Recent reviews by Athena *.★

Dead Island 2 is an amazing gore-fest. I had a blast!
The Hell-A scenery is gorgeous and the gameplay is a lot of fun (similar to the previous Dead Island games, but enhanced - legendary weapons, throwables, various skills, crafting mods). The story itself could be a bit longer, but there are plenty of side missions, treasure hunt quests, and two major story expansions.
Both DLCs are really good - I found them more challenging than the main story. The SOLA Festival is my favorite - it's just visually stunning and it gives a somewhat better explanation of the autophage. The final boss fight was actually the hardest fight in the entire game (at least for me). The HAUS is very cool as well, it has more of a psychological horror vibe.
Nobody takes the apocalypse seriously in California, so just get out there and make mincemeat of those zombies. They'll be sorry they ever got in your way. You are their Slayer.

A lovely, quick game. Super fun and easy to play! The doggie is just adorable. ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected is the final main game in the series that began with the first original Saints Row in 2006. It's the last time we play as the main character of the series - the Boss.
Five years after the events of Saints Row: The Third, the Boss is elected President of the United States and assigns their Cabinet roles to their friends. Everything is perfect until an alien empire - the Zin, launches an invasion against Earth. The aliens abduct the President, destroy the White Crib (the White House) and imprison each of the Saints in their personal simulations of their own hell. The Boss must escape the simulation, save the Saints and take down the Zin leader, Zinyak.
Very similar to previous SR games, we can play the main story, complete missions and challenges, and collect collectibles. The gameplay is a lot of fun but quite different - the Saints are granted superpowers. Why steal a car to get to your destination when you can hop over buildings and outrun vehicles?
Saints Row IV: Re-Elected is a great ending to the wildest series ever. The Saints go from operating a tiny district to running a country and saving the world. I've always been a fan of Saints Row. 💜

L.A. Noire is an amazing crime thriller set in the post-war Golden Age of Hollywood. It is a great example of real detective work and the dangers associated with it.
Players take on the role of a very clever, although naive, young war hero and a rookie police officer - Cole Phelps. Thanks to his intelligence and wit, he quickly climbs the career ladder and begins to discover a much darker side of the beautiful City of Angels. Corruption, fraud, theft, drug trade and murder are skyrocketing and he soon learns that not everything is as perfect and easy as he initially thought.
L.A. Noire is a story about honor, sacrifice and redemption. It is a bittersweet truth about human nature: no one is perfect, but the only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good people to do nothing.
They have done an outstanding job on the 1940s/50s fashion, language, culture, cars, etc. At times I felt like I was watching an old movie that I was a part of - a very realistic experience.
I really enjoyed L.A. Noire, it has to be one of the best adventure/crime games out there!

Stray is a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind game. It is a touching story about friendship, sacrifice and compassion. Players take on the role of a cat who, together with a small drone, brings hope to a hopeless place.
The plot is brilliant and the unique gameplay is very enjoyable. The graphics are beautiful, especially the neon cybercity environment. Seeing the world through the eyes of a cat was a wonderful experience.
I really liked Stray, and I wish it was a little longer. I highly recommend it to all adventure lovers! ❤️ 🐈

A Plague Tale: Innocence is a moving tale of two siblings and their fight for survival during the dark times of the merciless Black Death disease.
The story takes place in the medieval Kingdom of France. Swarms of rats are tearing through the country, destroying everything in their way. Before the outbreak, Amicia and Hugo barely spent any time together. One ordinary day, their world fell apart. Pursued by Inquisition soldiers, they must join forces with other survivors and avoid the rats at all costs using fire and light. Faced with many obstacles, they must learn to trust each other, but this fragile trust will be put to the test when they discover a dark secret and the true reason why the Inquisition is hunting them.
Moving on, the gameplay (combat, puzzle solving and collectibles) is fun and easy. As for the story, I really liked it. The creators did a fantastic job on the portrayal of medieval Europe period as well - the atmosphere is great.
Let me end by saying that A Plague Tale: Innocence is a truly beautiful game and a must-play for all adventure game lovers.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the last game out of the Tomb Raider Survivor Trilogy. This time Lara Croft ventures through the South American regions of Peru to the lost city of Paititi, still battling Trinity and racing to stop a Mayan apocalypse.
The tropical jungle environment and the depictions of Maya and Inca culture, especially the architecture, are superb. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is not only an epic finale of the story, but also a great addition to Lara's personal growth journey. She finally learns the truth about her father's death and comes to terms with her parents' absence. We spend so much time thinking about the past and worrying about the future, that we often forget to enjoy the present.
I would also like to say something about the Definitive Upgrade DLC. You get: 7 additional challenge tombs, 7 additional missions and 7 new weapons. Except that, you can also find some additional documents and relics that enhance the plot even more. The thing is... it feels like these were cut out of the game last second only to get more money. It is high-quality content and you need it to get all the achievements but I think it should be part of the game by default.
Overall, the Survivor Trilogy (Ancient Japan, ancient Byzantium and ancient Mesoamerica) is fantastic, and all 3 games are among my favorite adventure games.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is an amazing game, and in my opinion the best out of the Survivor Trilogy.
The plot is even better than that of the first game: Lara Croft ventures into Siberia in search of the legendary city of Kitezh and the source of immortality. Tracked by Trinity, a paramilitary organization responsible for her father's death, Lara is still haunted by her traumatic experiences on Yamatai and still has many unanswered questions about her parents.
Siberia's environment is as beautiful as it is deadly - frosty and full of majestic, dangerous beasts and ancient wonders to discover. It is worth mentioning that the developers have added some fun game modes to try out (Croft Manor, zombie apocalypse, speedrunning and survival in the wilds) and have really expanded on Lara Croft's main story. Outstanding job!
As a big Tomb Raider fan, I have to say: the Survivor Trilogy turned out brilliant, and all three games are among the best story-driven games out there.

Set in the Viking Age and steeped in Norse/Celtic mythology, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is one of those games you just don't forget. It is a brutal journey deep into darkness - into the hellish underworld and into the most vulnerable parts of the mind. It is a masterpiece in terms of atmosphere. The music is out of this world, like a dark, epic fairy tale, it sends shivers down your spine - absolutely magnificent. Hellblade's representations of mental illness and dealing with a traumatic past are both beautiful and terrifying.
The combat style is very unique and a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. Some of the puzzles and pacing of the game can be a bit frustrating at times, but it all adds up to an extraordinary gaming experience.
I must say that the Sea of Corpses was one of the most epic and exhilarating moments in my entire gaming history. That part was just incredible. It seriously still gives me the chills just thinking about it! I loved it!
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a hauntingly beautiful game that stays in your mind and in your heart. Fantastic job!

It Takes Two is undoubtedly the best split-screen multiplayer game ever made. I finished it as both characters and I loved every second of it. The visuals are gorgeous and some parts of the game are just so beautiful and incredible that they take your breath away - simply stunning. The story is very moving and heartwarming, about a broken family that gets a chance to be happy again. Each chapter of the game is really special and carries a strong message. It Takes Two is a fantastic experience and a great life lesson for a couple or friends. Throwing away something that is broken may be easier than taking the time to fix it, but it is not always the right thing to do. Love heals all!
And the fact that the developers made the game fully available for two people, even if only one bought it (the other could get the friend's pass), speaks for itself. The awards were fully deserved! Truly amazing work!