Comprehensive Game Reviews

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From AAA titles to indie games, we cover it all. Our comprehensive reviews provide detailed insights to help you find your next favorite game.

Review: Tempopo Is Another Charming Witch Beam GameConsidering what Witch Beam did with games like Tempopo, Assault Android Cactus, and Unpacking, I’m starting to wonder if the team can’t miss.

Reviews Articles and News - SiliconeraApr 25

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered ReviewThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered added facial hair. Yes, the original version of Oblivion did not have any scruff in sight. No beards in the character creator and not a single mustache can be found in the enormous province of Cyrodiil. Adding beards to a handful of NPCs throughout the world doesn't change Oblivion's core experience. In fact, even with the facial hair and improved graphics, half of the characters I met during my adventure still looked unsettling. To some, this may be off-putting--especially when juxtaposed with the remaster's otherwise astounding visuals--but for me, Oblivion isn't Oblivion without some truly uncomfortable character models. It's all part of that "charm" that game director Todd Howard mentioned in the reveal stream. The folks at Virtuos seem to understand that trademark Oblivion "charm," too, because the remaster keeps the best of the Bethesda jank intact while gently reworking some of Oblivion's more dated mechanics. Purists will certainly find things to nitpick, and first-timers may scratch their heads at some of the jank that was left in, but Oblivion Remastered feels like the most logical compromise. The visuals have been entirely recreated to take advantage of Unreal Engine 5, but the characters still don't look quite right. The attack animations have been redone, but the combat is still generally bad. The streamlined leveling mechanics retain the class system, but it's much harder to get soft-locked. The UI and menus have been consolidated and refreshed, but Oblivion's iconic map screen is identical to the original. For the most part, Oblivion Remastered manages to walk that thin line of familiarity and freshness. Continue Reading at GameSpot

GameSpot - Game ReviewsApr 24

Review: SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered Is Unwelcoming, but IntriguingSaGa Frontier 2 Remastered is set apart by its distinctive features, but its complexity makes it a tough recommendation for newcomers.

Reviews Articles and News - SiliconeraApr 24

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Review in ProgressSo far this has been a fantastic return to an adorably weird open-world adventure.

IGN PC ReviewsApr 23

Review: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Embraces Its PremiseI absolutely recommend Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and think it’s a gorgeous game, even if it has a few quirks.

