IGN Game Reviews – Spoken Edition

Guacamelee 2 often had me laughing out loud. And just as often, it had me gripping my controller and gritting my teeth, trying not to be too frustrated with myself as I learned the luchador skills needed to nail its most difficult platforming puzzles. But no matter what emotion it evoked, I loved nearly every minute of Drinkbox Studios’ fantastic follow-up, which offers a smart evolution of its revered predecessor that only briefly feels overly familiar.

Since the beginning, Telltale’s The Walking Dead has always been Clementine’s story. From her early stages as a young child under Lee’s care in season one to her current status as a budding young survivor in this fourth and final season, the entire series has largely hinged on her development in the aftermath of the apocalypse.

We Happy Few has crafted a story worthy of its eerie and drug-induced madcap setting (which is extremely welcome, as it was geared heavily towards survival and crafting in Early Access). The stories told of its misfit characters are bleak, witty, tense, and ready to shine a light on their flaws. And yet, like the devilish, grinning masks the populace has donned in conformity, you can’t help but notice what’s just below the surface. Wellington Wells is a deceptive place.

We Happy Few has crafted a story worthy of its eerie and drug-induced madcap setting (which is extremely welcome, as it was geared heavily towards survival and crafting in Early Access). The stories told of its misfit characters are bleak, witty, tense, and ready to shine a light on their flaws. And yet, like the devilish, grinning masks the populace has donned in conformity, you can’t help but notice what’s just below the surface. Wellington Wells is a deceptive place.

Sometimes video games feel like call and response: One developer makes a great game, and another team (or two... or five) create their own based on that idea but with key additions or refinements — new mechanical twists, a change in scope, or a story that feels like a natural fit for the concept. In this way, Phantom Doctrine responds to the call from Firaxis’ XCOM franchise.

[Editor’s Note: On August 6, IGN published a Dead Cells review that was found to have unacceptable similarities to another author’s work and was immediately retracted. We apologize again; see our full statement here. This new review was written by a different critic and meets our editorial standards. Note that this review (and its score) represents solely the opinion of the new reviewer based on his experience with Dead Cells.

On my second run through Dead Cells I made it to the last level and was pretty sure I had it figured out. 63 runs later, when I finally took down the boss and stepped into my post-game replay, I’m one-hundred-percent sure I’m just now starting to understand the deep nuances of Motion Twin’s incredible action-platformer.

Monster Hunter: World initially seemed destined to be one of those game of the year candidates that, due to a January release, would be forgotten about when all the lists rolled around 12 months later. Thankfully, the promised PC port has finally appeared, and it’s set to reignite that discussion.

What happens when Death goes on vacation? Well, in Flipping Death he mistakenly leaves the job to a recently deceased woman named Penny, who learns she can help restless spirits with their unfinished business by jumping between the land of the dead and the land of the living. It’s a cool premise, and executed very much like a more action-centric spiritual successor to the point-and-click adventure comedies of classic LucasArts.

[Editor's Note: This review and score replaces our original March 2016 review. Read more onIGN's re-review policy.] Each time I start up a new farm in Stardew Valley or return to my 100-hour save on PC, I feel like I’m going home. There’s a comfort in Stardew Valley that I’ve rarely found in other games.

I’m relieved to announce that the time my wife and I spent together in Overcooked 2’s increasingly chaotic and always amusing kitchens has not resulted in divorce. It has, in fact, been great fun. The sequel to one of my favorite indie games of 2016 follows a familiar loop: a team of chefs cuts food, cooks food, and serves finished dishes to invaders to save Onion Kingdom – this time from a zombie army of bread called the Unbread.

WarioWare Gold, the latest release in the offbeat Nintendo series that takes the expression ‘a quick game is a good game’ to its most literal extreme, is a greatest hits slab with substantial appeal for newcomers. It’s just a shame that its assortment of rehashed ‘microgames’ and disappointingly mixed bag of unlockables combine for an overall package that feels all too familiar for existing fans.

With its latest update, called Next, No Man’s Sky has rounded off enough of its rough edges and piled in enough content that exploring its weird galaxy is usually rewarding. It’s definitely a treadmill, though, and while there are countless upgrades and ships to acquire, bases to build, and resources to mine, the process of earning them involves hours upon hours of mindless and repetitive work.

Madden NFL 19 keeps its focus where it belongs: its moment-to-moment gameplay. This year’s entry comes with the promise of improved player motion, a more intimate franchise experience, and the return of two hometown heroes as the Longshot story continues with a new chapter. But does Madden ‘19 have the balance needed to stay between the uprights and keep both newcomers and long-time Madden fans happy? In short: Yes, yes it does.

What if you could play Castlevania over and over and never stop being surprised? That’s what Chasm tries to deliver: a full Metroidvania where every new game has its own unique, randomized map. Its RPG-elements and awesome variety of beautifully animated enemies make it fun the first time through, but it’s that push for replayability that ends doing more harm than good.