Death Stranding 2 is a game with faults and annoyances, but it also makes big, expensive swings and is trying to establish its own unique genre, often successfully.
A lot of thoughtful work went into Welcome Tour to make me understand and acknowledge its $10 price tag, but it’s just not a tour I would recommend taking.
We spoke with Shift Up about inspirations for Stellar Blade beyond Nier Automata (like the Bible and The Matrix), the approach to costumes and how they fit in the lore, and why having no minimaps in the game was a purposeful decision.
Though the combat, which falls between serviceable and irritating, threatened my enjoyment, I still found delight in the currents of Another Crab's Treasure.
I may not have had strong connections with most of the cast and was annoyed with a number of specific sections, but I liked spending time in Sand Land (and beyond) and seeing my garage upgrade and grow.
Hundred Heroes adheres a bit too closely to outdated design conventions, but the strength of its writing and characters makes up for its short-sightedness.
Children of the Sun is a prime example of an experience born from a straightforward premise and then iterated for the right amount of time before it loses its charm.