Graham Banas

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Graham Banas·Nov 15, 2019

Critic80/100

Agreement—

PlayStation VR isn’t hurting for good experiences, but it’s time to throw another on the stack.

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Graham Banas·Oct 10, 2019

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Overall, Habroxia is a neat little arcade title with some cool ideas.

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Graham Banas·Oct 3, 2019

Critic50/100

Agreement—

NHL 20 sees Franchise mode take a welcome step forward, while other areas have either remained the same or actually gone backwards. The new commentary makes it clear that different does not mean better, and all the slick new animations in the world can't hide poor AI. We feel like a broken record saying this, but the NHL series is in sore need of a comprehensive revamp.

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Graham Banas·Sep 26, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Despite its short length, this is still very much a trip worth taking.

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Graham Banas·Aug 13, 2019

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Ancestors Legacy makes a comfortable transition to console, serving up an RTS experience that plays superbly and looks the part. Minor technical issues and a moderately cluttered UI do little to detract from the overall action, which is strong across all of the release's main modes.

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Graham Banas·Aug 1, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

A brief, but memorable experience is at the core of Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot. Downright stunning environments serve as a backdrop to exploring the streets of 80s infused France. Between the solid performance level and the fluid controls, this is Bethesda's best excursion into virtual reality. Given how well the title succeeds at pretty much everything it sets out to do, we hope that this is step one to a fully fledged Wolfenstein VR title down the road.

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Graham Banas·Jun 20, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

While lean on content, Funomena delivers a bite-sized title that offers one of PSVR's more meditative experiences. Extremely relaxing, the title's puzzle, art, and music work in concert to deliver a title that had us smiling from beginning to end. The game has such a warm sincerity that it's nigh impossible to not get swept up in its charm. If you're on the fence, but have PSVR, the recommendation to pick it up is a no brainer.

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Graham Banas·Jun 8, 2019

Critic80/100

Agreement—

If you're a fan of hockey, this is not a game you want to miss. Given how long EA's hockey titles have remained an underwhelming exercise in repetition, the fact that Super Blood Hockey approaches the frozen sport with such creative spark is incredibly refreshing. An oddball genre mashup that blends fighters with hockey even better than NHL Hitz, this is a delight. With a razor sharp sense of humor, and great, concise gameplay, this title manages to sneak an awful lot of quality into a small package, while still allowing room for its goofier moments to breathe.

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Graham Banas·May 23, 2019

Critic20/100

Agreement—

Bubsy: Paws on Fire is a combination of elements that range from merely adequate to frustrating beyond belief. In fact, the best part of the game is often being able to break the rules and cheese your way to victory. With almost zero redeeming qualities to speak of, the only way this game could possibly offer anything of benefit is to Trophy hunters, as there are a fair number of easily unlocked gold trinkets. If that's not something you care about, then steer well clear - it's just not worth it. Despite the shockingly long legacy as a series, surely this time must be the last, right?

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Graham Banas·May 3, 2019

Critic80/100

Agreement—

A charming visual novel about tending a cyberpunk bar, VA-11 HALL-A is a genuinely fantastic title. A focused, neon-drenched art direction, paired with incredible music and razor-sharp writing, the game is great if you're new to, or curious about, visual novels. The writing's deft handling of darker or more taboo subjects makes for a compelling title with a varied cast of characters that each bring something unique.

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Graham Banas·Apr 15, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

FAR: Lone Sails is a lovely title. Remarkable environments and a strong art direction anchor a brief but compelling title. While the puzzles and amount of resources never really hit a point to make anything truly challenging, the resource management loop is more satisfying here than it usually is in more survival-focused titles.

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Graham Banas·Mar 28, 2019

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Clementine and AJ's - and by extension, the player's - story comes to a fitting end here, as the creative efforts of Skybound and Telltale bring the story of the beloved series to its satisfying, largely open-ended conclusion. A plethora of emotional punches, varied and surprisingly engaging gameplay - even if the frame rate chugs - accompany wonderful music and impressive cinematography. Despite a couple of narrative hiccups, with one or two scenes that would have benefitted from some retooling, the conclusion to Telltale's most beloved series is not just good, it's satisfying.