From side-scrolling Metroidvanias to upbeat, humorous soulslikes, from the depths of the sea to the stars above, this week’s reviews run the gamut. Read on to find out what we thought of this week’s releases.
Stellar Blade: The Kotaku Review
In many ways, Stellar Blade is awesome. The action is awesome, the soundtrack is awesome, the world is awesome. However, when you peel back the curtain just a bit and peer behind all the flash and style, you find that Shift Up’s character action game can also be quite tedious. It’s a game of dichotomies, one that’s beautiful yet flat, enjoyable yet frustrating, vast yet shallow. There’s a lot to love about Stellar Blade, but equally, there’s a lot to dislike, and after 30ish hours of slashing and dashing as Eve, I came away from the game wishing it were more refined in some regards and more challenging in others. – Levi Winslow Read More
Tales of Kenzera: Zau: The Kotaku Review
“In loving memory of those who touched our lives. This game is a tribute to their enduring spirit,” reads the opening screen of Tales of Kenzera: Zau, the new Metroidvania from EA Originals and Surgent Studios. My lip trembles. “Don’t start crying, you’ve barely started,” I chastise myself. – Alyssa Mercante Read More
This Horror Dating Sim Sets A Hot New Standard
When Sucker for Love: First Date was released in 2022, its blend of cosmic horror vibes with dating sim mechanics made it a cult hit. But it’s essentially one big joke about how funny it would be to make Cthulu into a busty babe that you could kiss as long as you did progressively more horrific things for her. It’s a good joke admittedly, and one that I enjoyed, but it only goes so far, and the game’s genre mashup was not without some significant flaws. With that in mind, the prospect of a sequel seemed double-edged. On one hand, I want more cosmic horror hotties to swoon over, but on the other, I thought a second game would immediately feel tired. Thank god (or whatever cosmic deity you want) that I was so very wrong. – Willa Rowe Read More
Another Crab’s Treasure: The Kotaku Review
I think most of us are constantly trying our hardest to fill the Dark Souls and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice-shaped holes in our lives. They’re simply some of the greatest games ever, and no one can really be blamed for seeking more of them. Time and time again, studios have tried their hands at soulslikes, and time and time again, they have fallen short of the alchemical mix that makes FromSoft’s genre-defining efforts such an enthralling rush. Of late though, a crop of fresh and inventive games have appeared that seem to be challenging the status quo, and while Another Crab’s Treasure is ultimately a little on the safe side, it’s a brilliant attempt to breathe some life into a genre that often fails to stand on its own two legs. – Moises Taveras Read More
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