Brendan Caldwell
The dependably bloody fighter franchise mixes things up for Mortal Kombat 1, but don't call it a reboot.
A zero-pressure dungeon roguelike that offers some familiar comfort even if it doesn't take full advantage of its Saturday morning cartoon schtick.
A people management sim set in yonder Scottish highlands that is, unfortunately, a drier, slower and more bucolic take on its Rimwordly influences.
A deep and chunky world that sets itself apart from other roguelikes
A swish sci-fi RPG full of decent folk and just the right amount of scum.
Sparse laughs can't win Borderlands a new fan.
An isometric homage to Zelda that is loyal from top to bottom.
Little Orpheus is an adventure that dazzles the eyes and diverts the ears but fails to impress the thumbs.
Hero's hour is a jumbled fantasy strategy that hides a detailed realm of tiny rioters
OlliOlli World's platforming skateventures are skin-blisteringly good. This game may become responsible for hundreds of game pads laid low by kickflip-induced stick drift.
A rickety storyline can't stop this from grappling back lapsed fans with its open world and nostalgic gunfights.
In the transferral to true roguelike, Darkest Dungeon 2 has got a little lost in the woods. But from what I've glimpsed through the trees, it'll be a handsome coach when it finally arrives, done and dusky. I'll happily hop aboard then.
A rough-hewn roguelike that fails to stand out
A sinister and excellently crafted card game with a darkly comic underbelly
A sometimes wonky skating game that makes up for its jank with birbish moxie.
A time-looping shooter with funny dialogue and a very powerful boot, where stealth is just the thing that goes wrong before a good fight.
A raucous shooter that goes beyond its portal gimmick, with first-rate arenas and gutsy gunfights.
But CODBLOPS: Cold War doesn’t reach the levels of self-awareness required to overpower its poor taste. It feels written to justify the actions of ruthless men and doesn’t offer the most basic character development required to give its deathsquad the benefit of the doubt. As a game, it’s a predictable ride. As a piece of fiction, it is servile.
In the end, I do think it is too “hurt me plenty” for me, only just. The sensation of being slapped right back to the start every time and having to repeat the opening level is as likely to produce a frustrated sigh as it is to inspire a “one more go” mentality. In this case, new minibosses have started to appear to offer some variety. But I’m probably bowing out, at least for the time being. That’s okay. I can appreciate the knuckle-cracking attitude of improvement-by-death while also being ready to lay down my demon razor and die no more. You win this one, ScourgeBringer.
The game is also, yes, small in stature, it is one-note, it can be enjoyed in one sitting until you reach the crest of conditioning and competence, if not completion. It is single-minded to the point of being playable with precisely one digit. You might play it for a single day, as I did, have a wonderful time covering yourself with blood, and be satisfied to never touch it again. But if these are flaws they are also proof of focus and refinement. Disc Room might be readily slept on, but if you are the kind of tough game obsessive, a connoisseur of arcade death, or a bullet hellion who cannot resist the call to mastery, these rooms should be approached wakeful and willing and ready to die.