Comprehensive Game Reviews
Comprehensive Game Reviews
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18 articles/week
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: Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots Isn’t as Enjoyable as Clap Hanz Games
Review: Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots Isn’t as Enjoyable as Clap Hanz GamesEverybody’s Golf Hot Shots seems like it should include everything we expect from the series, but it falls short of Clap Hanz’s work.
Reviews Articles and News - SiliconeraSep 9
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants Review
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants ReviewIndiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants can be whipped through in a single afternoon but features several puzzles that are even better than those in The Great Circle itself.
IGN PC ReviewsSep 9
Indiana Jones And The Great Circle: The Order Of Giants DLC Review
Indiana Jones And The Great Circle: The Order Of Giants DLC ReviewAt around four to five hours in length, calling The Order of Giants bite-sized doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Within the context of the rest of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, however, that's precisely what this DLC feels like. The base game is at its best when you're dropped into an extensive playground and left to your own devices, whether it's a maze of undulating rivers in Sukhothai or a stretch of desert surrounding the pyramids of Giza. Donning Indy's signature hat and exploring these dense locations is a treat, with each level meticulously detailed and focused on player agency, all while weaving the signature elements of an Indiana Jones adventure into each locale. Maybe it was naive of me to expect a similar setup in the game's first expansion, but it's still a tad disappointing that The Order of Giants presents a more streamlined experience instead. The quality is still there; it's just missing a few key ingredients. Continue Reading at GameSpot
GameSpot - Game ReviewsSep 8
Lost Soul Aside Review
Lost Soul Aside Review
IGN PC ReviewsSep 8
Review: Whisper of the House Builds on the Unpacking Idea
Review: Whisper of the House Builds on the Unpacking Idea Unpacking led to the release of many independent, cozy games that felt like the wanted to clone that magic, soothing, room organizing formula that stuck with people. Some of them were very obvious rip-offs. Others tried to tell similar sorts of stories, but with different themes . While Whisper of the House , an indie game from GD Studio, does also involving moving and unlocking rooms in the same vein as Unpacking , it’s also incredibly strong with its own, compelling identity and different sort of organizational experience. Whisper of the House starts with our avatar moving to Whisper Town to become its newest housekeeper. Our goal is to offer our services to assist individuals as they maintain their homes. That could mean helping them move into new places, assisting when someone else moves in, helping a new business get organized and established, and even just cleaning up. As we do, we gain access to money or opportunities to explore the city to find things for our own customizable spaces. At the same time, this is a living, breathing community. Things we discover and investigate could end up changing others’ stories or leading to the discovery of potentially dark secrets or anomalies. So while it is generally pleasant, relaxed, and cozy, there’s an edge if you keep probing.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzTkTi_1oOE Whisper of the House assignments tend to start in the same way. You’ll get a letter asking you to assist with a task in a person’s home or business. This could involve totally unpacking a place and arranging it or tidying up. In some cases, some items or furniture may already be placed, but you can likely rearrange, adjust, and interact with it. You might notice odd “noise,” in the form of black lines or animations suggesting an anomaly. Constantly poking at them can lead to the discovery of new areas and interactions, which can then lead to additional missions. While this is a cozy game, some of these can be dark and even suggest some horror elements, so keep that in mind when playing. It’s generally very relaxing and fun, but it can have an edge! Placing things is pretty simple, which is great. However, you can’t really pick what and when comes out of your assistant robot that supplies furniture and pieces of people’s lives. They automatically come out in a predetermined order. You might also need to actually place it, then check it out, to see the description to better understand what it is and where it may be best to place it. A circular gauge on the robot’s screen lets you know how much is left to unpack in a space, but the nature of that means it might not feel 100% exact when a ton of pieces need to be set up. Items can be rotated, for proper positioning, and I appreciated that there is a separate button to help with layering to ensure things fall in what I feel are the right spots. Image via GD Studio Another thing that