adventure

Saving a small town from economic collapse by putting homemade fishcakes in a vending machine is exactly the kind of videogame escapism I’m here for. Unfortunately, with design that focuses on all the wrong things and many near-game-breaking bugs plaguing the experience, it’s difficult to recommend what should have been a great game. 4 / 10.

Outer Wilds is an ambitious adventure of wonder and discovery set in a charming but dangerous diorama solar system. The soundtrack is one of the best I’ve heard from a videogame. At its core, this must-play game of creativity and heart encourages its players to bravely carry their memories of the past into an uncertain and changing future. 10 / 10.

Jedi: Fallen Order delivers a tight, linear, story-driven experience that puts the player in the shoes of a young Jedi during The Purge. The slick combat and Force-enhanced platforming are thrilling, but the real heroics are found in how the protagonists believe in one another and heal in the face of trauma. 8 / 10.

This stellar sequel to 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum remains a benchmark against which other superhero games have to compare themselves. From gliding and grappling through the city to using detective mode to solve crimes, every moment feels like an authentic, exhilarating experience of donning the cape and cowl of the Dark Knight. 9 / 10.

The Phantom Tollbooth is a fable in every chapter, clever wit in every paragraph, and careful thought in every sentence. It is both a treatise on critical thinking and a tender story of a young boy’s adventure. It is just as much an epic struggle between Wisdom and Ignorance as it is a playful comedy. Its excellence is a testament to the fruits of curious wonder and deep wisdom. 10 / 10.

In his second animated film, Wes Anderson fills a caricature of modern Japan with intrepid dogs and concerned children fighting for the right to keep dogs in their city. Clever dialogue and visual humor are abundant, but some of the most profound moments occur in the space between humans and their best friends, where actions and emotions establish connections where words cannot. 8 / 10.