Up up down down left right left right B A
Since 2016, OpenCritic top critic Akhil Arora has written and recorded over 70 video game reviews, across genres such as sport, racing, and action-adventure. You can discover the highlights on this page. Tap the year to discover the full collection of Akhil’s game reviews from that year.
2023 and 2022
EA Sports FC 24
“Overall, you get the sense that there’s simply not a lot happening. There are a few new ideas between Evolutions in Ultimate Team, Tactical Vision in Career, and leagues in Clubs. But none of them really improve the experience in any meaningful way. Gameplay-wise, EA Sports is more than happy to ever continually drift towards an arcade experience that’s more enjoyable to watch for online audiences.”
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
“[Directly] addresses the problems with Fallen Order, as the world of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor feels lived in. Sure, most of these interactions don’t impact the game in any meaningful way, but simply having more opportunities to talk to people makes Survivor richer. They also embellish the central story that goes in circles, and the characters in them are infinitely more interesting than our plain protagonist.”
God of War Ragnarök
“What I love about combat in God of War Ragnarök is that it’s a lesson in how you can do more with less. There are just two weapons here—the axe and the blades—but still such a variety of play. You can charge your weapons with frost or fire, hold down buttons to trigger special combos, and of course, line up attacks in a coordinated fashion to maximise damage dealt. What I don’t love is how the game limits what you can see.”
2021, 2020, and 2019
Xbox Series X
“If it’s a next-gen console you’re after, the Xbox Series X is a solid proposition. [Xbox] Game Pass is a great money-saving idea in a world where Rs. 5,000 games are becoming the norm. Microsoft’s new console also lets you play games from every console Microsoft has ever made. New games look and perform better than ever, without breaking the bank. And the Series X belongs to the only console family that supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for gaming.”
The Last of Us Part II
“[Builds] off the much-acclaimed story from the original and expands on previously-established themes, most of them stemming from the cycle of violence keeps repeating. That includes familial bonds, religious intolerance and fanaticism, and confusing revenge with justice. Through it, The Last of Us 2 subverts expectations and forces you to reckon with the actions of the characters you’ve come to feel for. In some ways, it’s similar to Black Panther.”
FIFA 20
“With improvements [elsewhere]—slower gameplay, tougher defending, revised free-kicks, and more-equipped AI—11v11 is where it’s at, we think. Volta would have certainly kept the FIFA 20 team busy what with the new assets and all that, but since the game doesn’t need the same thought and strategy as its big brother, it’s in service of a product that’s ultimately less than the sum of its parts.”
2018, 2017, and 2016
Overcooked 2
“[All] the more enjoyable if you’ve got someone along for the ride, as the sheer pace of the game will have you shouting recipe steps at your fellow chefs or being screamed at for picking up or mixing the wrong thing(s), and trying to avoid bumping into each other and god forbid push anyone off the floor.”
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
“Don’t let the pretty family-friendly exterior of Mario + Rabbids fool you, this is a game that will have you pondering on how to best execute every turn without putting your characters in harm’s way, or risk having to restart all over again a dozen turns in.”
No Man’s Sky
“The largely solitary experience of No Man’s Sky is monotonous, easily frustrating and loses its charm way too early. For a game with the promise of all the wonders of the universe, it delivers so little.”