helps Whisper of the House stand out is the pixel art. This is a gorgeous game. It’s incredibly detailed. From the zoomed out cityscape showing Whisper Town to each scene we visit and organize, it’s all so intricate. You can really pinpoint what everything is, no matter how small, and there are these little extras to enhance things like variants on some objects or different looks if they’re placed on a wall or on a shelf. Add to that the animations for some, and it’s just lovely. But what really makes Whisper of the House special are the extra interactions. We can trigger responses with certain items in places. At first, I thought this was fun! Cool! There’s a little animation that plays, and I get an achievement for that. Except once I got to the alchemist home, I suddenly realized that when I was returning pages to a notebook, I was actually getting access to recipes! And when I started exploring around that space more, I started to find the ingredients for the cauldron to actually create things. And it isn’t in just that space. Once I started to get further in the game, I’d either take more time to play around or revisit and spend more time in spaces I already decorated and unlocked, and then realize there were other secret interactions. This is a game that constantly rewards you for taking your time and exploring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUrkqgXksFQ I absolutely loved Whisper of the House and the way in which I felt like I connected to characters and experiences while organizing. While it isn’t telling stories in the same way as Unpacking , it is a similar sort of game that builds on that kind of concept. I do wish that some of the mystery and organizational elements perhaps had been handled a bit differently. Especially if the design decisions kept me from easily discovering or accomplishing something. But Whisper of the House is a truly lovely experience in the same vein as Unpacking , but adds its own unique flourishes. Whisper of the House is available on the PC via Steam . The post Review: Whisper of the House Builds on the Unpacking Idea appeared first on Siliconera .
Reviews Articles and News - SiliconeraSep 8
Review: Dice Gambit Sends Families Against Foes
Review: Dice Gambit Sends Families Against Foes Dice Gambit is one of those games where how much you get out of it comes down to how you feel about different gameplay elements. Are you okay with luck perhaps not being on your side and giving you the dice rolls you need for quick battles? Do you like quickly cycling through characters to develop the best builds for a party? Are you okay with a little repetition? If the answer to even one of those is yes, then at the very least it is worth trying out the demo of Chromatic Ink’s stylish game. As Dice Gambit begins, we first use the character creator to develop our initial avatar and Inquisitor. The character design and artistic direction is incredibly unique and stylized, with options to go serious or silly. Upon picking their identity, we are summoned home to the city of Neo-Talis. The city is plagued by individuals who transform into enemies called Chromatics. While our family is a well respected one made up of Inquisitors who face these opponents, they also must curry favor with the members of the Adicia, Medos, and Nova to maintain power and respect. Working with Stecchi Grefiore, studying at the academy, going on expeditions to fight battles, getting married to expand the family with new kids, and repeating that to end the Chromatic scourge quickly becomes our primary focus.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXrpX2CIYwY Dice Gambit , though it has some roguelike elements when it comes to getting additional Inquisitors in your family, is a strategy game in which dice roles determine your actions. When a turn starts, you roll the dice in your hand. The Haste icons that come up will allow you to move around the grid on a map or perform actions. A shield is a Defense icon for defending and abilities. The Signature is your family’s signature abilities, and so on. Also helpful, but hazardous, are Chroma symbols that make the Chromatic enemies stronger, but act as a wild card to help you get enough symbols for certain actions and movements. So to move up to three spaces, you need to burn one Haste die. If I wanted my Berserker to use the Flurry attack that would let it both move and attack, while also healing if I defeat an enemy, I’d need either two Attack icons, an Attack and a Chroma, or two Chroma. The problem is, while it is possible to reroll, this does mean a lot of things are left up to range. We go through battles, but must rest and take into account stamina loss to ensure we don’t send our units into a fight at low health or with debuffs due to exhaustion. Stamina management is one of the light life-sim elements in there. We will send our characters to an Academy to develop their abilities, movesets, and classes. This is also tied to marriage, since who you are tied to determines abilities. Not to mention classes open up as our reputation increases and we unlock them and build up our family. By the second act of the game, we’re able to bring in Inquisitors who can fill certain roles in a party to really help you grow your force. These folks can act as attackers (Berserker, Knife Juggler, and Sniper), ones that are designed to debuff enemies (Alchemist, Scorcher, and Shutterbug), and supporters who help units move around (Director, Gunblade, and Translocationist). Like with a game like Disgaea , getting new children following marriage means a new unit at level 1 with higher starting stats.  