The Walking Dead: Michonne (Review)

Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Available On: Android, iOS, macOS, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
Xbox One version reviewed on Xbox Series S

When Telltale Games launched The Walking Dead: Season 1 in 2012, it was like lightning in a bottle. Featuring a landmark gameplay style that combined the thrill of the “choose your own adventure” books from the 1980s-1990s with all of the moral ambiguity of The Walking Dead comics and television show, Telltale’s first foray into the world of the undead was considered a narrative masterpiece and won “Game of the Year” awards from multiple outlets. As a longtime fan of both Telltale Games and The Walking Dead, I’ve loved playing each “season” of this series over the years, but until now I’ve never played The Walking Dead: Michonne, a spin-off featuring one of the most beloved characters from the franchise. While it still contains several of the elements that have made this series of games so memorable, it’s also the hardest one to recommend to anyone besides the most hardcore of fans.

Ubisoft Forward 2023 (Recap)

For our final recap of the Summer Game Fest/E3 season, let’s take a look at everything shown during Ubisoft Forward. There weren’t as many games on display as some of the other shows, but what Ubisoft lacked in quantity they made up for in quality with a few heavy hitters. Below you’ll find every announcement from the show, including links to the trailers and information on each title. Enjoy!

Wholesome Games Direct 2023 (Recap)

The Wholesome Games Direct is full of, you guessed it, wholesome games. This was easily the most packed show of the summer gaming season, featuring a whopping 78 games in the presentation! I’m probably going to regret how much time this one post is going to take, but below you’ll find every game shown, complete with links to their trailers and information on their release dates and platforms when applicable. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at everything that was featured in the show!

Immortality (Review)

Developer: Half Mermaid Productions
Publisher: Half Mermaid Productions
Available On: Android, iOS, macOS, PC, and Xbox Series X|S
Reviewed on iOS

Every now and then there’s an indie game that comes along, stops you in your tracks, and makes you realize that you’ve never played something quite like it before. Immortality is one such game. Presented as an archived collection of fictional live-action film recordings, Immortality tasks you with scrubbing through three films in various states of production. There’s a mystery to solve, which is made clear by an introductory tutorial, but after that, you’re left to figure out everything for yourself. Admittedly, I don’t think this game will be for everyone, but for fans of cinema and the process by which films are created, this is a truly remarkable thrill ride that’s bound to leave an impression long after the credits roll.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated (Review)

Developer: Purple Lamp Studios
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Available On: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One
PS4 Version Reviewed on PS5

The fact that I spent the past few weeks bouncing between Resident Evil: Village and SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is probably one of the weirdest series of events in my gaming career. It’s not that I needed a palette cleanser from the horror of Resident Evil, or that I was looking for an easy Platinum Trophy (which this game definitely has), I just wanted to relive a piece of my childhood. I rented the original version of Battle for Bikini Bottom on the OG Xbox for a weekend as a kid, but I wasn’t able to beat it. Now that it somehow got a fancy new remaster on modern consoles, I figured I’d throw it in my GameFly queue and check it out again.

The Pathless (Review)

Developer: Giant Squid
Publisher: AnnaPurna Interactive
Available On: iOS, macOS, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Reviewed On: PlayStation 5
Copy obtained via GameFly

Developer Giant Squid’s first release, the 2016 underwater exploration game Abzû, was a beautiful and contemplative adventure through the depths of the ocean. Fans of Abzû compared its wordless narrative, interpretive lore, and Zen-like traversal to 2012’s critically acclaimed Journey, which is fitting since Giant Squid was founded by several people who used to work at the studio that made it, thatgamecompany. With their new game, The Pathless, Giant Squid carries over many of the elements that made Journey and Abzû such beloved titles, while also introducing new mechanics and design philosophies that give it its own identity.