Posts By Tayo Stalnaker

When it comes to platformers, the Rayman games are typically hailed as being among the best. 2011's Rayman Origins was a critical success, and with the announcement of Rayman Legends, fans have been clamoring for what could be the definitive entry in the series. Well, I think they have it.

Like many that grew up during the 8-bit generation, I have an intrinsic love for Capcom's DuckTales for the NES. I found its music, visuals and level design to be among the best during that time, and I revisit it occasionally. Despite my skills at deftly pogo-jumping my way to victory being rusty, I still believe it's a classic, and I was more than just a little thrilled when Capcom and developer WayForward announced an updated version. While some of the ...

While many indie developers are attempting to make old genres relevant again, there are those that are trying to create new ones. One such dev is Lucas Pope, with his latest game, Papers, Please, being labeled as "A Dystopian Document Thriller". The word "Dodocument" will no doubt throw some people off, but after spending some time cross-referencing passports and work releases as an immigration inspector in the fictional country of Arstotzka, I can safely ...

I've only tried one other Vanillaware game, and that's Muramasa Rebirth. While I did understand the appeal, it was still an experience that left me feeling cold, and my expectations for their next release plummeted. Regardless, I still felt like I should give their next effort a chance. I'm glad I did, too, because Dragon's Crown is one of the finest games I've played all year.

Only Shigeru Miyamoto could have come up with Pikmin, an often difficult real-time strategy game starring cute, altruistic plant creatures that are willing to do anything for strangers, no questions asked. The first two titles were big hits for the Gamecube, and for eight years fans have been waiting for Pikmin 3. Well, the wait is over and, at the very least, longtime fans and newcomers have another excuse to boot-up their Wii U.

Shadowrun's last appearance in video game form wasn't that pretty, leaving fans disappointed that Microsoft decided to turn their cyberpunk, urban fantasy pulp RPG into a multiplayer shooter. Thankfully, the mastermind behind the franchise, Jordan Weisman, headed to Kickstarter in order to fund a project designed to take the series back to its roots: Shadowrun Returns.

Releasing games in chunks similar to a TV show seems to be a growing trend among developers, thanks in part to the success of Telltale's The Walking Dead. German developer KING Art, notable for their award-winning title The Book of Unwritten Tales, has opted to go for the episodic route with their latest adventure game, The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief. This first chapter sets the stage for their throwback detective tale, which contains some good ideas but ...

With a library that contains JRPGs like Etrian Odyssey, Fire Emblem, Soul Hackers and Kingdom Hearts, it's no surprise that Shin Megami Tensei IV found its way to the Nintendo 3DS. It's becoming the go-to system for JRPG fanatics – which is a blessing considering how few are released for home consoles – and SMTIV is a welcome addition.

While not without its hangups, Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition is a solid fighter that takes the franchise back to its roots while pushing it forward at the same time. The fantastic campaign, combos that require more skill than luck and clever new additions not only make this one of the best Mortal Kombats in years, but it's also one of the best fighters on PC.

Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards is perhaps Sierra's most notorious adventure game. While it's not as crafted as their later work, creator Al Lowe managed to make it and its sequels cult classics in the eyes of the many that played the series of adventure titles released in the late 1980s and throughout the '90s.

High Moon Studios, most notable for their Transformers titles, have taken it upon themselves to finally give Deadpool, Marvel's infamous antihero, a starring role in his very own video game. It's a game that certainly captures the redeeming (and some not so redeeming) qualities of the crazed mercenary, but suffers from design decisions that, while heavy on “brakkabrakka!”, are dated and lack style. Somebody Get This Guy a Straitjacket!

Game & Wario boasts 16 minigames that were originally planned to be pre-installed on every Wii U in order to show off the GamePad's abilities. However, Nintendo decided that the games would probably take up too much space, so they opted instead to release them at a later date as the seventh installment of the now decade-old WarioWare series.

Taking cues from Portal, 3AM Games' debut title is one of the many physics-based puzzlers that have been emerging as of late. Initially conceived on Kickstarter, Magrunner: Dark Pulse uses magnetism as its core game mechanic and has a heavy focus on narrative. Regrettably, this ambitious project is held back by some pesky flaws.

Nintendo's “Year of Luigi” is here, and what better way to celebrate then by giving the oft forgotten brother his own game that doesn't involve catching ghosts? Well, New Super Luigi U is that game, currently available as a digital add-on for New Super Mario Bros. U, and set for a stand-alone retail release later this Summer. The result is a game that shines on its own in subtle and cagey ways.

Facepalm Games is a small developer that's had some buzz surrounding them ever since they debuted The Swapper a couple of years ago. Since then, the game has received plenty of accolades and awards in the indie scene, and those that have heard of the game have been anticipating its full release.