DENNIS GAGLIARDOTTO
The Caligula Effect: Overdose Review
Fast-forward to 2019 and Caligula Effect loses its Vita exclusivity and makes its presence known now on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as The Caligula Effect: Overdose. Surely with an increase in power on both of these systems, all the issues that held the Vita version back should be cleaned up and addressed, but unfortunately all we really get here is a feeling of déjà vu made to be covered up by a new story route, avatar, and content that are practically negligible.
Walden, a game Review
It is without a doubt that throughout American history, Henry David Thoreau is one of the most recognizable names in classic novels alongside George Orwell, Mark Twain, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Thoreau's Walden, which dates way back to the 1850s, seems like one of the last things you'd expect to be adapted into a video game, yet the small team at USC Games managed to pull off a decent game that gives the book more depth, serving almost as an educational and interactive companion to making Walden a more personal and relatable experience.
Observer Review
Observer, brought to you by the talented folks behind a horror hit Layers of Fear, has a cyberpunk setting that's believable and curious to go through. You'll play as an old man, Dan Lazarski, who's been a neural detective - a specialty officer with the ability to hack into the minds of suspects - for quite some time that's looking into the disappearance of his son, who suddenly calls him one day but seems to be in a need of help...
Tacoma Review
Tacoma sees developer Fullbright take on their next mission with a title following their big hit Gone Home, which captured the minds, hearts, and feelings of players around the world back in 2013 on PC before being ported to consoles just last year. Though Tacoma has a lot of similarities to Gone Home, it shouldn't be seen as such just because it's the same developer. Traits carry over, but despite that, the overall atmosphere, premise, and execution is very different from what players had to go through with Gone Home. There will still be tons of emotional value and context provided in the game, with a diverse cast to help bring the narrative to life, and as the player explores the ship of Tacoma, they will uncover the secrets within and all the events that have transpired since the ship has taken off and the people on board had joined the crew.
Valkyria Revolution Review
Valkyria Revolution brings back the beloved series in a brand new direction from its Valkyria Chronicles predecessors and takes everything we've known mechanically about the series' past and turns it on its head. While hardcore fans of Valkyria Chronicles may be disappointed by this new direction, Revolution does well to stand out and become its own thing. This is a brand new look for the series and introduces some welcoming new elements that freshens it up, but there are also lots about it that feel either backwards or much to be desired.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception Review
Imagine waking up one day in the middle of nowhere, where it's cold, snowing, the woods are endless, and you're surrounded by are the chirps of birds, the rustling of the trees and the sounds of your footsteps. You don't even know your own name or what to do in the situation except your basic human functions. Utawarerumono - which means The One Being Sung in Japanese - puts you in the shoes of an unnamed man in this exact position where he must find out why he woke up there, how he ended up in that position, and journey back into the discovery of who he is along the way.