Taking a Ride with ‘Neo Cab’: A Review
I took my first cab ride in Guilin, China, in 2015, and I quickly realized somewhere between the radically sharp 90 degree turns, the language barrier, and choking cigarette atmosphere that I was more...
Category: Reviews
‘Borderlands 3’ Review
Borderlands 3 is like a fun, reliable friend who doesn’t know when to shut up. Every time the game gets rolling, it’s interrupted with a joke – and it’s not like the jokes are always bad, they just never stop. But that’s the world that Borderlands has built, and it’s one that feels lived in and fleshed out.
‘Untitled Goose Game’ Review
A few years ago, Canadian Geese flew several hundred miles south to where I live for the winter, but the gaggle never migrated back. Ever since, they have become an invasive, traffic-stopping, defecating, overly...
Three and Out – ‘Kind Words’
In the age of the internet – a maelstrom of confusion, corruption, call-out culture, and hateful rhetoric – I often find myself in need of a break from digital media. The question of whether...
Three and Out – ‘River City Girls’
There are far too few experiences nowadays that carry a similar air to the arcade scene, but recently we’ve been blessed with a fresh adventure, River City Girls, eager to scratch that nostalgic itch. Published...
Three and Out – ‘World War Z’
Zombies have risen and plagued the Earth once again and I couldn’t be more bored of this genre. Growing up and watching movies like Night of the Living Dead, 28 Days Later, and Dawn...
Three and Out – ‘Control’
I fell in love with Control the moment I saw the first teaser trailer. Control breathed life into the supernatural space of mainstream gaming, borrowing from tropes and archetypes from series like The X-Files and Twin...
Three and Out – ‘Days Gone’
It is Zach’s recommendation that you listen to Jack Savoretti’s “Soldier’s Eyes” while reading. Drifters and rippers and freakers, oh my! Before we even have a moment to breathe, Bend Studio throws us into...
Putting Too Much Faith in A Series: ‘Life is Strange 2: Faith’ Review
The original Life is Strange series is one of my favorite games of all time. The characters, the worldbuilding, the magical realism, the soundtrack, the gameplay and how it’s integrated into the narrative themes...
Three and Out – ‘Trover Saves the Universe’
It’s time to get schwifty! Straight from the mind of Rick and Morty’s co-creator Justin Roiland and his video game studio Squanch Games comes Trover Saves the Universe. An action platformer where rules and...
Three and Out – ‘Ion Fury’
The secret to time travel has finally been revealed in the name of Ion Fury. Developed on the same Build engine as Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, and the original Shadow Warriors, 3D Realms and...
When Storytelling Goes Adrift: A Review of ‘Sea of Solitude’
Riding the wave of 2019 releases, I had high hopes that Sea of Solitude would be an emotionally driven experience that told its story through artistic direction and style. It was reported that Sea...
Three and Out – ‘Super Mario Maker 2’
Super Mario Maker 2 presents itself as a bigger, better version of its predecessor. More parts, more themes, online multiplayer, and a story mode are all included, and yet this wealth of content never...
Three and Out – ‘Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled’
In wake of the recent remakes, Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled turbo-boosts on by with a faithful recreation that brings even more than expected. When this remake was first announced, I was a bit...
‘Cadence of Hyrule’ Perfected Something Special About Zelda
Cadence of Hyrule instantly danced itself into the top spot for my 2019 game of the year contenders. I was expecting a casual offshoot to the Zelda universe, just a whimsical indie one-off. But...
Three and Out – ‘Nyakuza Metro’
A Hat in Time is one of my favorite releases of 2017. The previous DLC release, Seal the Deal, was an incredible package that incorporated both the cutest thing in gaming as a whole...
Three and Out – ‘Kids’
Kids by Playables, recently published by Double Fine, experiments with how our interactions we have with other people influence our perceived identity. In a nonverbal way, the game abstractly investigates social proprioception. I picked...
Three and Out – ‘The Division 2’
The Division 2 is a breath of fresh air for a genre that has one foot in the grave. After the lackluster endgame of The Division and the disastrous launch of Anthem, I went...
Three and Out – ‘Observation’
In outer space, humanity is a fish out of water. Aside from not being able to breathe, we can barely move except what meager momentum we can gain from flailing. Rendered helpless, all we...
Why You Shouldn’t Play ‘Vampyr’
Vampyr is an exhausting game. From annoying technical issues to an overburdened story, the game falls apart at nearly every opportunity. What seems like an interesting narrative-based action game that branches out in consequence...
What is the Future of ‘Life is Strange 2’ after “Wastelands”?
The third episode of Life is Strange 2 was the make-or-break episode for this struggling spiritual sequel to one of my favorite games of all time. After playing “Wastelands,” I can say that I’m...
Three and Out – ‘Return of the Obra Dinn’
Return of the Obra Dinn is one of the most unique games I have ever experienced. Taking on the role of a claims adjuster of all things, I was tasked with exploring an abandoned...
Three and Out – ‘Mortal Kombat 11’
Lush with buckets of blood and piles of torn limbs in tow, Mortal Kombat 11 weaved its buttons into my hands like a bad cold that gifted me a full week of paid leave,...
What the New ‘Cuphead’ Patch Gets Right
Cuphead recently released a new patch (1.2.2), which made some subtle touches and included a few more noticeable additions. This patch coincides with the release of the Switch version, so I decided to take...
