DENNIS GAGLIARDOTTO
A Look Back at Horror Reimagined: LAYERS OF FEAR (2023)
As we celebrate Bloober Team’s accomplishments and their upcoming new title, Cronos: The New Dawn, we wanted to take a look back at Layers of Fear (2023) and how it fuses the base game, its sequels, and DLC into one haunting Unreal Engine 5 anthology, blending surreal horror, rich lore & stunning visuals in an epic reimagining.
Marvel Rivals: Half A Year Later
Marvel Rivals has made waves since its debut at the end of the year in 2024, and since then it has held consistent traction for updates and player retention with a fantastic slate of content, game modes, and pure fun not seen since Overwatch took the world by storm in 2016.
The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty Review
Arguably one of the best time-conscious visual novels to come out in quite some time, if not ever, and with an easy-to-read and use flowchart to access after you've become content with your initial route, The Hungry Lamb has an accessible but extremely dark story that introduces characters to immediately connect with, bringing forth a package that has an organic flow from beginning to end in a fantastic yet underutilized setting.
Eternal Strands Review
Eternal Strands is a fantastic amalgam of some of gaming's great brought together for a new and rich experience that still stands on its own two feet, acting as more of a celebration of its inspirations rather than an imitation.
Go Home Annie Review
Go Home Annie does an excellent job at expanding the lore of the SCP while also being a love letter to horror in its own right. As a meticulously designed package, Go Home Annie provides an experience that is both palatable and rich whether someone is a horror fan or not, and it should be commended that the game has elements that rivals greats like Bloober Team.
Infinity Nikki Review
To put it plainly, Infinity Nikki is a magical experience for all audiences that truly encapsulates the feeling of joy and happiness with each passing second spent in the world of Miraland. With clear influences from Mario Odyssey and Atelier, it’s a one-of-a-kind journey that raises the bar on what it means to be cozy, adventurous, and, surprisingly, free-to-play.
Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution Review
Neptunia has come a long way since its debut on PS3, but with its frequency of releases it can sometimes suffer from the quantity-over-quality scenario, which is unfortunately the case here with Game Maker R:Evolution. Bland visuals, janky animations, and a preposterously low budget make Game Maker R:Evolution borderline offensive to longtime fans of the series.
Love Too Easily Review
Love Too Easily may seem silly on the surface, but it’s a surprisingly well thought out FMV that delivers a more lighthearted take on a mystery romance. Fans of international content—especially those that consume Korean and Japanese dramas—will find themselves in familiar territory, but even those less affiliated will still appreciate Love Too Easily’s approach to a simple yet enjoyable story.
The Coma 2B: Catacomb Review
The Coma 2B: Catacomb may not live up to the strengths of its predecessors, but it’s still a formidable entry in an under-looked series that excels at horror. Catacomb still provides all those signature DVORA flavors that make these games so memorable, and while it’s weak by comparison, it’s still worth a playthrough and picking up at a more-than-reasonable $14.99.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Review
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is far from perfect, but it's still a solid adaptation of a beloved franchise that respects, honors, and expands upon its lore in a way that's more interactive and immersive now with players putting themselves in Alex's shoes. As fans of horror or the film, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is an enjoyable trek through the world of silence that clearly loves the source material.
The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication Review
The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication makes for a great, well-paced standalone sequel that honors the film while also taking creative liberties to do something fun and inventive within its haunted world from the films of the same name. Following a rotating cast of four characters, Bridge Curse 2 is a fun horror roller coaster that's perfect for a weekend during the Halloween season.
The Substance (2024) | Film Review
The Substance gives the message of societal pressures and what some are willing to do to counteract the downfall of a lack of attention and appreciation, all while touching on unrealistic expectations of beauty standards. Its craftsmanship as a film goes beyond what we typically see in any given year, and it’s absolutely one of the best films of 2024 and, arguably, ever, with outstanding imagery and performances that will forever be remembered.
Flowstone Saga Review
Flowstone Saga has an equal number of pros and cons that balance itself out for better or for worse, so ultimately a game like this, while creative, still leaves a lot to be desired and may leave players yearning for more, but you also won’t find a game quite like Flowstone Saga, and it at the very least set out to do what it wanted to do very well, combining two beloved yet very different types of games in a harmonious way.
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) | Film Review
Though by now everyone and their mother has heard that Joker: Folie à Deux is a huge disappointment, it's worth noting that, predictably, the internet has exacerbated the nature of its faults, though that's not to say the anticipated sequel to the 2019 DC masterclass is any good. It has its heart in the right place, but actions speak louder than words as we're left with a film that's very little about Joker, and, in some cases, mocks fans of the original film.
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE Review | What's It Like In 2024?
While a far cry from its successor, XENOVERSE 2, XENOVERSE 1 benefits from its simplicity and its barebones approach to what XENOVERSE 2 would ultimately become, allowing for a more streamlined experience that keeps it concise, tight, and surprisingly therapeutic for those that want a Dragon Ball experience that easy to jump in and out of.
Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit Review
For those that love retro horror, Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit is a must-play, beautifully marrying the genre and art direction of pixels that, when done as well as it is here, gives off such a special experience that it remains memorable, all without sacrificing the actual horror itself.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) | Film Review
Deadpool & Wolverine marks a new direction for Deadpool that is surprisingly wholesome and well thought out, and with the return of Hugh Jackman as his iconic Wolverine, not a single frame is wasted as the film brings out what is arguably Marvel Studios' best work since the entire MCU began.
Vanished Into The Night (2024) | Film Review
Vanished Into The Night is a decent premise with good actors that were crippled by poor direction, a mundane script, extremely poor editing, and a production crew that simply didn't care.
LONGLEGS (2024) | Film Review
LONGLEGS certainly isn't "the scariest film ever" but it will undoubtedly be seen as one of the most unsettling. If you're an avid horror film goer, chances are LONGLEGS won't really shock you all that much, but the way it gets into your mind is what make it so special and really puts things into perspective for its main protagonist Agent Lee Harker.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Review | What's It Like In 2024?
Admittedly, Hellblade: Senua's Saga is far from perfect and won't be a game for everyone, but now with a multitude of accessibility options it has made itself much more palatable for a wider audience, and with constant sale prices between $2-$4, Hellblade: Senua's Saga is too good to pass up for a unique experience that has stood the test of time and will do so once more with its even more robust and epic sequel.