
The open-world Dark Souls successor is staggering in breadth and challenge

Last reviewed: Zero Parades: For Dead Spies · 14 days ago

The open-world Dark Souls successor is staggering in breadth and challenge

A defiant wuxia epic characterized by rapid, brutal combat

In its best moments, Darkest Dungeon makes me feel crazy and hopeless. There's something I can't say for most games: The times when I most felt that I had irrevocably fucked up were also the times when the game was at its strongest. Though some of Darkest Dungeon's more annoying design concessions detract from the overall experience, I'd be foolish not to recommend such a singular experience.

Street Fighter V is the skeleton of a great fighting game

If Garden Warfare was an attempt to make a multiplayer only shooter that just about anyone could enjoy, Garden Warfare 2 takes that a step farther by removing the original's budget-priced compromises. Making the original Popcap concept into a shooter isn't novel anymore, and I hope that the developers pay attention to the game's potential balance challenges over time to make sure that "asymmetric" doesn't become "lopsided." But Garden Warfare 2 stands strong on its own, and with friends.

Cobalt is like realizing an old favorite isn't quite what you remembered

A thrilling Lego adventure with a few missing pieces!

Frustration tangles up Unravel's better ideas

Firewatch is the video game equivalent of a page-turner

American Truck Simulator is comfortingly more of the same

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is interesting enough but feels a bit empty

In spite of a few glaring technical issues, XCOM 2 represents a high water mark for the entire franchise. Firaxis successfully tells an evocative story. It treats players with respect and includes so many small quality of life improvements over the original they are simply too numerous to mention. It is challenging enough at its basic difficulty level to feel like a complete experience. Despite the bugs, it's still the best-looking, most exciting turn-based tactical game I've ever played.

The Witness is uplifting and frustrating

Oxenfree doesn't live up to its potential, but has a story worth telling

That Dragon, Cancer is a devastating experience