There are several satisfyingly subversive elements in Shakedown Hawaii, Vblank Entertainment’s second open-world action game. The game’s aging, once-wealthy protagonist once celebrated stagnancy by writing a book entitled, “My Company Runs Itself: I’m at the ...
Read More »Close to the Sun review
With a title that which references Icarus’ ill-fated flight, Close to the Sun is yet another warning of humanity’s hubris. Once more, technology is fashioned without consideration of consequence. The results are expectedly harrowing. Amidst ...
Read More »Gensokyo Defenders (PC) review
Named by Guinness World Records as the most prolific fan-made series in the world, the Touhou universe is nearly as expansive as our own cosmos. Born with the release of 1996’s Highly Responsive to Prayers, the ...
Read More »VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action review
Gaming has an affinity for spectacle, with an output that often seems influenced by Hollywood’s procession of summer blockbusters. If there’s an opportunity to make the explosions bigger, the villains more malevolent, or the scope ...
Read More »Cytus Alpha review
With titles such as Deemo, Superbeat; Xonic, MUSYNC, Voez, Thumper, and Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun!, the Switch has a multitude of rhythm games. Unsurprisingly, there’s some fundamental similarities with each game, with players ...
Read More »Moero Chronicle Hyper review
2014’s Monster Monpiece garnered attention when publisher Idea Factory International was obligated to omit eighteen card images for the stateside and European releases. While some rancorously objected to the edits, this was a necessary evil, as console ...
Read More »Shadow review
For many directors, success can lead to stagnancy. All too often, accomplishment is followed by a push toward reiteration rather than any embrace of divergence. Conversely, failure can push artists to explore new ideas. Across ...
Read More »SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech review
For most developers, sequels are an indispensable part of the business, with follow-ups crafted as long as they are profitable. Only when commercial interest wanes, is something different is usually attempted. But save for 2017’s ...
Read More »Slime Tactics review
The running joke in 2016’s Ambition of the Slimes was that people didn’t take the gelatinous creatures seriously. As soon as someone dismissed the diminutive little creatures, they’d be attacked and subsequently turned into a ...
Read More »Jupiter & Mars review
Gaming habitually centers around escapism. When dealing with the inventory of stressors that contemporary life tosses at us, we often need a reprieve. But when the medium is almost exclusively about overcoming issues that are ...
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