The key to a good local multiplayer game is simplicity. The easier it is to pick up and play, the better. Almost all local multiplayer games understand this, but some embody that quality better than others. Cosmic Kites from Fishmoose Interactive understands it well. A multiplayer take on Snake, Cosmic Kites takes a simple concept…
Out of the host of games that I got to check out during BIG Festival in July, Death Squared was easily the one that caused the strongest emotional response. That emotion was bewilderment, with a pinch of rage. It’s a really clever puzzle game that makes fantastic use of dual analog controls as you keep…
Calling Absolver a martial arts Dark Souls would be to do a huge disservice to the incredibly unique experience that French studio Sloclap has crafted. Absolver’s deep combat system is only one of the many elements that make it one of the most fascinating games I’ve played in a long time. Structure-wise, anyone who’s had…
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is an excellent game that against all odds manages to be something more than a mere cheap knockoff under the guise of a franchise crossover. Try as the haters think they might, Ubisoft’s infamous Rabbids don’t ruin the overall experience, and regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of…
Nidhogg was a perfect distillation of local competitive multiplayer games at their best. Where most of its peers focus on four-player mayhem, Nidhogg was more interested in tense one-on-one duels. But even with the lower player count, it was just as tense and thrilling — both to play and to watch — its game of…
Chess is a rather unique sub genre of gaming, especially in the console gaming sphere. When we think about playing chess against an A.I. opponent, we naturally think about playing chess on a personal computer of some kind. Historically, chess has been a staple of personal computers, almost to its earliest days. Chess on consoles,…
Never a stranger to less than realistic portrayals of classic moments in history, I was very intrigued by the prospect of playing West of Loathing, a game that by name alone already had me chuckling. Set in a crudely drawn but incredibly charming world of stick figures making a living in the Wild West, you…
There have been so many overhead isometric action games over the years that it’s easy to lose count and take new releases for granted. Varying wildly in quality, from gems like Diablo 3 to mixed experiences like Dead Nation, I could easily run out of hands counting how many of those I’ve played over the…
The Surge is certainly a step above Deck 13’s previous outing Lords of the Fallen, but it still lacks the refinement and balance of From Software’s beloved franchise. It’s clear that Deck 13 really wants to make a really good rendition of Dark Souls to call their own, and as The Surge shows, they’re almost…
Prey is a mixed, flawed experience that overreaches for success by borrowing elements from many successful games. Considering its troubled development, that started out years ago as a sequel to an entirely different franchise from 3D Realms that was also called Prey, it’s no surprise that this new and completely unrelated release struggles so much…
