Moromete

Pendragon has a good idea but flawed execution and fails to play to the strengths of the team at Inkle. There are good moments and some interesting writing but the actual mechanics of the game make it feel slower and more un-engaging that it should be. Unlocking new characters past the two initial ones feels clunky and they open up limited new gameplay avenues. More replayability and more focus on the narrative would have made the game worth more than a few hours of play.

Shadows of New York delivers on the atmosphere and some of the characters and has a good premise for the overall narrative. Unfortunately the ending(s) feel railroaded and there's no major evolution that arises from all the schemes and plots. There's also very little game here, even less than in cotteries, and the introspection of that game is downplayed.

Tactics does some justice to the wider Gears universe but the characters are limited and the cutscenes look good but do nothing interesting. The tactical gameplay looks very solid initially but after the first act, even if new abilities and equipment is added, the resulting depth is not really engaging. The same plays that work at the end of the first act work almost all the way through, with some tweaks for bosses. The lack of a strategy layer also becomes a problem.

Chimera Squad is not a sequel of even XCOM 2.5. This is a small game that aims to offer around 20 hours of interesting tactical engagements with a smaller scope than the core game. The art style and the characters are very different from what fans might expect but the main tactical ideas are still there. The Breach sequences, which can become quickly repetitive, and the limited number of options offered in battle lead to a more concentrated but also more repetitive experience. I had fun with it playing on Hard and trying as many tactical possibilities as the game offers.

The sheer shock of moving from one wild idea to another makes Pony Island one of the most surprising and engaging recent indie titles. Daniel Mullins knows how to break the fourth wall in increasingly entertaining and somewhat deranged ways and the soundtrack and visuals really help sell the entire experience. The final four or so of the game could have benefited from a little more care but overall this is one of the best game and meta experiences of 2016.

The Hex mixes and matches some cool ideas and the final two chapters are particularly well crafted and emotionally raw but the overall story is not entirely coherent and, even around six hours in terms of playtime, some of the mechanics are rather limited. Daniel Mullins has great ideas and delivers something unique with his games but a little more care when it comes to the execution would really elevate his releases.

The core systems are solid, the pacing is good, progress feels rewarding but it's too repetitive when it comes to the core loop to be engaging for more than 3 or 4 hours

There are some interesting characters and engaging side-quests but the main narrative is so railroaded and ends so abruptly that the game cannot make it engaging or satisfying once the entire narrative is experienced once. I initially planned two or even three playthroughs but after seeing the end once I no longer have any wish to try it again.