If there ever were a game worthy of the “diamond in the rough” moniker, it’d be Metro 2033. Based off the Russian novel of the same name, 2033 debuted back in 2010 seemingly out of the blue, but quickly turned into a bit of a cult-favorite. Caught off guard at the game’s success, Metro: Last Light has clearly been given a good deal more in the way of funding and support from THQ (and eventually Koch Media), and it shows. Metro: Last Light is a good follow-up to 2033, but it definitely feels changed in ways that aren’t always to its benefit.
Dead Island Riptide Review: Should Have Stayed Dead
Let’s say that the first Dead Island was a survivor of a zombie apocalypse. He wasn’t the ideal survivor, but he had his quirks. You may not have wanted to stay around him for too long, so after you worked together for about 15-20 hours you left to go find your friend named Skyrim. Two years after leaving him, you decide to go back and find Dead Island, but all that is left of him is a shambling corpse that goes by Riptide. [Read more...]
Star Trek Review: Objects In Space
I’ve never been much of a drinker. I mean, I’ve had a beer or two on occasion, but I’ve never really been in one of those situations where I just compulsively need a drink. I started playing Star Trek and was having a pretty alright time with its subpar co-op, third-person shooter action. Then Kirk uttered a line about how he was frustrated with the number of locked doors along their path. It was meant to be a quip, delivered by the dashing action hero and used to lighten the mood in a desperate situation. But this line only frustrated me. I hate it when characters call out flaws in a game’s design in an effort to brush them off; it’s as if the designer knows the game is terrible, and wants to joke about it with the player. I had a pack of PBR sitting untouched in my fridge for a pretty long time. It’s no longer there. All that’s left are a few crushed cans and a crumpled up cardboard box sitting in the corner next to my trash can. [Read more...]
Injustice: Gods Among Us Review: Crazy, Stupid, Fun

I had an odd relationship with NetherRealm’s new fighting game since the time it was announced to the time of its release. The idea of a gritty fighting game starring the DC heroes and villains was interesting. The lack of the developer’s signature ultra-violence was disheartening and it seemed like the game was going to fall to the wayside as Mortal Kombat 9 with a DC skin. After getting the game earlier than expected because of my need for a fightstick, I can gladly report that Injustice: Gods Among Us offers enough fresh hooks and ridiculous moments to set it apart within the fighting genre.
Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon Review: Chock Full of Charm

2013: The Year of Luigi. It is finally time for gaming’s most famous second fiddle to step into the spotlight. It all starts here, with Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. The long anticipated 3DS title is finally on store shelves and kicks off the green-clothed brother’s year. [Read more...]
Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel Review: Standard Operating Bullshit
I had fun precisely once in Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel. About three hours in, I started playing solo, and hopped in the driver’s seat of a jeep with a turret. My AI partner was going to pick off enemies from his elevated position, but I barely noticed. I slammed on the accelerator (in first-person, no less), running over everyone in my path for a good one to two minutes. Because of the game’s new “dismemberment technology,” bodies exploded and limbs flew around goofily. It was dumb, but it was different. Most of The Devil’s Cartel isn’t. [Read more...]
Lego City Undercover Review: Missing Bricks
What do you want out of a LEGO game? [Read more...]
Bioshock Infinite Review: An Empire of Liberty
In another life, things would probably be different. In another life, we might be somewhere else, someone else. But we’re forced to live with the hand we’re dealt, and there’s no changing that. Or is there? It’s hard for Bioshock Infinite to cast itself away from the shadow of its predecessor, mostly because of how strong the narrative of the original Bioshock was in its day. Bioshock Infinite quickly relinquishes itself from the shackles of just “going through the motions” and carves out a unique place all its own. [Read more...]
Gears of War Judgment Review: A Breath of Fresh Air
A Raven lands in a war torn courtyard; faceless men clad in bulky armor and armed with chainsaw machine guns stand at the ready. A drab color palette completes the scene and confirms that Judgment is definitely a Gears of War game. The similarities stay concurrent throughout the game, but there are changes that make Judgment feel fresh and new, despite having a very similar aesthetic to the past games in the series. [Read more...]
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Review: Chasing Perfection
I won’t mince words here: StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty completed floored me upon its release in the summer of 2010. Aside from its poorly written tale, Wings of Liberty epitomized the best aspects of the RTS genre to the tee. Everything from the stellar mission design (which perfectly mixed approachability, challenge, and variety), the balanced multiplayer, and the custom game possibilities came together to make the best RTS in years. Naturally, I have been extremely excited for Starcraft II’s first expansion, titled Heart of the Swarm, which features a campaign focused on the Zerg. The expansion hasn’t turned out to be anything revolutionary, but in this case it’s hardly a bad thing.





