Sign in Subscribe

Stephen Gillespie

to a T (Series X): An Admirable Failure from the Katamari Creator

to a T (Series X): An Admirable Failure from the Katamari Creator

Over the last couple of decades, game director Keita Takahashi has become one of the most interesting creatives in the medium. He's most famous for the superlative Katamari Damacy, though also cult delights such as Noby Noby Boy and Wattam, all whimsical and quirky experiences united by a

Doom: The Dark Ages (Series X): Rip-oste and Teareth

Doom: The Dark Ages (Series X): Rip-oste and Teareth

The two previous Doom games (Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal) from id Software are brilliant examples of cohesive design. The 2016 reboot took what was, at that point, an oversaturated and homogenised genre (the first person shooter) and made it into something fresh. Why the genre works was maintained but

The Phoenician Scheme: Immaculate Chaos

The Phoenician Scheme: Immaculate Chaos

Every line would be the funniest thing you’ve ever heard if not for every other line.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Series X): Always Parrying its Own Potential

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Series X): Always Parrying its Own Potential

The highs are high but the lows are low. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is persistent mix of satisfaction and disappointment, of potential and eventual failure. A great premise is thrown to the wayside, replaced with a confused and unsatisfying narrative focus where plot ploughs through all else. Combat and music

The Grand Deceit of Alex Garland’s Warfare

The Grand Deceit of Alex Garland’s Warfare

For all its claims of authenticity, Warfare is deeply deceptive. It starts by misleading you, a claim is put forward that ‘this film only uses their memories’ (their being the soldiers depicted therein). On a number of levels, this is profoundly untrue but the way it is untrue is deeply

Blue Prince (PC): The Art of Intuition

Blue Prince (PC): The Art of Intuition

It's a classic setup: You can inherit a stately home but under a strict condition. In Blue Prince, that condition is make it to room 46, that's room 46 in a mansion where – as you can see from the blueprints – there is only space for 45

South of Midnight (Series X): An Aesthetic Triumph Hampered by Repetition

South of Midnight (Series X): An Aesthetic Triumph Hampered by Repetition

In positive and negative ways, South of Midnight feels like a very pretty PS2 game. Admittedly, the art design is stunning, and is underpinned by technical chops; it’s the act of playing it that will take you back. A linear, action adventure game that’s heavy on simple platforming