Reviews Articles and News - SiliconeraApr 23

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review – A gorgeous new tomorrow for RPGs, built upon yesterday It's not often a new gaming IP catches my eye from its debut, gets more and more exciting with each reveal, and then actually lives up to the hype. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of these rare games, which is even more impressive considering this gem of an adventure was crafted by a team of about 30 people. The turn-based RPG and debut title from French studio Sandfall Interactive completely delivers on its promise in refreshing the genre, taking inspiration from games of the past and the Belle Époque era of French history to craft a beautiful, tragic, and memorable experience that will likely go down as one of the best games of 2025. Like a painting come to life Screenshot by Destructoid Expedition 33's world is vivid, gorgeous, and hauntingly beautiful, much like its storyline. The concept is dark but simple: a mysterious, giant enemy known only as the Paintress wakes once a year and paints a number on a giant monolith that can be seen across the world. And each year, everyone who is of that age dies in an eerie, heartbreaking manner in what is called the Gommage (which is apparently a French word meaning to "erase" or "rub out") as all those painted to die wither and disappear forever. The game begins with the Gommage for 34-year-olds, illustrating how disturbing and bleak it feels as the citizens of the world gather together to celebrate the lives of those who are about to die, say goodbye to them, and then ready another Expedition to attempt to take the Paintress down, no matter how futile. Along with the imagery of painting ( Clair Obscur translates to chiaroscuro, which is an "art technique employed in the visual arts to represent light and shadow as they define three-dimensional objects"), one of the themes of the story in Expedition 33 is learning from the past, not repeating mistakes, and the mantra of "tomorrow comes." For the several dozen expeditions that came before 33 and your playable characters—such as Gustave, Lune, and Maelle—it's all about taking what was learned prior and acting on it, as the expedition heads off towards the Paintress to try and use the teaching of the dead expeditioners before them to figure something out. A quote from Metal Gear Solid 2 , "building the future and keeping the past alive are one and the same thing," immediately sprang to my mind while playing the game. It was my high school yearbook quote, actually, so this kind of theme resonates a lot with me. Screenshot by Destructoid The theme carries through with the combat; you'll need to study enemy moves and time their attacks to properly dodge them, learn the muscle memory of the button presses, and eventually parry instead for bigger damage to keep yourself alive and pushing forward with the group. You will quickly learn parries, although difficult to master, become necessary for many of the game's more difficult battles. "When one falls, we continue," the expeditioners say. The people of this world have come to expect death and failure, pushing forward in fruitless attempts to conquer the Paintress and her rule of death over them. But "for those who come after," they continue. And I feel like there's a real-world lesson in that sentiment. Turn-based evolution Screenshot by Destructoid Even with a voice cast boasting Hollywood talent , the real draw in Expedition 33 is the combat and everything that goes into the gameplay. Injecting Final Fantasy -style turn-based RPG combat with QTEs, dodging, parrying, and even a little bit of aiming and shooting at weak points, creates one of the more engaging playstyles I've enjoyed in quite some time. Each battle throughout the 30-plus hour story and dozens more via sidequests and exploration is a joy, keeping you locked in through every fight with every enjoyable perfect dodge or devastating parry. The grotesque Nevron enemies require your full attention, including both pre- and post-battle. At its toughest parts, Expedition 33 requires planning, strategy, and build-crafting for each of the game's playable characters, rewarding those who take the time to level up, unlock skills, and combine them between party members to devastate foes. Several fights take a lot of wipes and restarts to truly master the timing of enemies and their varied attacks. The change-up in cadence of attack speeds is reminiscent of From Software boss fights in games like Elden Ring or Dark Souls , so you need to be at the ready at all times. As a lifelong fan of turn-based games, with early Final Fantasy titles being some of my favorites, this feels like it needs to be the norm for turn-based titles moving forward. I know Sandfall didn't exactly invent the mechanic in this style of RPG, but it has been mastered here. Screenshot by Destructoid Character builds have the potential to be fun and flexible, allowing for unique combinations of abilities that, when utilized correctly, are incredibly satisfying to pull off when it comes to executing a game plan against a familiar enemy or boss fight that raked you over the coals prior. Like traditional games in the genre, Expedition 33 also doesn't include much when it comes to tracking quests in the world. Sometimes, an NPC will mention something to you once, and that's all you have to go on. There's no way to track the quests, and I often found myself forgetting that I progressed one and had to talk to someone else, but it didn't detract from the overall experience too much. But that makes exploring the open world, fighting its twisted creatures, and meeting new whimsical friends that much more worth it. All the stars Screenshot by Destructoid One of the biggest initial selling points for Expedition 33 was its cast. The game features the voice talents of Charlie Cox (Marvel's Daredevil ), Jennifer English (Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3 ), Ben Starr (Clive in Final Fantasy XVI ), and Andy Serkis (Smeagol in The Lord of the Rings , Klaw in Avengers: Age of Ultron , and much more) to flesh out the world with top-tier performances. But in the end, I felt so engrossed by the world of Expedition 33 that I stopped hearing Matt Murdock and Smeagol and Shadowheart, and instead felt myself invested in the characters and their seemingly hopeless journey, all set to a stellar soundtrack on top of everything else the game boasts. And that includes some genuinely funny moments on top of all of the dread. I felt compelled to explore as much as possible in my time with the game, and I will do so more now that my review is completed, but Expedition 33's world map is reminiscent of classic RPGs in the past. As the story progresses, you can explore more of it, encountering towering and powerful enemies as part of increasingly more challenging fights, along with the allure of trying to find whatever else is hidden in the visual feast of a map while traveling with your party and companions. Unfortunately, some amount of the characters' backstory and exposition takes place within optional cutscenes while at camp, but I feel it's necessary to further flesh out the world to find out just how bleak life is for those who are born knowing exactly when they will die as the Paintress's countdown continues each year. I would suggest players make sure to exhaust all dialogue options to get everything out of these characters and their world, because the main story doesn't add enough of the worldbuilding and character moments on its own. Screenshot by Destructoid The ongoing mystery of the Paintress, its creations, and the game's expanding cast of characters unravels more with each battle and cutscene, as Expedition 33 builds to a crescendo and solidifies itself as one of the more memorable, unique, and exciting RPGs in recent memory. And as for what tomorrow brings, with Sandfall Interactive at the helm, I think RPG fans are in good hands. The post Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review – A gorgeous new tomorrow for RPGs, built upon yesterday appeared first on Destructoid .

