On Six Days in Fallujah

“Soldier Eddie Garcia, who fought in Fallujah, was wounded in battle, and initially pitched the project that became Six Days in Fallujah, understands the concerns and still supports the project. It’s personally important for him. “My fellow Marines and I did not ask to be sent there,” Garcia says. “We were ordered to go. My blood was literally spilled upon foreign soil, and I am still unsure why. I was never under the illusion that the Iraqi people were bad or that there was some great evil which needed eradicating. Even today I am unsure what the goal of the war was.”

Read my full piece on Six Days in Fallujah at Polygon

EA Sports PGA Tour Review

“Prestige comes with a cost – this is a daunting golf sim. Fairways and greens seem stuck on their hardest/fastest setting. The analog stick swing functions logically, but results vary, with little feedback on what sent a tee shot slicing toward trees. Each stroke accounts for forward and backswing speed, length, loft, and wind. That’s true to the sport, as any one of those can cause a botched shot, yet EA’s PGA Tour doesn’t allow a sense of what’s going wrong at the moment.”

Read my full EA PGA Tour review on Game Informer

PGA Tour 2K23 Review

“There’s an attempt to add charisma to this series, but it comes across as half-hearted. Selectable golfers include cover star Tiger Woods and other known PGA names, but also celebrities like NBA stars Michael Jordan and Steph Curry. In the equipment section, a hockey stick is offered as a putter choice, giving necessary nods to Happy Gilmore. That’s it though, and those celebrity players exist only in side modes or versus play. Say what you will about the defunct Tiger Woods PGA Tour series, but maintaining golf’s central appeal while driving with Happy Gilmore’s walk-up swing was a delight, with no gameplay cost.”

Read my full PGA Tour 2K23 review on IGN

NBA 2K23 Review

“Running at full 4K, NBA 2K23 is a stunning technical showcase, as the series has been for years. However, when the game shifts back in time, NBA 2K23 employs a convincing SD filter to mimic broadcasts of old. Fuzzy edges, bleeding colors and reduced detail help sell the ’80s/’90s segments. The old-school filters are optional, but seeing Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in 4K HDR feels wrong. The only mistake in this mode is the widescreen aspect ratio.”

Read my full review of NBA 2K23 on Tom’s Guide

NHL 23 Review

“By including full IIHF women’s team and tournaments, not just custom players, NHL 23 makes hockey video game history, even if NHL is the only option on the market these days. In the microtransaction-based Ultimate Team, EA’s clearly profitable card-trading team-building mode, those women from IIHF teams make their first appearance. Surely destined to spark nonsense conversations about inter-gender hockey, the move is the right one to go along with Canada’s Sarah Nurse co-cover star debut.”

Read my full NHL 23 review on IGN

Madden 23 Review

“Madden 23 pays homage to the man whose name turned into an annual video game franchise. After his passing in December, the development team pays tribute with the Madden all-star game. It’s a one-off, but a colorful celebration of the coach, involving two historical teams filled with Madden’s personal favorite players. During the game, Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis recount Madden’s career, and then at halftime, a short video tribute plays. It’s something, if seemingly small considering what Madden did for this franchise for over nearly 30 years.”

Read my full Madden 23 review at GamesRadar

Frogun Impressions

“Renata is welcome to return in sequels or even other genres. She’s a positive force who is out to do the right thing, either totally ignorant of the danger or unwilling to accept it. Her fantasy world matches her personality, persistently saturated, cheery, and wholesome. If Frogun is truly retro in any sense, it’s in the smiling and wholly good heroine with a simple goal.”

Read my full piece on Frogun in PC Gamer

Ex-Zodiac Impressions

“On that note, Ex-Zodiac isn’t “inspired by Star Fox because Nintendo won’t give us a new Star Fox,” so much as it’s a barely-skirting-copyright replica of every enemy type, every glimpse of fog-based draw-in, even the death sequences that see the hero’s ship going down as the camera dramatically spins around the crash.”

Read my full piece on Ex-Zodiac in PC Gamer

MLB The Show 22 Review

“If there’s a singular presentation tweak worthy of discussion, it’s Matt Vasgersian’s retirement from the virtual commentary booth. He’s called The Show since 2006, and while undeniably routine and stale in recent years, Vasgersian became the series’ voice. Replacing him is Cubs/ESPN regular John Sciambi. Despite the repetition (Sciambi doesn’t have 15+ years of calls recorded) and occasional inaccuracy, he handles the material convincingly. It’s a worthy performance alongside color man Chris Singleton, and together, there’s a baseline to build on.”

Read my full MLB The Show 22 review on GamesRadar

King of Fighters XV Review

“SNK has built a branded fighting game universe, for better or for worse. The boldness with which KOF XV descends into unintelligible anime nonsense is almost admirable. What was once about overthrowing corrupt organizers like Geese Howard has become an exercise in absurdist fantasy. Alternate dimensions rip open, and a sold-out crowd watching the finale still thinks they’re somehow safe being near this tournament location.”

Read my full KOF XV review on Inverse