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A Game Changer

Every time I play Xevious on one of Namco’s "museum" compilations, I can’t help but reminisce about the time when I first discovered the game in 1992 on the Atari 7800 (a system which also familiarized me with other Namco classics outside of Pac-Man). Back then, our family couldn’t afford the Super NES or Sega Genesis. So, in a move of what I think was out of pity, a friend of ours gave us her 7800 with a huge bag full of games. While rummaging through the cartridges, I came across the little oddity known as Xevious. It was probably the first game I had heard of that started with an “X”, and the name intrigued me. I quickly fell in love with the unique enemy designs and mysterious land structures peppered throughout the game.

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Press X to Batman.

By now, we’re all aware of the joke: if you own an intellectual property of any import, Telltale will make a game based on it. Telltale adventure games are quickly becoming the Funko Pops of the video game world, but just like those big-headed collectibles, there is no denying their popularity. Enter Batman: The Telltale Series. Is this “just” another Telltale game? Well, yes, of course it is. That shouldn’t suggest that it isn’t worth your time, though.

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Sparkle and fade.

Child of Light is the video game equivalent of a children’s bedtime storybook. It’s full of beautiful artwork and whimsical characters. It lights a spark and captures your imagination. Then it starts to put you to sleep.

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Angry Birds + Tower Defense + Side Scrolling Beat ‘em up = Concept Over-saturation

When I first downloaded CastleStorm, I was expecting a tower defense game akin to the classic Flash games. What I found, however, was a game crammed with bits and pieces of different classic genres that should have satisfied my nostalgia itch, but failed horribly. With a twist of tower defense, a mechanical snippet of Angry Birds, and a smidge of beat ‘em up, I was left in a state of confusion about what this game desired to be along with horribly cramped hands from the poor control schemes.

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Raising the stakes.

Telltale has chosen to make a statement with its second episode of Season Two. Through some great character moments and some really tough choices, I reached points of happiness and distress during “A House Divided”. Whereas Episode 1 was great on its own, Episode 2 reminded me why Telltale’s storytelling ability is to be reckoned with.

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