that SEGA console era feel with its charming visuals. It also has a stellar OST and at times the flow state like movement feels really great. I especially loved the goofiness of being chased by an army of penguin guards. It's a weird title that I did have fun with.

But the controls and stiffness of the character is just miserable at times. Most of the time I didn't feel like a failed jump or pitfall was my fault. It often felt like a complete accident when I pulled off something cool. It's a momentum based platformer that feels too eager in halting your momentum. I also ran into a surprising amount of bugs. Sure that will likely get patched later but that doesn't stop it from ruining my first playthrough impressions now.

It's the first real disappointment of 2024 for me and overall a mixed bag. I think it will end up being a guilty pleasure, but I can't recommend this one with any sort of confidence.

It's not without its flaws but I think Lies of P does a lot right to stand on its own despite its clear inspirations from Bloodborne. Its more linear nature is welcome and its world is one I was interested in seeing. The presentation is top notch, though I think it excels more with the mechanized horror of the puppets over some enemies you see in the later third. Overall sound design is straight 10s across the board. Every hit, block and parry sound just incredible.

I was surprised by the story. Not where it was going but more how well it was told. It's a more straight forward tale from other soulsborne titles. Lovingly taking elements from the original fairy tale and expanding on them. They really play into the bit and if the sequel tease is legit I think we can expect more of that in the future.

Combat is a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. The weapon customization is a mechanic I want to see others adopt. The difficulty curve on the other hand doesn't really prepare you for the late game. I would say it starts off a bit too easy and then just slams you against the wall out of nowhere. There are absolutely fights that feel unfair for the sake of it. But that didn't stop me from running headfirst into them with my giant electric pizza cutter.

Overall I think Lies of P is a really great game and I'd be lying if I said this wasn't worth your time.

At the time of writing Helskate has been released in Early access for about a week and to be honest...it is rough. Placeholder text, missing assets and a fair amount of glitches. Yeah problems are expected in Early Access, but for a $25 USD asking price that is kind of a lot for a game in this current state.

Aside from that while the core experience is fun it is deeply flawed as there is a struggle to meld the Tony Hawk gameplay/controls with the Rogue like combat design. I've enjoyed what I played but the idea of this one feels compromised. Rating it right now feels foolish as there is no telling where this will end up. Studio Phantom Coast has a long way to go before this even remotely reaches its potential.

I'll check in as updates roll out as I'm hoping they can land this one. But I won't be surprised if I come back saying this was a wipeout.

I fell off from cooperative gaming a few years back. I used to have a core group of friends that I really loved to play with. But that situation became super toxic and it led me to avoid playing games with a regular crew. The fun factor was just not there as it didn't feel the same after playing with the same friends for a decade.

Due to all of this I was really apprehensive of Lethal Company. But I'm really glad I gave this a chance as it was the most fun I've ever had with a multiplayer game.

Working, laughing, screaming and cheering here was nothing short of incredible. I really hope the four of us can get together and play more of this soon.