Reviews Archive – DestructoidApr 23

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review - Light And ShadowEverybody dies. It's the one thing we all have in common. Most of us won't know when it will happen, but that's not the reality for those living with a terminal diagnosis. Though the estimated timeframe isn't exact, that doesn't really matter when faced with a death sentence. Over the past year, I've become all too familiar with terminal illness and its inevitable conclusion. It's an odd thing to live through; on one hand, I was essentially grieving for someone who was still alive, while on the other, I was trying to stay positive and act as if everything was normal for their sake, savoring each and every moment I still had left with them. Because of this experience, I instantly resonated with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and its unusual premise. Developed by French studio Sandfall, this turn-based RPG introduces a world where humanity faces a collective terminal diagnosis, of sorts. It's a moving tale, complemented by engaging combat that blends aspects of traditional JRPGs with reactive, parry-heavy action. The origins of Clair Obscur's premise begin 67 years prior to the start of the game's story, when a cataclysmic event known as the Fracture destroyed the Continent and shattered the land into pieces. One of those pieces is the city of Lumière, a surreal facsimile of Belle Époque era Paris, where landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe have been twisted, warped, and broken by the fantastical effects of the Fracture. The last remaining humans reside in Lumière, but with each passing year, humanity edges closer to extinction due to an ominous entity called the Paintress. Each year, this embodiment of death carves a new number into the monolithic structure looming on the horizon, and then a year later, everyone of that age dies. For 67 years, she's been counting down. Clair Obscur's prologue concludes with every 34-year-old disintegrating into dust and crimson petals as the Paintress moves onto number 33. There's almost no one alive in Lumière who hasn't been touched by death in some way. The city's orphanages are overflowing with children, as couples debate whether to have kids of their own to keep humanity going or choose not to bring new life into such a bleak world. Some are at ease with death and content to live out their days managing market stalls or creating art on canvases and with musical instruments. Others dedicate their lives to researching new technologies and weapons to aid the expeditions that venture onto the Continent each year with the goal of killing the Paintress and preventing extinction. For those with one year left to live, joining an expedition is an appealing choice. The success rate might stand at 0%, with all previous expeditions failing to stop the Paintress or even return home, but what else do they have to lose? Continue Reading at GameSpot

GameSpot - Game ReviewsApr 23

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ReviewWearing its inspirations on its sleeve, Clair Obscur paints itself into the pantheon of great RPGs.

