Box art traditionally isn’t one-to-one with the videogames inside. Early Atari-era games used lavish paintings to depict what became, in-game, 6×6 pixel models. NeuroVoider though isn’t hiding. The neon pink and green font imprints itself in front of laser-spitting robots, all backed by pitch black. It’s potent, much like the game itself. Endearing itself to… Continue reading NeuroVoider (PS4)
“Pizza By the Shred” is an episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles where series’ villain Shredder runs a phony pizza shop to lure the Turtles into a trap. It’s the classic Saturday morning plot device – obvious enough for kids to see through it, utterly implausible for any adult to believe. In Agents of Mayhem,… Continue reading Agents of Mayhem (PS4)
It’s not a question if there’s Americana in Flatout 4. It’s how much Americana Flatout 4 depressingly realizes. Branding on the cars and trucks rusted away. Silos show signs of disrepair. Former factories sit idle, waiting for blue collar operators who will never come. Roads crack under the race, if roads exist at all. Mud… Continue reading Flatout 4 (PS4)
Seeing the Mushroom Kingdom living peacefully as opposed to in conflict over kidnapped princesses is refreshing. There’s expansion of the lore. Shy Guys work water wheels, generating, it’s assumed, the kingdom’s energy. Toad’s host glamorous celebrations, dotted by gravitating confetti. Trolly cars run the rails down the center of one track, emblazoned with Mario &… Continue reading Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch)
Dark Souls’ adversity ruined numerous videogames. Where accessibility and ease of use were beginning to fit in as normal, Dark Souls brought with it an urgent, even repugnant need for hardcore trappings. “Git gud,” says the internet meme. Stop wasting a player’s time, says the critic – and Sundered wastes an extraordinary amount of time.… Continue reading Sundered (PS4)
Mighty Gunvolt Burst’s action happens in a virtual world. Primarily, it’s an excuse to merge the Gunvolt and Mighty No. 9 characters while simultaneously giving No. 9 his first decent videogame. Things went poorly for the first time. This 8-bit throwback is absolute joy. Burst’s sense of menace however comes not from a prototypical threat,… Continue reading Mighty Gunvolt Burst (Switch)
Arms’ arenas sport padding on the floor. Like gym mats, covering the ground as if the Arms league’s primary concern is falling down rather than combatant’s missiles-for-hand gloves. This is clearly not a regulated sport. Arms and Nintendo’s inky splat-fest Splatoon must be from their same universe. Their vibrancy and kinetic theme music indicate a… Continue reading Arms (Switch)