Three and Out – ‘Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid’
Sometimes you aren’t looking for AAA titles with beefy budget visuals and hefty cinematics. Sometimes you don’t feel a need to drop the usual sixty dollars on a game you’re not entirely sure about....
Three and Out – ‘Aviary Attorney’
I initially purchased Aviary Attorney due to my love of the Ace Attorney series. I figured it was a game that was narratively-focused like Ace Attorney, but with bird puns and a distinctly vintage...
Three and Out – ‘Heart of the Woods’
It is Flora Eloise’s recommendation that you listen to In Love With a Ghost’s “Heart of the Woods” while reading this review. I picked up Heart of the Woods expecting a simplistic, happy-go-lucky dating...
Three and Out – ‘Anthem’
Throughout my weeks of attempting to play this game and an additional week of waiting for Anthem to stop bricking consoles, this was the main impression I had: Anthem sucks. I’ve never before struggled...
Three and Out – ‘Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’
It is Ben’s recommendation that you listen to Yuka Kitamura’s score of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice while reading. Beneath Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’s core is a simmering swath of magical realism. The game unfolds...
Three and Out – ‘Devil May Cry V’
The Devil May Cry series is known for over-the-top presentation and a complete lack of player limitations. With a lineage of games that kept pushing forward in their absurdity and a focus in pure fun, Capcom’s Devil May...
Three and Out – ‘Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice’
Up until now, I never quite understood what it means to live with psychosis. Mental illness is a sensitive subject that has been attempted across many forms of media: books, movies, television, and even...
Three and Out – ‘West of Loathing’
Back in middle school, I came across a browser-based RPG, Kingdom of Loathing. For a brief time, I was hooked by its slapstick humor and simplistic charm, though it fell into obscurity and I...
Three and Out – ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the most perfectly polished experience I have ever played. Every single aspect of this experience challenged me to be better, and I learned a lot...
Three and Out – ‘Stellaris’
Stellaris is a huge game, taking upwards to three weeks to beat. It plays like a space opera akin to the science fiction epics by Heinlein or Asimov. In the game you’re tasked with...
Three and Out – ‘Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm’
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm introduces a load of new content for players to explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate. The first major change to Civilizations 6 is climate change along with natural disasters....
Three and Out – ‘Far Cry: New Dawn’
If the Far Cry franchise does something uniquely well, it is aesthetics. The most recent addition, New Dawn, is a gorgeous patchwork of neon and flowers, lending to an atmosphere that is downright spunky...
Three and Out – ‘ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove’
Disclaimer: Thank you to HumaNature studios for being kind enough to provide us with a review copy for this article. When ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove was first announced, I was both...
Three and Out – ‘Apex Legends’
I feel 15 again. Six plus hours a day, every day, grinding matchmaking in Halo 3 with Krischiken, Eethman, and Skuzi. Late nights, sporadic food scavenging, and as much Dr. Pepper as I can...
Three and Out – ‘Jump Force’
Jump Force is the biggest disappointment in video games I have had the misfortune of experiencing, seeping with terrible animation work and a severe lack of understanding of fighting mechanics, causing it to be...
Three and Out – ‘Vignettes’
Everything is connected to everything else. Life is a fluid series of reinventing and shifting perspectives. Some video games capture this message in linear, narrative ways. Other games abstractly demonstrate this schema to us,...
Three and Out – ‘Resident Evil 2’ Remake
It is Ben’s recommendation that you listen to Capcom’s score of Resident Evil 2 while you read the review. While playing Resident Evil 2, I was reminded why I am so motivated to play...
Three and Out – ‘The Messenger’
I went into The Messenger not completely blind and with vague expectations – I knew that time travel was going to happen eventually. Even so, in a fourth-wall break, the game made itself aware...
Three and Out – ‘Battle Chasers: Nightwar’
Battle Chasers: Nightwar (BC:N) is a compelling emulation – with additional modern elements – of classic JRPGs. The characters are unique and interesting with backstory that is revealed through a mixture of main story...
Three and Out – ‘Psychonauts’
It is Ben’s recommendation that you listen to Peter Mcconnell’s score while you read the review. Playing Psychonauts felt like being sucked through a time portal to the portion of my life where I...
Three and Out: Take Two – ‘Kingdom Hearts III’
Kingdom Hearts 3 is hard to stomach. A game with unrivaled potential falling drastically short of its own legacy. The writing feels slipshod and hamfisted, as if all Sora needs to do is feel...
Three and Out – ‘Kingdom Hearts III’
Thirteen years since Kingdom Hearts II and two years since Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue we have arrived to the day that has constantly been teased and joked about never truly arriving. Kingdom...
Three and Out – ‘Grim Fandango’
LucasArts was a company well known for its interesting and compelling storytelling, and Grim Fandango is no exception to that reputation. This game is presented in a noir style based on the Aztec version of...
Three and Out – ‘Ashen’
On its surface, Ashen is a collection of inspired mechanics. There will be, and already have been, countless comparisons to Dark Souls – with many of those comparisons being warranted. There is slow, calculated...
Three and Out – ‘FAR: Lone Sails’
It is Ben’s recommendation that you listen to Joel Schoch’s score of FAR: Lone Sails while you read the review. FAR: Lone Sails is about triumph in the face of loneliness. Operating a large...
Three and Out – ‘Mega Man 11’
After an eight-year long hiatus, Mega Man is back with a brand new entry into the classic franchise. The movement, shooting and level design harkens back to the NES-era. The art style and voice...
