Recent reviews by MaelstromALPHA

Immaculate movement tech with a nostalgic low poly aesthetic and a catchy soundtrack that would be right at home in the N64/Dreamcast era. Doesn't overstay it's welcome and has plenty of replayability thanks to it's buttery smooth controls. Highly recommended!

If blood, toilet humour and the occasional Dark Souls reference are enough to make a game enjoyable for you, then have at it. Otherwise it was a laborious collectathon with very little substance.

The sheer scope and scale of this game boggles the mind. It's a blend of all From Software's previous works, taking things that worked from each and merging them together in an open world that still somehow feels as meticulously thought-out and carefully crafted as their other games. Many of the areas are diverse in theme and filled with interesting and unique enemy types that keep you guessing what will come next. Truly the pinnacle of the "Souls" series/genre.

Truly the glorious return of Igavania. This isn't just another Symphony of the Night clone either.. it hits all the right notes of it's inspiration while adding lots of interesting and unique gameplay to the mix. Along with Curse of the Moon (the 8bit offering), this series is off to an amazing start. I really hope it becomes as illustrious as the Castlevania series.

An exceptional game in many aspects. Exceptional visuals, exceptional gameplay, exceptional enemy/boss design.. and exceptional difficulty. Even given From Software's own track record, Sekiro sits at the top as one of their more unrelenting and unforgiving experiences, often with one slip up costing you your life. Once the mixture of combat and stealth clicks into place, the gameplay feels incredibly satisfying as you deftly grapple across a level, backstabbing unsuspecting fodder on your way between the epic boss fight set-pieces.

Truly the best "Tenchu" game ever made.

One of the most fun and dumb games i've ever played. Get a couple of friends together and throw yourself into this b-movie on steroids, you won't regret it :)

Frustrating, addicting, challenging, relentlessly infuriating and well put together. They should make a physical version of this game that comes with a physical, big red rage quit button. Also, ♥♥♥♥ the Devil's Chimney.

Difficult, rewarding and visually stunning.

It's like Super Mario Sunshine but with tighter controls, a better gimmick, more varied levels and an adorable lead character instead of a sweaty plumber. What's not to love?

Sonic Mania should be called Sonic 4, as it's the best thing to come out of the series since Sonic 3 & Knuckles. The perfect blend of retro Sonic gameplay with new mechanics thrown in the mix and some unexpected throwbacks that I won't spoil. This game certainly brings a smile to the face of the long time Sonic fans despite all the abuse the series has suffered through (I'm looking at you Sonic '06 and Boom...) and makes me genuinely excited to be a Sonic fan again.

There are a few ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ here and there in the gameplay but nothing that detracts from the fun of playing it. As of writing this the game is currently locked with a "online only" DRM, which is a shame as it's probably the biggest issue with the game. If you have an always-on connection this won't affect you however, so I highly recommend it! It's a shame to see so many negative reviews of an almost perfect Sonic game.. but hopefully SEGA hear the masses and fix the only glaring problem with this release, the over-the-top DRM.

** NOTE: I'm reviewing the game, not the DRM. **