Images via Chromatic Ink It’s when you get into the second act that Dice Gambit opens up and simultaneously starts to feel a little limiting. This is because we still see the same sorts of maps and situations, but difficulty feels like it ends up being based more on how many enemies appear each time at once. There are more enemies, who summon more allies, and that sometimes feels like the whole “challenge.” But we can’t even experiment as much with builds, since we are limited in how many class and unique skills each of our units can have, and there are certain ones that feel most important.  As a result, the game begins to push a player into builds that emphasize pairing up a Berserker with other passive skills or getting that class’ Spur of the Moment or Onslaught skills to help others. After a point, it became about ensuring my Berserkers, Snipers, and Directors worked well together to inflict as much pain on as many enemies as quickly as possible. However, Dice Gambit is one of the shorter games with roguelike elements out there. The time limits mean someone going through on a more casual basis might not notice the more repetitive elements. At the same time, that does mean you can’t spend forever customizing your family and characters. But as long as you realize you should be quickly building up new generations and investing gold into swiftly leveling the new ones, you’ll be fine. Especially since the whole marriage and relationship system doesn’t feel involved.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaCBUG_3nFQ While some of the Dice Gambit issues that might come up could come down to personal preferences determining how they affect you, I did experience a quirk that hampered the handheld gaming experience. The Steam product page notes it is “ playable ” on a Steam Deck and there should be a default controller configuration. On a Lenovo Legion Go, it would not kick in. I ended up having to play on a laptop instead. This isn’t a dealbreaker at all, but those who only play on handhelds of some sort should keep that in mind before picking it up and test The First Act demo to ensure it runs properly.  Dice Gambit can be a creative strategy game, though it is one that relies heavily on luck and repetition. It looks unique and can encourage some unusual builds as you work out which active and passive skills help most when facing hordes of enemies. I just recommend testing out the demo first to ensure its gameplay loop is one you’d enjoy. Dice Gambit is available on PCs.  The post Review: Dice Gambit Sends Families Against Foes appeared first on Siliconera .
Reviews Articles and News - SiliconeraSep 6
NBA 2K26 Review - Sweat Equity
NBA 2K26 Review - Sweat EquityIt's funny to see how much the topic of sweat has become a joke in the NBA 2K series. As far back as when the series first came to Xbox 360, I can recall players calling out the life-like perspiration seen on its in-game athletes. Today, that dedication to depicting authentic sweat is sometimes used to critique the game. Players will say--perhaps only half-jokingly--that Visual Concepts is too concerned with sweat and not focusing enough on other aspects of the annual basketball sim. In reality, I don't know of another sports gaming studio team that sweats the small stuff quite like the NBA 2K team. NBA 2K26 is another testament to that, with a lot of little improvements alongside a handful of big ones, collectively making this a game that can easily satisfy virtually any type of basketball fan there is. On the court, the best change is the game's new motion engine, which follows from last year's new dribble engine and 2K24's introduction of "ProPlay," a system NBA 2K uses that transposes real-life basketball footage into in-game animations. The changes to the motion engine this year are obvious if you're an annual player. Movements are smoother and more authentic to the real world, and thus look better on the screen and feel better in your hands. I'd expected this to be a minor change when I'd first heard about it, but in playing it side by side with last year's game, it's more than subtle. The transitions from one movement, like cutting through the paint, to something like stepping back and shooting a floater, are excellent. This change cuts way down on instances of players sort of floating to where they need to be, like they might in past games at times. Movement feels more physical and dynamic overall, and comfortably lends itself to the way Visual Concepts already mimics the unique play styles of its stars. Continue Reading at GameSpot
GameSpot - Game ReviewsSep 5
Review: Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda Is Casual and Fun
