Video Game Review – Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight excelled in numerous ways. I really appreciated the aesthetics, crafting an insectoid world unlike anything I’ve seen before. It really helped drive home how alien the creatures in the game were. Yet with subtle squeaks and simple expressions, the team was able to endow them with incredible character and likability. Additionally the combat is strong, providing ample depth from the superficially simple mechanics. However, the map design dragged down my enjoyment. The directionlessness of the experience led to frequent backtracking and repetitiveness, instead of the expected freedom. While this may be a boon to some, it severally hampered my experience.

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Video Game review – Celeste

This game will naturally be remembered for its impressive platforming challenges and welcoming accessibility options (so all may get involved in said challenge), but I hope that when the statute of limitations on spoilers is up, it will also be remembered as an incredible journey into emotional exploration, empathy, and self-compassion. As I say in the review, it was nice to play a game that loved me as much as I loved it.

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Video Game Review – Human Fall Flat

In a year when I tried to play as many indie games as possible, something I had neglected prior to 2017, some incredible titles made the top of my year end list. These were incredible titles that did wonderful things to the medium of video games. Human Fall Flat does not share that distinction. Granted, all of the pieces for something incredible are there, but this is a very shallow experience. Physics-based puzzle platformers have done more interesting things than this (see Grow Up). I know this game has gained some virality for its ostensibly quirky appeal, but there are better avenues for goofing off with your friends.

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Video Game Review – Cuphead

Well, Stephen the part-time blogger

He wanted a new game

By chance he came to a Steam page

And gosh he’s gone insane (Gone Insane!)

And He has played with all his might

As each of his fingers bled

For he will try and he will die

In the game we call Cuphead.

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Video Game Review – Sundered

Sundered is one of the most visually arresting and imaginative games out today. The artistry and scope on display is powerfully unique, indicative of an incredibly vibrant vision. Thunder Lotus had an idea for something amazing, but there are design flaws and technical issues that keep this game from becoming truly great. Still, with the right expectations and tolerance for certain issues, this is a rich title to pick up.

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Video Game Review – Sonic Mania

This is both a greatest hits collection and a fan made love letter to the old school Sonic games. It is a wonderful gem that functions as the best argument for why Sonic was golden in 2D, inadvertently explaining to me why 3D Sonic has had such a hard time. This is the exact kind of game to remind people why Sonic vs. Mario would have ever been a question to begin with.

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Video Game Review – Ratchet and Clank (2016)

This PS4 exclusive harkens back to a time in video game history when purity and fun drove game development. It also reminds us why good writing is so important in video games by showing exactly how awkward a game can be without it.

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Video Game Review – Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection

This is triple pack of Sony’s and Naughty Dog’s legendary series. It comes with: one filthy mess, one monumental improvement, and one really good game.

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Video Game Review – Broforce

A small action platformer with a lot to offer. Taking the macho brutality of action heroism to the EXTREME!! (Yes I was shouting when I typed that). Good fun and laughs for everyone.

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