IGN PC ReviewsApr 23

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review - Melancholy RPG Eminence Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Publisher: Kepler Interactive Developer: Sandfall Interactive Rating: Mature Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 drops you into its melancholy world with a refreshing lack of context. While the game is undeniably a fantasy RPG (with a smattering of science fiction), it blessedly does not begin with scrolling text explaining its universe. It may be confusing at first, but the trade-off is a fantastic opening few hours that establish the stakes quickly, get you fighting right away, and immediately set up a compelling mystery. In a genre known for slow starts, Clair Obscur steps right over that cliche with conviction and style, and that confidence persists throughout the whole adventure. I was eager to see the expedition's conclusion, but I did not want it to end. In the world of Clair Obscur, the people of Lumière live under the oppressive thumb of the Paintress – a mysterious, gigantic creature seen in the far distance that draws a number on a mountainous pillar. That number dictates how many years people are allowed to live, and in an attempt to undo this, expeditions are sent to the mountain to figure out why this is happening and how to stop it. Despite sending expeditions for years, little, if any, tangible progress has been made. As the subtitle implies, the game follows Expedition 33 on their attempt. The setup is compelling, and the execution is excellent. Following the team on their presumed suicide mission is often scary, frequently bizarre, heartbreaking, funny when you least expect it, abstract, and eventually rewarding. The cast is small and focused, and time is set aside to ensure you understand everyone’s motivation for joining the expedition, but without spending too much time on extraneous backstory. Their lives are all too short. Why spend too much time reflecting on the past when saving the futures of those back home is so important? The overall pace is also excellent with plenty of room to pursue distractions, but if you just want to stick to the main path, that’s a viable option, and it moves along swimmingly. It makes comparable turn-based RPGs feel even more sluggish than they typically are. Even if the story and its cast don’t pull you in (which I think is unlikely), the combat is a blast; I ran to every fight to see all the new enemies and learn their unique patterns. Much in the way the pace makes me reflect on the languid fighting speed of comparable RPGs, the combat similarly makes me wonder why I haven’t been having this much fun with other turn-based games. I was frustrated with the mechanics related to a mid-game narrative twist, but the effect on the story makes it worth dealing with some annoyance. Surprisingly, the closest comparison is Nintendo’s Mario RPGs. Understanding weaknesses and making good choices is essential, but properly dodging and countering will make you feel like a god against all the godlike bosses you tackle. Countering, though challenging, is especially rewarding as explosive animations and sound design reward your perfect timing with huge damage numbers. Defeating powerful enemies offers the thrills of both using your suite of abilities with intelligence, and finally defeating that challenging song in a rhythm game. I was never fully comfortable, however, with how differently the characters in your party play. To keep everyone's disparate mechanics in my head was a little confusing, but it does undeniably help the variety, so I can’t complain much. The narrative and combat are highlights, but Clair Obscur is also successful in its art direction. An early location that feels like it is underwater sets a high standard for what to expect when simply looking around the world. Though the later environments never quite reach as high as that early bar, I was always excited to see what was next. Early on, however, I was often lost and walked around in circles when trying to make progress. More maps for more locations would have been helpful. Clair’s somber piano music and haunting vocals also help to set a very specific, sad tone that just feels right considering what the characters and the player are going through. But then multiple combat themes bring the energy back up at precisely the right moment. What I may admire the most about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is how firmly it embraces a familiar, if currently rare genre (big budget, artistically expressive, turn-based RPGs), but does so without falling into any of its traps. The adventure isn’t overlong, and you don’t spend more time than necessary fighting. The world, art, and narrative are unique, but it makes me nostalgic for a game I remember from the past. It’s as though developer Sandfall Interactive managed to make a classic RPG with only the good parts. I’m sad in a way to have concluded the journey, but the adventure to pursue the Paintress will linger with me for some time. @game_informer “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is often scary, frequently bizarre, heartbreaking, funny when you least expect it, abstract, a blast to play, and ultimately rewarding.” — @kylemhilliard Full review at the link in bio. #clairobscur #expedition33 #rpg #jrpg #videogames #gamereview #gameinformer ♬ original sound - Game Informer Score: 9 About Game Informer's review system

Game Informer ReviewsApr 23

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree ReviewAn interesting Frankenstein of action-RPG mechanics that never quite comes to life.

IGN PC ReviewsApr 22