Astral Chain is a curious action game that’s constantly mixing genres to try and offer something new to the player alongside its complex combat system. However, it ends up cluttered, suffering from too many underdeveloped ideas, and a story so shallow that it makes the original Bayonetta’s feel like Primer in comparison. In Astral Chain, we control a cop in …

This review contains as many spoilers as the game contains rats. A Plague Tale: Innocence is a stealth-adventure game that greatly succeeds in setting up an intriguing story and building a gripping, oppressive atmosphere, excelling in mood and tension during its first hours. Unfortunately, the latter half is bogged down by an increasing sense of power and an underwhelming ending. …

It’s rare for a book to show its fangs before it even starts. But Mira Grant manages that with Into the Drowning Deep, in the Dedication Page of all places, where she simply writes, “For Mike and Marnie. Stay away from the water.” It’s a chilling warning and a statement of intent: this horror novel is basically a thalassophobic’s worst …

Developed by Starbreeze Studios, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a poignant adventure that combines dramatic and fantastical elements to tell a captivating story. With a simple control scheme that’s brilliant in the way it reflects the relationship between the main characters, A Tale of Two Sons fails only at one precise moment: the twist that leads to the …

Oh, Lara Croft, you’re always looking for a lost city, chasing the ghost of your dead father while being hunted by secret organizations. You never rest. In Rise of the Tomb Raider, you’re the same, as the game builds upon the foundations of its predecessor, with a more carefully written story – where your journey is not at odds with how …

Although Blood of Elves is the third book in The Witcher saga, you could say it’s actually the first proper novel in the series, as the previous two volumes, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, are structured more like a collection of short stories. The transition proves to be more of a curse than a blessing, however, as Blood …

Charles, the snob, and Bob, the cynic, are FaceTiming together: Charles is walking down the sunny streets of Thebes, thousands of years ago, after a hearty breakfast in a famous local cafe, using his iPhone 16 Pro Max, while Bob is at home (where else) alone at night, after a couple of strong drinks and doomscrolling on Twitter for an …

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom marks the first time the series’ titular character is the main playable one: it’s finally Zelda’s moment to shine, and she doesn’t disappoint, for her game manages to blend the modern Zelda ethos of favoring player expression with the series’ classic dungeon template even more successfully than the recent 3D outings. Her game …

This review contains some general spoilers. Batman: The Telltale Series offers a great take on the Batman mythos, focusing its attention on Gotham and the role the Wayne family has in shaping it as a hopelessly corrupt and violent city. Despite following Telltale’s uninspired formula, the game’s story shines by framing politics and wealth disparity as the core reasons for …

With a wholesome vibe and some simple mechanics, Haven is a cozy game that celebrates friendship and love. Successful at developing its central relationship, the game is only occasionally hampered by an overall lack of obstacles and conflict: things here can be just too nice. Haven is about two runaway lovers, Yu and Kay, who have managed to escape together …