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The Blood of Dawnwalker is an ambitious first game from Rebel Wolves, and fortunately, much of that ambition pays off. Set in a plague-ravaged 14th-century Europe where vampires have seized control of the fictional Vale Sangora, the game puts players in the role of Coen, a young man transformed into a creature caught between humanity and vampirism. After his family is kidnapped, he has thirty days and thirty nights to gather allies, undermine the vampire lord Brencis and decide how much of his remaining humanity he is willing to sacrifice. That premise already gives Dawnwalker a strong identity, but it is the way the game builds its characters, lore and consequences around it that makes this more than just another open-world action RPG. Rebel Wolves clearly understands that the best RPG stories are not necessarily about saving the world, but about making the player care about the people living in it, and Dawnwalker succeeds remarkably well in that regard. Continue reading “The Blood of Dawnwalker review (PS5)”

Beast of Reincarnation is a fascinating game to assess because it feels like Game Freak deliberately stepped outside its comfort zone and then discovered just how difficult that can be. Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan in the distant future, the game follows Emma, a young Sealer afflicted by the Blight, and Koo, a similarly affected dog-like companion, as they travel through a world where nature, technology and humanity have become increasingly difficult to separate. The premise is hardly unfamiliar, drawing obvious inspiration from the likes of NieR and other post-apocalyptic adventures, but the relationship between Emma and Koo gives it a surprisingly strong emotional foundation. Emma’s reserved nature makes her difficult to connect with initially, yet her bond with Koo develops through small interactions rather than endless exposition, making their companionship feel considerably more genuine than the typical videogame sidekick relationship. The surrounding story takes its time revealing the history of this world and its characters, and while some of its ideas are clearly borrowed from familiar territory, there is enough mystery, philosophical subtext and well-timed revelation to keep the journey interesting. Continue reading “Beasts of Reincarnation review (PS5)”

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault had a difficult task from the moment it was announced. The original Moonlighter found its identity by putting two very different activities together and making them complement one another: dungeon crawling for loot and running a shop to turn that loot into progression. For the sequel, Digital Sun could simply have expanded that formula, but instead it has taken the considerably riskier route of rebuilding much of the experience around a new 3D presentation and deeper systems. The result is an ambitious follow-up that understands why the original worked, even if some of its changes shift the balance between adventurer and merchant more than returning players might expect. Continue reading “Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault review (PS5)”

Aggelos 2 is a sequel that understands that a good Metroidvania does not necessarily need an elaborate story to keep us moving forward. Set long after the events of the first game, it once again puts the angel Aggelos in the middle of a conflict between light and darkness, with an old evil threatening to return. The setup is deliberately straightforward, and the game does little to flesh out its mythology beyond the essentials. Dialogue is sparse, characters mostly exist to push the adventure along, and the narrative rarely gives us much reason to become invested in the world itself. That simplicity can be charming when it gets out of the way and lets the gameplay take centre stage, although there are moments when we would have liked a little more substance behind the colorful kingdoms we are exploring. Continue reading “Aggelos 2 review (PS5)”