Style, flair and challenge are at the core of this near future dystopian sports adventure. Keeping momentum while handling all manners of dangerous threats will get your adrenaline pumping up to the final shot you take each round.

It's one of those games that offers a lot of replay value to those looking for a test of skill, especially in its more difficult unlockable campaign.

If Mad Max meets Tony Hawk sounds even remotely interesting to you then absolutely check this one out.

Interesting to see that the SteamWorld Franchise came from such humble beginnings. The aesthetic is charming and digging your own personal maze underground are stand outs. I found moving through the dirt, avoiding obstacles and finding new upgrades to be very compelling. Death was maybe a little too forgiving at times but it all services a really strong progression system.

Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of its ending. It almost undermines the simple nature of the title with an awkward final reveal and ending cutscene. I don't think it properly set up what it was going for.

Despite that this is a tightly made and short journey into the depths of an old west mining town run by robots. I think that fun idea alone is worth a playthrough.

It's impressive that by the end of this adventure the actual gunbrella weapon feels as iconic and memorable as it does. With its unique movement mechanics I had a blast making my way through this steampunk x occult setting.

Visually I would honestly call the game a looker. it's a lot of muted colors but the art team was able to provide a real unique style to a game that at a glance looks rather familiar. I was really impressed every time I entered a new area.

The narrative unfortunately while super compelling at times, is a little mixed overall. I really liked the amount of character work and lore that went into the setting, but parts of its supernatural plotline kind of fall flat. Its main villain also kind of drops the ball in the end with a final boss that felt like kind of a let down.

Even with its woes I really do think Devolver Digital showcased another winner here. I hope Studio Doinksoft bring us back to this world in a sequel. I only see room for improvement if there is one.

The concept of taking a beloved children's property and twisting it isn't anything new. But what I think makes My Friendly Neighborhood more appealing than games like FNAF and Bendy is the earnestness and love for what inspires it.

You might be surprised that the combination of Sesame Street meets Resident Evil doesn't show a cynical nature for the entertainment industry it satirizes. From its inclusion of Arlo to its more tender moments with its original characters there is a clear respect that shows this was made by fans.

While it's not the scariest game it also showcases strong elements of the horror genre. Its studio backlot setting contributes to this feeling by being just as much iconic as any mansion or castle. This especially when looking at its interconnected layout and a strong focus on puzzles.

If any of this sounds appealing to you I implore you to give the neighborhood a visit.

I am so happy to report that if this is indeed the end of the Norse Saga it ends with a triumph.

It perfectly builds off of the impressive character work from the last few years while simultaneously providing further depth to the Greek Saga. Valhalla is a masterstroke in Santa Monica's Portfolio, it is a showcase of Christopher Judge's acting talent and a worthwhile challenge that takes full advantage of the combat framework.

And they gave it to us for fucking free.

I really wasn't expecting to get emotional playing this game, but I fell in love with it. Its characters and narrative brought me to such a vulnerable place. Reminding me of all the adventures I used to have and how growing up can be so challenging.

The game is funny, intelligent and filled with charm. Even after reaching 100% I just wandered around interacting with each character I met along the way. I just wasn't ready to say goodbye.

I'm floored with so many feelings that confirm that this is not only an incredible game, but one of my new all time favorites.

Hell Pie asks the question...."What if metal fans made a 3D Platformer?!"

I think the answer is that it mostly succeeds at being a really great time. While tolerance for its sense of fecal humor will absolutely vary, this game sports excellent movement that feels really responsive with its unique twist on grappling.

Its important to note I did run into a fair amount of bugs. Nothing game breaking but defiantly got in the way of my enjoyment at times. If your a fan of 3D platformers, or the band "Electric Callboys" I would consider this game a treat.

With a controversial creator, a struggling movie spin-off and a miserable Broadway production it becomes very easy to question ones love for the Wizarding World. Now here comes Hogwarts Legacy. While it absolutely feels late to the party it is here to try and live up to the expectations of those asking for it over the last decade. Consider me surprised that a title that released to such thunderous controversy is actually one of the most creatively bankrupt games of 2023.

It is hard not to compare what is here to Rockstar's "Bully" as it is the gold star example of how to properly do a school time setting. Balancing open world activities on a living schedule while providing incentives through gameplay bonuses for attending classes. Rather than work off of that already excellent concept we have an adventure that provides you with a long and tedious checklist of tasks that will keep you busy, but not entertained.

This is because there is a strong artificial presence while traversing Hogwarts and its surrounding region. It feels less like you are exploring the lived in world from the famed books/movies, and more like you are walking the halls of a diorama. Don't get me wrong it looks rather nice and the first time you see your house common room is a real treat. But interacting with students isn't possible. The same looped animation and sound effects repeat throughout the halls. The entire map is filled with these scroll collectibles that further make the world feel like we are on some guided tour through a museum. That outside region of Hogwarts could have been any generic fantasy setting because there isn't anything out there to truly make it feel worth exploring. It's really dull.

That same dullness is in the story as well. There are so many unremarkable and undeveloped characters in this adventure. Only a handful of the side quests feel worth your time and the main plot absolutely has a pacing problem. I think this issue stems from the fact that the game is clearly trying to have its cake and eat it too. Trying to simultaneously tell an original story while also trying to provide all the moments potter heads have wanted to experience in their dream scenario. It is a struggle to get through.

It's also pretty buggy. You're mileage may vary but there were certainly some standout bugs in my playthrough and there were two that really got to me. One where I died as I was killing a boss. Rather than giving me a game over my lifeless body just laid there and my character continued to speak as if his legs still worked. The other was a really horrible audio issue that triggered in the final boss room. Absolute tone killer and left me with a headache.

Finally combat, which is just fine I guess. It never amounts to more than just spamming your abilities on cooldown but I would be lying if I said I didn't find some moves to be pretty satisfying. I actually think some of the bugs contributed to my enjoyment in the combat as there were some hilarious glitched enemy deaths.

Honestly the most annoying thing is me explaining why I have this game marked as Abandoned and not Complete. I beat the main story. I got a "congrats" screen. But I only got 33% of the content done and I gave up on completing the final main quest as it required me to level up 8 more times just to watch a cutscene trigger. Yeah, no thanks. I don't own this game, I borrowed it from my brother and would rather get this returned to him so I could play literally anything else.

I'm not shocked this game sucks. I was planning on rating it a little bit higher but in the process of writing my thoughts out I settled on the conclusion that this game is bad and you shouldn't play it. The Wizarding World IP will need to try a bit harder next time as this adventure suffers from a surprising lack of magic.

TLDR: Much like J.K. Rowling's Disgusting rhetoric, this adventure feels uninspired.