Reviews Elsewhere

I've recently discovered the GameCritics blog, which I like very much.

There are two reasons for reviewing old games: one is to trumpet obscure gems that never found the audience they deserved. But the second is look at successful games through the critical lens that only the passage of time can offer.

Way too many AAA titles rake in 9.0 ratings based purely on the amount of spit-shine they have. But a closer look sometimes reveals that things aren't quite all they're cracked up to be. GameCritics gets that.

Here, GC takes Mass Effect for another spin on the eve of its sequel and finds a game that still has what it takes.

And here, GC holds up N64 classics Goldeneye and Perfect Dark to the light to see how they compare.

My hope is to punch out a review for you guys in the near future on an obscure nineties FMV title called Realms of the Haunting that I replayed recently. However while you wait a good use of your time might be to hunt it down and play it yourself. It's a surprisingly compelling entry in the survival horror canon, and its blend of point-and-click and FPS mechanics works pretty well.