Review: Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda Is Casual and Fun We don’t get many Hanafuda games outside Japan. When one does appear, even if its made for a niche audience, it can be a big deal. That’s the case for Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda from Gemdrops,  one of the latest holo indie titles, as it pairs up Vtubers from Cover with the card game. It’s such a solid showing, especially since it has an online multiplayer that supports cross-play with the console release and is quite well-populated, that anyone interested in the card game should consider at the very least trying out its demo. The Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda campaign (yes, there’s a story mode) follows Vtubers Nakiri Ayame, Ookami Mio, Sakura Miko, and Shirakami Fubuki as they prepare for a tournament, then get sucked into themed worlds based on the months and flower suits in the deck. It’s not an earth-shattering story, but it is quite cute and could be helpful when easing people unfamiliar with the card game into the experience. Especially since it also introduces the Holo Awase ruleset with power-ups tied to specific generations for claiming cards that show certain performers on them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q_BRkjFwRQ It’s the actual card game that matters here, and Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda is great at providing that experience with a Vtuber coating. In addition to the campaign, you can play offline or online. The rulesets are traditional Koi-Koi, a variant of that with power-ups that include buffs and debuffs called Holo Awase, and Oicho-Kabu. (You don’t have to fire up one of the Yakuza games for rounds of that last one anymore!) Cards are very clearly presented on the table, information is laid out well, and it’s easy to check set lists or toggle help on and off.  The online multiplayer impressed me too! I played on a handheld gaming PC, and I had no trouble finding matches. When I did get into one, it was responsive with no lag. It also didn’t take too long to find fellow players, though I did make sure I played around Japanese time zones to ensure I wouldn’t be alone. Cross-play seemed competent. The only qualm is that it is a bit of a rudimentary multiplayer mode, as there’s no ranked option. Given this is part of that indie line, I suppose I understand. And, in the time I was playing, Gemdrops did end up patching it to penalize people who would ditch matches if it looked like they were losing, so at least the developers seem like they’re keeping an eye out for feedback. Images via Gemdrops Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda also looks so great. The cards all feature Hololive Vtubers, but at the same time nail the classic Hanafuda card aesthetic. It looks lovely. I’d buy physical cards with those types of prints. (You know, if Trump tariffs and the end of de minimis exemption weren’t making those kinds of those impulse purchases near impossible.) If you aren’t a Vtuber fan, you can also opt for more traditional looking cards, but I really recommend going with the themed approach since they’re so pretty.  The downside to Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda is, while enjoyable, I didn’t feel like I someone who picked it up would end up learning to play the card game well by playing it. The tutorial is comprehensive, but it doesn’t really get into learning about why you should play certain cards where or when you should try for certain groupings. Instead, it will just remind you that you’ll see automatically if cards could be played and used to claim via outlines when that option is enabled. There can also be hints about special moves. So as long as you’re placing cards as suggested in a way that let you keep building up collections you claimed, you could be fine and have a great time. But if you do already know how to play, it’s a fantastic way of getting into the card game. Ironically, I feel like a trailer for it did a better job of explaining how to play the card game. Image via Gemdrops Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda is a pleasant, casual Hanafuda experience that is great for anyone interested in the card game, not just Vtuber fans. It covers a few different rulesets. Its original Holo Awase option with power-ups adds a little extra flash. It also seemed like there’s a pretty active online multiplayer scene tied to it. And since there are different card themes, you could swap to that, largely ignore the campaign, and enjoy more typical Hanafuda experiences instead. Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda is available for the PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch .  The post Review: Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda Is Casual and Fun appeared first on Siliconera .
Reviews Articles and News - SiliconeraSep 5
Hollow Knight: Silksong Review in Progress
Hollow Knight: Silksong Review in ProgressThis hotly anticipated sequel is already more than meeting its sky-high expectations.
IGN PC ReviewsSep 4
NBA 2K26 Review
NBA 2K26 Review
IGN PC ReviewsSep 4