Graham Banas

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Graham Banas·Dec 28, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

On PS4, the release took the approach of being good at a great deal of things and spectacular at none, and this remains true. Each positive is balanced out by a negative. The primary antagonist is phenomenal, but she is underutilised. The game is stunning to behold, but frame hitches are common – especially on the 4K option. The combat is exhilarating, but the jumping and sliding puzzles leave a lot to be desired. The end result is an experience that is decent at just about everything, and easy to recommend. But as good as Fallen Order may be, if you look backwards in time, it’s not difficult to find superior Star Wars experiences.

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Graham Banas·Nov 28, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

In fact, the only area where it lets itself down is the UI. Games that use a cursor on console are starting on the back foot to begin with, but navigating what you can interact with is a particular nuisance in Norco. The cursor is fond of resetting, so you have to drag it all the way across the screen often, it's very easy to accidentally repeat dialogue choices, and sometimes it takes a few tries to hover over something before the interaction prompt actually shows up. Apart from this, the game offers a rich, fulfilling experience that you should try to experience as soon as you possibly can.

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Graham Banas·Nov 1, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

All of these unique ideas being presented with updated graphics, performance, and music provide one of the best brick-breaking experiences we've ever had. Between a surprising amount of content and the willingness to try new things and be creative, if you like brick-breakers, this is not one to miss.

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Graham Banas·Oct 23, 2022

Critic50/100

Agreement—

It's staggering how little has been done with NHL 23 to differentiate it from last year's edition. Bugs that should have long ago been quashed remain, Be A Pro continues to be littered with spelling errors and conversations that make no sense, retirement and championship banners in arenas are as far behind as half a decade, and the list goes on. Despite all that, women being integrated into HUT and desperation plays are welcome improvements, as is the overhaul of rink atmosphere. Ultimately, while NHL 23 isn't a step backward per se, the move forward is so small, so minuscule, that it may as well not have moved at all.

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Graham Banas·Oct 14, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

This malleable gameplay is the crown jewel on what would otherwise have been an average exploration-adventure title. The presentation is excellent, and the colour palette is vibrant and exciting, but the moments where you have to figure out how to build something are the moments sure to stick with you.

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Graham Banas·Oct 5, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

All in all, the title jams a surprising amount of content into a reasonably priced package, while offering a satisfyingly silly experience worthy of your time.

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Graham Banas·Sep 26, 2022

Critic50/100

Agreement—

So is this an improvement over the original version of the remake? Absolutely. Tower Five seems to have done its best to re-work the experience without completely starting over, but it could only take it so far. This is one remake we really don't need.

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Graham Banas·Sep 19, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Ultimately, you have a game with one masterfully designed core element — the rhythm gunplay — surrounded by a number of elements that, while not terrible, are mediocre at best.

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Graham Banas·Sep 19, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Isonzo is a decent game. Solid in many areas, but never one to show off, the title delivers a good gameplay core, and offers it up at a reasonable price. Performance problems aside, good gunplay and interesting maps are enough to make the experience worth it, at least in the short term. A campaign or a large pool of maps could certainly enhance the value of the title, but even without it, you have a lean, satisfying experience that will be especially appealing to anyone with an interest in the First World War.

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Graham Banas·Sep 14, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Disney Dreamlight Valley is delightful. The title is a brilliant life sim sandbox that already has a staggering amount of content, and has already begun outlining what comes next. If Gameloft plays its cards right, this game could be a mainstay on many people's consoles for years. Thousands of Disney-themed items and a robust construction mode pair with all the traditional life sim trappings executed at a high level to create a surprisingly excellent experience. Whether you want to completely redesign your town or just go fishing with Mickey, the game has everything in place to ensure you get the most out of your experience. A slew of camera bugs and the odd crash stand out as early access hiccups, and the framework for an extensive microtransaction economy is a red flag, but this isn't enough to stand in the way of having a lovely time.

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Graham Banas·Aug 18, 2022

Critic80/100

Agreement—

The game nails just about everything it sets out to do. The pixelated graphics are vibrant and varied, the writing is witty and macabre, and the music is fantastic – albeit repetitive. All aspects of the title come together harmoniously, creating an unexpectedly fun and funny roguelike with a refreshingly unique premise.

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Graham Banas·Aug 17, 2022

Critic70/100

Agreement—

We Are OFK is an incredibly well-written game that stretches the boundaries of the medium. There's not a lot of traditional gameplay, but the characters are so well-realised and the writing so strong that even though there's not much for you to do during each of the episodes, the act of being there and listening remains highly engaging. Between the strong art and soundtrack, there's a lot to like, even if there's not a lot to play.

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Graham Banas·Aug 16, 2022

Critic30/100

Agreement—

The end result is a small-scale game with lofty aspirations that miss the mark. Stealing specials is great, but everything surrounding that is unimpressive.

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Graham Banas·Jul 31, 2022

Critic100/100

Agreement—

All in all, What Remains of Edith Finch is an incredible game, made just that much better thanks to the improvements afforded by the PS5. It is every bit the classic now that it was in 2017, and remains an absolute must-play.

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Graham Banas·Jul 25, 2022

Critic60/100

Agreement—

While you shouldn’t expect it to linger in the mind to the same degree as comparable titles like Home, Seduction: A Monk’s Fate offers a one-sitting experience at a reasonable price, while getting just enough right to make it worth the low price of entry.