Stephen Tailby

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Aug 28, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Overall, Sea of Stars is immensely enjoyable from start to finish. While it's been inspired by various classic RPGs, it sets itself apart with an engaging story, some brilliant characters, and surprisingly deep lore. On top of that, the combat is great fun thanks to its involving, strategic mechanics, and exploring the gorgeous pixelated world is rewarding. It isn't perfect, but it overcomes any flaws with its charming presentation, a world ripe with things to see and do, and no shortage of personality.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Aug 24, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

It's a very concise game with a laser focus on its core idea. Framing the action with lo-fi presentation and a daft plot about the black army defecting to the white kingdom, it feels like a forgotten 90s PC game. To that point, there's not much to it beyond the main mode, though there are extras for clearing it — Endless mode is self-explanatory while Chase mode is a interesting take on survival. It's a tight-knit package that, while repetitive in the end, succeeds with its less-is-more approach.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Aug 22, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Immortals of Aveum presents us with an interesting new fantasy universe in which magic replaces bullets, but in practice it doesn't quite hit the mark. Despite solid fundamental action, combat can quickly become difficult to read, devolving into a dizzying swirl of colourful effects. Solid presentation and performance lead to some visually arresting scenes, even if the story isn't particularly memorable. It's a good first effort from Ascendant Studios, and the potential is absolutely there, but there's a feeling that the team bit off a little more than it could chew.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Aug 11, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

If you're after more Overcooked-like co-op fun, Moving Out 2 is a great option. Its colourful presentation, cheeky humour, and increasingly madcap levels combine for a successful follow-up.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Jul 17, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Having said that, some of the puzzle design here is excellent, and the core idea is strong enough to easily keep you going throughout. Setting aside the narrative, which is pretty forgettable, this is a largely impressive, compelling puzzle game with a truly unique gameplay hook.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Jul 1, 2023

Critic90/100

Agreement—

Rogue Legacy 2 is an excellent sequel that takes the compelling magic of the original and throws the kitchen sink at it. It more than lives up to its own legacy with smart additions to the formula and an incredible amount of variety. Unlocking meaningful upgrades and discovering the deep layers of gameplay keep it fresh dozens of hours in. Once you get past the tidal wave of mechanics and information thrown at you, it stands among the best rogue-likes and -lites available.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Jun 27, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

After more than 10 years, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective resurrects on relevant platforms. Fortunately, it's always been a great game, with some intriguing puzzles, a unique premise, and a mystery that builds and builds right to the very end. Fans of point-n'-click adventures, visual novels, or both should absolutely give it a look, and if you've played it before, this is the definitive version. It's a cult hit that's been granted a second chance at life, and deservedly so.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Jun 1, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Despite our complaints, though, Killer Frequency is lifted by its daft charm. It's an intriguing, unorthodox murder mystery that fans of narrative-driven games will certainly enjoy — it just needed a little bit more tuning.

Nintendo Life

Stephen Tailby·May 26, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Lego 2K Drive is a racing game that so nearly reaches its potential, but it steps on a few stray bricks along the way. The core driving feels good, the Story mode has plenty to do, and the creation tools are legitimately impressive. However, it's let down by technical shortcomings, a lack of sharing options, and somewhat slimy monetisation. The foundations of a really great arcade racer are here, but poor optimisation in this Switch version and certain design decisions mean it's unlikely to overtake the competition.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·May 19, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Whether you're a fan of LEGO, arcade racing, or both, this game comes highly recommended from us, with the unfortunate caveat that it also features pretty aggressive monetisation. Tactile open worlds have a decent amount to discover, the Story mode strikes the perfect tone, and the driving itself is great fun. On top of all that, an impressive build mode lets you make your own crazy cars, though it's a shame you can't share them with your pals. Unfortunately, the microtransactions are hard to ignore, and they drag down what is otherwise a creative and engaging racer.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Apr 20, 2023

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Like Frozen Wilds did with Horizon Zero Dawn, Burning Shores takes what was already great about Forbidden West and gives you a sizeable new playground and a bunch of extra toys to play with. The archipelago is great fun to explore by land, sea, or air, with plenty of interesting things to see and do. Certain areas feel a little underutilised, but overall this is a great expansion that continues Aloy's story and sets up for things to come in Horizon 3.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Apr 4, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Meet Your Maker's core premise is very strong, but the game's aesthetic and samey levels currently don't live up to that vision. While it can be fun in short bursts, raiding Outposts can quickly become tedious, although building your own stages for others to try is more fulfilling. There's potential here, no question, but we'll have to see how it fares on live servers before we deliver a full verdict.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Mar 30, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Unfortunately the game falters somewhat at the end, with multiple conclusions that don't feel particularly fulfilling. However, overall the journey is a worthwhile one. Citizen Sleeper hooks you with its elegant presentation, thoughtful narrative, and memorable characters, and despite one or two small missteps, it's an engrossing, atmospheric experience worth a roll of the dice.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Mar 28, 2023

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Still, the core of Deceive Inc. is good; deducing who might be an opponent while trying to blend in is a tense, fun experience. It's in need of some updates before it reaches its full potential — adjustable text size would be nice, and it's going to need a wider variety of maps and modes going forward. It's a solid starting point with a great premise; hopefully it can evolve into something really worthwhile.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Mar 23, 2023

Critic70/100

Agreement—

We will say the gameplay can become repetitive when you need to grind for cash or certain items. Additionally, managing the game's grid-based menus can be pretty fiddly. The remedy for both things is those all-important upgrades, which smooth out frustrations with cramped inventories or limited fishing capabilities. Despite any rocky waters, though, Dredge's rewarding progression and enjoyable premise keep it afloat.