The Critical Corner

Many (including the developers themselves) have stated that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is not a “Souls/Borne”-like game. From its dedicated “jump” button, to its edgy hook shot/Spiderman-grapple mechanic, to its streamlined build (which causes all of its players to have to deal with the same builds and mechanics, only differentiated by how far a player is in the game), Sekiro: Shadow Die Twice has enough to set itself apart from other From Software titles like Bloodborne . Yet, despite what these people tell you, this game is still very much like one of the “Souls/Borne” games. It may just be From Software stape at this point, but Sekiro does not shy from the difficulty or game design of their other titles.  Now, is this a bad thing?  To most gamers, not at all. Right out of the gate, you will notice how beautiful and gritty the world of Sekiro is presented to you. From the realistic sword clashes between you and your enemies, to the gritty snowy...

Before going on their latest break, The Flash Season 5 had some significant forward momentum with their latest episode, “Time Bomb”. The things that happened this episode: season villain Orlin Dwyer AKA Cicada was definitively dispatched to make way for his niece from the future to assume the villain role for the remainder of the season (one that showed how deadly she is in the past two episodes). Also, Barry and Iris’ daughter Nora West Allen's secret of working with villain Eobard Thawne (which has been percolating since the reveal in the show’s 100 th episode) was finally brought to light. Suddenly, things kicked into gear to (hopefully) deliver a strong final third for the season. Therein lies the problem. Ever since the third season back in 2016, for a series that features the fastest man alive, the show has been consistently plagued with a case of sluggish pacing that’s become a little harder to ignore these days. For a show that made it...

Let’s not beat around the bush and get this out of the way: I believe Devil May Cry 5 is the strongest entry in the long running series. From its visuals to the sound, the gameplay mechanics and the characters, everything comes together to deliver a series highlight. But how so you may ask? Keep reading to find out! Devil May Cry 5 is the first in the series to use Capcom’s new RE Engine, debuting with the recent Resident Evil 2 Remake and it looks fantastic. Everything from the colossal Qlifoth tree that towers over the characters for most of the game, down to the tiniest textures on Dante’s Ebony and Ivory (or the nearly microscopic stubble on Nero’s chin) is rendered beautifully. I had to catch myself several times as the reflection from Nero’s gunfire reflected on the rivers of blood I had just freed from another demon’s ventilated corpse and remind myself that I was in a fight for my life. Detail is the word I keep coming back to as I write this, which is mostl...