Platformer

First Impressions: The Darkest Tales

First Impressions: The Darkest Tales

A lot of people still have toys from their childhood. I have a bunch of Transformers in a bin, some of which I have had since I was 3. I gave my niece a stuffed bear I had as a child, it was the bear from the Snuggle ads. Point is, carrying trinkets from your early years into your adult life is nothing new, and is a pretty universal experience to use for the start of a story. Releasing October 13, on Steam, Xbox, and Switch, The Darkest Tales is a story of the stuffed toy of Alicia’s childhood entering her dreams to save her from these sort of nightmare demons. You’re accompanied by a sparkling blue fairy, Navi-ish in nature to try and save your now grown-up owner.

Review: Stray

Review: Stray

Stray could’ve coasted and likely succeeded on gimmick alone. A game where you play as a stray cat was enough to get me and many others in the door on day one, but Stray is firing on all cylinders from the moment it starts. It would’ve been easy to phone it in on this one, and while I usually start a review by posing whether or not a game delivers on its premise, I’ll let you know ahead of time that Stray exceeds expectations at every turn.

Review: Psychonauts 2

Review: Psychonauts 2

Author: Rich Meister

It’s hard to believe it’s been sixteen years since Double Fine’s Psychonauts wormed its way into my heart. It’s been so long that I couldn’t shake the feeling that Psychonauts 2 would fail to deliver. I’m happy to report that my gut feeling couldn’t have been more wrong. Psychonauts 2 is a charming, funny adventure that shows just how much Double Fine has learned in almost two decades.

Platforming is tighter, the world is more grandiose yet easy to explore, and Raz’s new adventure doesn’t fail to deliver on all the questions the original game still had us asking.

Review: Ratchet and Clank a Rift Apart

Review: Ratchet and Clank a Rift Apart

Ratchet and Clank have been around for almost two decades at this point. The latest entry in the series is smart enough to tackle this out of the gate with a parade celebrating the duo’s exploits, but even if there have been a few missteps along the way, a Rift Apart feels anything but stale.

Through both its visuals and gameplay, including the use of the PS5’s Dual Sense controller, it builds a truly next-gen experience. The clever writing Insomniac is known for weaves a fun tale on par with a Pixar film that both pays tribute to the series roots and feels welcoming to newcomers.

Review: It Takes Two

Review: It Takes Two

A healthy relationship is a hard thing to sustain. It requires both parties to grow, encourage growth in one another, and be willing to admit it when they fucked up. It’s a lot like finding a good co-op partner in that regard. This is why Hazelight Studio’s It Takes Two works so well. It does a better job of keeping both players entertained with a wacky world and fun gameplay mechanics than it does of depicting two people going through a divorce, but what game is perfect?