Review – Assassin’s Creed III

Assassin’s Creed III follows Native American protagonist Connor Kenway as he seeks revenge on those who destroyed his tribe. While seemingly simple and generic, the brilliance of the plot comes from how it incorporates real events and individuals from the American Revolution. Players get to (virtually) relive the Boston Massacre, Tea Party, and many famous battles in the course of Connor’s journey. However, the narrative gets all sorts of convoluted, and as someone with little knowledge of history, I found the game lacking when it came to conveying important details and distinguishing the supporting cast. Fortunately, Wikipedia was there to clarify any of my confusion.

Review – Darksiders II

The first Darksiders, developed by the now defunct Vigil Games, was a decent but unremarkable game. Time and time again, I have heard it heralded as an edgy reincarnation of Zelda with a pinch of God of War: a combination of exploration, puzzle-solving, and hack-and-slash combat. Nonetheless, it left a positive impression on me and I strongly believed that Darksiders II would be a must-have. Was I wrong?

Review – To The Moon

I personally believe that behind the development of every game, a war wages on between gameplay and storytelling. Improving one requires sacrifices at the other’s expense and very rarely does a title succeed in both. Ken Gao, the visionary behind To the Moon, seemed quite aware of this as he worked on his first commercial debut. A heavy emphasis on plot and near complete neglect of gameplay has placed To the Moon at the center of an ongoing controversy: at what point does a visual novel become a game? With that said, it is important to manage your expectations before purchasing To the Moon because it may not be what you perceive a game should be.

Review – I Am Alive

I Am Alive was once a survival horror game with big dreams and high hopes. When first conceived, it was purposed to be set in an explorable, expansive, post-apocalyptic world with deep gameplay mechanics focused on human interaction in times of crises. But two years after its ambitious beginnings, the original developers, Darkworks, handed the project off to Ubisoft Shanghai. In its new home, I Am Alive was rebuilt as an arcade title with many of its intended features either removed or condensed. So how does it fare in its current state?

Review – Deadlight

The zombie craze has gone full swing in recent years, permeating into just about every form of media, most prominently in video games. In just the past year, we saw the releases of The Walking Dead, Resident Evil 6, ZombiU, Lollipop Chainsaw, etc. 2013 looks no different, with the recent release of The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct and the impending releases of Dead Island: Riptide, The Last of Us, and many, many more. The market is becoming saturated by games with similar themes which, by now, feel repetitive and uninspired. In this particular instance, if a developer is intent on making a game with zombies, the least one could ask for is for it to be unique. And if you are reading this recommendation, then you are probably wondering, “Does Deadlight have what it takes to stand out?”

Review – Hotline Miami

Hotline Miami is notable for a number of things: its 80s-esque soundtrack and aesthetic, its violence, and its roots as an indie title made with the widely available development software GameMaker. This is not a game backed by an enormous budget, nor was it forged from the labor of numerous developers. It is, however, the lovechild of a very small but passionate studio, Dennaton Games. And as with many other indie games, it is important to harbor reasonable expectations before diving in.

Review – The Walking Dead

Telltale Games have always been known for their above-average storytelling but lackluster gameplay. Their latest entry, The Walking Dead (based off the comic of the same name) is no exception. And like its predecessors, this title is split into five episodic installments, each running for 2-3 hours in length. But with such a stagnant and predictable formula, is The Walking Dead worth a purchase?

Review – Dishonored

I consider myself to be an open-minded individual and as such, you will rarely (if ever) hear me say that you’re playing a game “wrong.” But as tasteless as it sounds, I’m willing to make an exception for Arkane Studio’s Dishonored. There is indeed, in my humble opinion, a wrong way to play this game.