DayOne's Reviews
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is one of my favorite videogames of all time. It cannot be stated just how incredible the work that 343 Industries and multiple other studios have put into it over the past 5+ years to get it here. Any future compilation of titles should look to this as the benchmark for what a collection of beloved titles should be.
In a year packed with sub-par launches for some of the biggest first-person shooter franchises, it really feels good to simply say this: Halo is back. I for one, welcome the return of the đ.
I wonât delve too much into the story, but I will say that the ending â an it most certainly has an ending, is something that you and your friends may come to talk about, theorise about, and discuss for many weeks to come.
This is one of the, if not the best gaming experiences of my lifetime.
The Dead Space Remake has no flaws for me. It took one of my favorite franchises and reinvented it perfectly. It is stunning to look at, and every single change or addition they made works. This remake is a masterpiece and I hope that this is the rebirth that the Dead Space franchise deserves.
Alan Wake 2 is a masterpiece and you should play it, now.
Balatro is my new gaming obsession, I frigging love it. Deckbuilding roguelikes have had some phenomenal games over the years. Balatro reaches the lofty peak of Slay the Spire and has me hooked even harder than that incredible game ever did. You should buy it, now. Buylatro!
Despite the backing of a company as large and as well-funded as Microsoft, Ninja Theory have, in my opinion, nurtured their independent spirit and kept it well and truly alive in every facet of Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. It's brutal. It's breath-taking. It's brilliant. If this is âIndependent AAAâ? Sign me up for more.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard isnât just in my Game of the Year rankings, itâs in my Best Games of All Time. BioWare has finally matched their recent excellent third-person combat with some of, if not their best, story work to date. This game is an absolute triumph for those old and new to the series.
Split Fiction is, at its heart, a celebration about how wonderful, imaginative and downright clever videogames can be when they choose to embrace what they are â an art form that thrives on interactivity, creativity, and boundless possibility. Hazelight have proven that once again, when it comes to building distinct experiences that blend storytelling, mechanics, and player agency â they have no equal. Spectacular.
To say that Iâm utterly infatuated with Blue Prince would be an understatement. There are so many layers to the game, Iâve barely even scratched the surface here in terms of how deep this rabbit hole goes, and Iâm 70+ plus hours in at the time of writing this review.
Borderlands 4 is a masterpiece
I've never felt so old - I love Mixtape for making me feel these things - but I hate it for that too. An emotional rollercoaster full of joy, heart and youthful daydreams, Mixtape is simply incredible.
Elden Ring is a masterpiece of a title, with only a few minor issues. The co-op summon system is a pain, and mounted combat doesnât always feel the best. Other than that this game is staggeringly good in every single area. It does for open-world games what people claimed Breath of the Wild did. Every part of the experience is elevated by an insane attention to detail. Few games have ever left me feeling so enthralled for the entirety of my playtime. Whether youâre going it solo or with a friend Elden Ring is one guaranteed to be one hell of a time.
When I rolled credits for the third and final time, I put my controller down and let my thoughts and feelings carry me. The last third had some of the best moments in the title, and I can confidently say that Hollow Knight: Silksong is better than the first game in almost every single way. More agile, more expressive, more fun, more⊠everything. Hollow Knight ran so that Silksong could sprint.
Starfield is a new beginning. Not only for Bethesda but for Xbox as a whole. With excellent writing, stunning graphics, and thrilling gameplay it makes the galaxy yours to explore, shape, and live in. It is a wonderous tapestry to experience your story in a way that only the best have done before.
WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is an amazing title, one of the best the genre has to offer.
Cult of the Lamb is awesome. The game offers up beautiful visuals, hilarious dialogue, is damned smart and plays like a dream. It is one of the best roguelikes mashed together with one of the best community builders I have ever played.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is everything any Blind Forest fan would have wanted, or possibly hoped for from a sequel. Moon have created a game that has every right to be in the âAAAâ conversation with its 3D counterparts, with a level of care and polish normally reserved for much larger studios and far bigger budgets. Ultimately, it canât be said enough how incredible Ori and the Will of the Wisps is. Blind Forest was already my personal favourite metroidvania of all time and Will of the Wisps has managed to raise the bar even further.
This is not a particularly forgiving game, and for folks out there that want to see just how good it can look on your screen at home, you may find yourself unable to penetrate the heart of the simulation that lies under this beautifully crafted fuselage. And thatâs okay â not every game can be made for every player out there. Thereâs an enormous amount of enjoyment to be had in just exploring, and that speaks to me in a way not a lot of games have over the years. Cruising at 30,000 feet with the hum of the engine, the rattle of turbulence and the world below me, available in a way it never has been is absolutely worth sending a postcard home about.