Griffin McElroy

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Oct 20, 2015

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It's hard for me to mask my excitement about Guitar Hero Live, because in my opinion, there's nothing more exciting than a developer who's capable of outsmarting an entire genre's fanbase. Guitar Hero Live isn't just well-executed; it's clever and innovative in ways that no one other than FreeStyleGames ever imagined. My fears that Guitar Hero Live would be wringing blood out of the franchise's stone were unfounded; at some point, FreeStyleGames found itself a newer, better stone altogether.

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Oct 9, 2015

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Rock Band 4 is stripped down to the essentials, but despite its leanness, it's pulled off something encouraging: It's made me want to play Rock Band again, even after the dozens of hours and countless parties I've spent with the series. It isn't Harmonix's boldest or biggest game. But Rock Band 4 lays a foundation for Harmonix to move forward.

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Sep 28, 2015

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The Taken King is the make-good effort Destiny players have been waiting for

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Sep 22, 2015

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Dancing All Night succeeds at more than just Persona charm

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Sep 11, 2015

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Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime can occasionally feel a little too stressful for its own good, but there's something undeniably lovely about its core design. It is, ultimately, an object lesson in dealing with hardships — that even when they grow to be far too much to handle, they can be softened with the support of a patient and cooperative friend.

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Aug 5, 2015

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The occasional technical hiccup aside, Galak-Z is a brilliant take on so many different genres, but it's the game's roguelike innovations that make it soar. Some lesser entries in the genre use permadeath as a blunt tool, wielded to tack some artificial length onto a repetitive slog. Galak-Z is going to kill you back to a season premiere constantly, but not for lack of content — it's part of a laser-focused intent to make Galak-Z as tense and thrilling a game as can possibly be.

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·May 14, 2015

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Not a Hero takes too much work to hit perfect runs

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Mar 17, 2015

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It has a feel that no other game really captures, and a flow that's hypnotic within mere seconds of starting up a new track.

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Mar 9, 2015

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Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is unapologetic, and unforgettable

Polygon

Griffin McElroy·Feb 1, 2015

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IDARB throws a lot of goof spaghetti at the wall, and a shocking amount of it sticks. But its absurdity can, when cranked up to 11, distract from the real joy of the game — its satisfying mechanics and miles-deep strategy.