Category: Videogame Reviews

All the latest videogame reviews from me. Take that how you will.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons Review

Although the Double Dragon series has been around since 1987, I’ve never played a single game in the entire series. I tell you this so you can understand how I’m approaching Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. I’m a newcomer here, one who loves a good brawler, sure, but isn’t here to compare this latest entry to its ancestors. Nope, I’m here as a lover of Streets of Rage 4 and TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge hoping that Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is going to be my next addiction.

Dave the Diver kicks fishy ass – Review

The brilliance of sushi is in its simple but gorgeous flavours and the wide variety of experiences it can offer. Because the taste comes from just a few ingredients, each piece of fish and grain of rice has to be the best it can possibly be. Dave the Diver is much the same: it’s a game of many different flavours, each one simple yet executed fantastically. There are a couple of bad dishes in its wide assortment, but the rest are so good it’s hard to care.

Krzyżacy – The Knights of the Cross is Polish history with added anime – Review

This is the second game I’ve reviewed in the span of just a few weeks that is based on an old book. While the first was a historical account of the Vikings attempting to settle Iceland, this game is based on Krzyżacy, a Polish novel from 1900 that is set against the backdrop of the Teutonic Knights who controlled large parts of the Baltic Sea before getting their arses handed to them by the kingdoms of Poland and Lithuania.

Landnama Review – Living the Viking farm life

Based on the historical book the Landnámabók, Landnama is the tale of Norse settlers who arrived in Iceland in the 9th century and attempted to carve out a life for themselves in a new land. When we think of the Norse from that time we naturally gravitate toward the typical image of a bloodthirsty Viking to whom carving out a new life meant carving out a few people, but Landama is much more chilled than that.

AEW: Fight Forever is battling for a mid-card title – Review

The development of AEW: Fight Forever is an interesting tale. Yukes are the former developers of the WWE games, creating a staggering amount of wrestling titles over the years under several publishers. That includes releasing at least one WWE/WWF game per year from 2000-2018. But in 2019, 2K Sports announced it was shifting the WWE license away from Yukes and over to Visual Concepts. Earlier that year, Yukes had implied some tension between their company and 2K, and announced plans to develop a new wrestling IP in order to reinvigorate its staff. As a result, Yukes and 2K parted ways.

Starship Troopers: Extermination is pretty awesome – Early Access Review

The Starship Troopers license has always been a potentially rich resource for videogames and yet it’s only recently that developers seem to have noticed. I mean, a bunch of gung-ho marines battling endless hordes of giant bugs is ready-made for a horde-style multiplayer shooter. Starship Troopers: Extermination aims to fill that gap. It’s currently in Early Access and comes with all the expected foibles like a lack of content, but what’s important in Early Access is to look at the foundation, at what the vision is for the future, and on both of those counts Starship Troopers: Extermination is very promising.

Redfall is a Draining Experience – Review

There is no getting away from the immense pressure that Redfall has been under leading up to its launch. It’s the first drop of blood extracted from the purchase of Zenimax in 2021, the first game that has been mostly developed under the purview of new owner Microsoft. Xbox has been struggling with a lack of strong exclusives to compete with Sony’s high-quality outings and Nintendo’s established names. And surely with Arkane Austin on development duties, Redfall should be a home run? No. Despite being about vampires, Redfall has no fangs of its own. The only thing it shares with the undead blood-suckers is that it’s lifeless.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox Review

With a name like The Last Case of Benedict Fox, you might expect some sort of detective game, and that assumption is partially correct. Benedict is indeed a detective of sorts, one with a demon intertwined with his soul. In this early 1900s Lovecraftian-inspired Metroidvania you’ll delve into decaying memories, solve puzzles and fight shadowy entities. There’s a lot to love about The Last Case of Benedict Fox, but there are also a few problems that really hold it back.

Ravenlok Review – Game Pass Fodder

Ravenlok is the third game in developer Cococucumber’s self-described voxel trilogy, a series that is largely unconnected aside from its strikingly boxy visual style and a few characters. Launching straight onto Game Pass, Ravenlok is an action-adventure aimed younger gamers and casual players who want something light and breezy. It’s the gaming equivalent of a bedtime story.