TheSixthAxis
HomepageTheSixthAxis's Reviews
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty – Complete Edition is, without a doubt, the ultimate form of Team Ninja's soulslike series. It's just a shame that no attempt has been made to make this edition more accessible for a new player and to explain the game's complexities more clearly. Still, if you wanted things easy, then you wouldn't want Wo Long.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess offers a stunning and memorable aesthetic that matches well with its unusual, but compelling mix of different genres. Capcom has proven why they're one of the most successful and long-running developers and publishers out there, and that they're still willing to push the boundaries once in a while.
Although it admittedly doesn't quite hit the heights of Shadowbringers, Dawntrail's shift in narrative focus injects a vibrancy into Final Fantasy XIV with this more lighthearted romp, while still keeping track of a greater story. With an increase in challenge of the instances, a couple of excellent new Jobs, an introduction of new characters, and the development of existing ones, Dawntrail clearly shows there's life after averting the end of the world and I – for one – wouldn't change a damn thing.
Rack and Slay is a fun twist on the roguelike, with a unique style to it. The challenges and the variety of abilities changes up each run, giving the game some depth, but the enemies come across as basic, and their spawning needs some improvement.
All in all, Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition is a fantastic way to discover or reminisce over the titles that formed the basis for many of the franchises that still dominate gaming today. The compulsion to get better and better is perhaps the purest distillation of video gaming available and the more competitive modes offer a challenge for a long time to come. Any Nintendo fan (or gaming fan in general) should pick this up and take on the clock. I look forward to seeing you all on the World Championship leaderboards!
TMNT: Splinted Fate is a fun roguelike and utilises the four Turtles well, with each one having unique abilities. The gameplay is fast paced and does introduce some variety early on, such as Gauntlet challenges. However, the story comes across as stretched out to arbitrarily lengthen a game that consists of four stage and four bosses.
SCHiM is an adorable and delightfully unique game, and one that feels both gloriously clever and easy to pick up in equal measure.
Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a charming metroidvania with a unique world that's ultimately undone by its overstuffed and underwhelming storytelling.
Anger Foot is loud, gross, punishing, and funny as hell. It's a crime-fueled fever dream sprinkled with moments of genuine silly sincerity, and it's all connected by fast and fun foot-first combat that I couldn't get enough of.
Blacksad is a surprisingly charming interactive tale. John Blacksad is an intriguing character, but open enough that you can shape him. While other characters don't stand out as much, the ensemble brings the story to life. The game suffers from cumbersome movement and a deduction system that's not that interesting to engage with, but, if you love a bit of noir, Blacksad: Under The Skin is well worth the 10-hour playthrough.
Infinite Inside is an enchanting mixed reality puzzle game, and one which merges the real world and the virtual in stunning, evocative fashion.
A superb, crisp version of the arcade classic with plenty of replayability and tonnes of secrets to uncover. An absolute must for fans who want to complete the trilogy.
Zenless Zone Zero is a stylish and incredible-looking blast of anime goodness, and even when it's deliberately slowing the pace down, another frantic bout of the stellar combat won't be too far away.
I went into Autopsy Simulator with expectations and hopes for a game that confronted the messy realities of mortality and gave an insight into the neglected world of the mortuary. However, the game at present is so preoccupied with telling a hackneyed story that it is difficult to recommend. Hopefully the promised autopsy only mode will remedy this.
Panzer Knights has some fun tank combat and a wealth of customisation options, but it's ultimately held back by some frustrating gameplay quirks, and a story that takes itself far too seriously without the rich writing or polished grammar it needs to back it up.
The aesthetics, densely packed environment and, at times, challenging combat go together to create a really enjoyable survival horror experience that results in Crow Country promising to be a sleeper candidate for my game of the year.
Aarik and The Ruined Kingdom is a well crafted and great looking puzzle game that entertains for its 2-3 hour playtime. It is let down by various bugs, like sounds playing unprompted, and the issue of placing objects being more cumbersome than it needs to be. However, for less than £7 it is worth a playthrough if you enjoy perspective shifting puzzle games.
Morbid: Lords of Ire is not a game that'll usurp the FromSoft throne in any way but it is a very solid and enjoyable second tier Soulslike that stands alongside titles like Thymesia and is well worth the relatively cheap entry price for genre fans. It takes clear influence from Sekiro in its parry based combat but is relatively accessible for players who might bounce off that game's difficulty level.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is the spark that this series needed, and an incredible new chapter for such an iconic franchise. The shift in tone for the story and the addictive dual-mode combat had me hooked from beginning to end. If you play any game in this series, make it this one.
Horizon Chase 2 is a fantastically fast, fun, and frenetic old-school arcade racer; improving on the original game in almost every way. With its budget price and great multiplayer options, this is an absolute must for those who like their racers stuck firmly in the 1990s.