Category: Reviews

The murder mystery genre clings tightly to a tried-and-true formula – a set toolbox and sequence of necessary events – that confines any story that adheres to its style. What’s so delightful about The Mermaid Mask is that it follows every rule and acknowledges every well-worn trope, but still stands with exciting and exceptional storytelling. With memorable puzzles, eye-catching animations, and a spirited voice cast, I admire the way the story was told just as much as the story itself. Magnus Mortuga, captain of the Mortuga Submarine, has been killed, and it’s up to Detective Grimoire and his assistant Sally…

Every college football player knows their third year defines their career trajectory. That’s why one of EA Sports College Football 27’s (CFB27) cover athletes, Dante Moore, opted to return to Oregon rather than declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. The talented quarterback understood that another strong season would increase his already-impressive draft stock. Like Moore, CFB27 enters its junior year with high expectations. The previous two entries showcased bursts of potential, and EA Tiburon’s third effort brings strong tweaks and new mechanics to both sides of the ball while also reintroducing a well-liked arcade mode. Thankfully, these updates expand on…

Fairy tales possess the uncanny ability to be both whimsical and terrifying, and many video game developers have drawn inspiration from the nearly infinite library of wonder tales out there to craft some memorable video games. Goody Little Two Shoes, a recently released folklore-inspired narrative-driven horror title, has the honor of sitting on a higher shelf than many of its peers. Brought to us by the European branch of legendary developer Squire Enix, Goody Litle Two Shoes is a delightful experience that blends romance simulation, resource management, puzzle-solving, and survival horror into a satisfying package. Even as someone who usually…

Little Nightmares: Altered Echoes VR, a new story set in the titular franchise, sticks to the basics with the series’ trademark macabre hide-and-seek stealth gameplay and is all the better for it. This review originally quoted the runtime at six hours. I’ve updated it to four hours after verifying the playtime Steam logged. If you are not familiar with the Little Nightmares games, they center on a child (or children) protagonist(s) navigating a series of macabre environments while evading capture from twisted (sometimes humanoid) pursuers. It’s a simple premise executed at a high level through creepily effective level design paired…

After well over a dozen mainline entries, Black Flag remains one of the most fondly remembered in the long canon of Assassin’s Creed entries. It’s little surprise that Ubisoft chose this installment for a robust reenvisioning. While not a fundamental remake of the original 2013 game, Resynced is also far more than the standard remaster some might expect, as it features expansive gameplay and narrative additions and tweaks, along with a complete visual overhaul. The result is an impressive and sizeable game that maintains both the charm and some of the rough edges that defined the original. After 13 years,…

The Outer Worlds 2 reviewGood if you’re in the mood for a fun and ultimately rather forgettable Avowed-style RPG romp, but not quite on New Vegas’ lofty level. Developer: Obsidian Publisher: Microsoft Release: October 29th 2025 On: Windows From: Steam, Microsoft Store Price: £60/€70/$70 Reviewed on: Intel Core i7-12700F, 16GB RAM, Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti, Windows 11 I am a baby, floating through space. A decade or so passes while I’m frozen in a pod, dead to the world. Clearly, though, all is not as it seems. Upon finally being rescued and thawed out, I’m given grave news. I’ve been…

I love the idea of playing a game that has that “je ne sais quoi” that makes me want to keep playing it, regardless of my obvious lack of talent and reflexes. I believe Risk of Rain Returns, the remake of the already classic Risk of Rain – originally released in 2013 – happens to be that game, once again. Don’t get me wrong, while I have played hours and hours of Risk of Rain 2, I needed to have my own adventures in a 2D procedurally generated environment with a collection of survivors that might as well share my…

Europa Universalis 5 review A deep and intricate historical simulation that will overwhelm you with menus as much as it will compel you through centuries of global history. Developer: Paradox Tinto Publisher: Paradox Interactive Release: Nov 4th, 2025 On: Windows From: Steam Price: £50/$60/€60 Reviewed on: Intel Core-i7-11700F, 16GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, Windows 10 Europa Universalis 5 is a forever game. Insofar as you might be able to play this grand historical strategy forever, but also because – my god – it takes forever to play. After a mere 45 hours of conniving, trading, battling, and scratching my…

One of my fondest memories from the Wii era was playing WarioWare: Smooth Moves with my family. While plenty of WarioWare titles have come and gone, none have yet to truly encapsulate the traditional WarioWare feel. Could WarioWare: Move It! be the sequel we’ve been looking for? After over sixteen years, the WarioWare series has returned to its original roots of nothing but fast-paced microgames and charming cutscenes involving its colorful cast of characters. Like Smooth Moves, Move It’s gameplay revolves around motion controls, swapping the rudimentary Wii Remote for the relatively untapped potential of the Joy-Con. Screenshot: Attack of the Fanboy…

Paramount Games Studio has announced that Pre-orders for AVATAR LEGENDS: The Fighting Game are available now for PC and consoles.   The full details: Bringing the rich worlds of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra to life, AVATAR LEGENDS™: The Fighting Game offers dynamic combat and expressive bending mechanics built for both fighting game veterans and casual fans alike. Master the elements with a star-studded roster of legendary characters in an experience that seamlessly blends high-stakes fighting strategy with fast, accessible action. Players who pre-order will receive access to the closed beta running from July 2-5, gold…