Recent reviews by Kalani

As a forewarning, take the game's content warnings seriously. If you are sensitive to certain content, especially depictions of (artistic, but) brutal violence, you might struggle to enjoy this game.

Laika is an absolutely brilliant game that isn't getting anywhere near the level of attention it truly deserves. It fires on all cylinders - pun intended - on every point. Story, art direction, sound design, the soundtrack, gameplay and controls are all spot on. A complete and challenging experience, if not a long one - about 20-25 hours if you go for a 100% clear - but one that keeps you hooked.

As a quick note, I played on mouse and keyboard. I did watch some other people play using controller which is supported, but I could see where they were struggling at points. The game does require a fairly high level of technical skill, balancing the aiming of weapons, reacting to incoming enemy fire, doing flips to reload your weapons, all while ensuring you land on your wheels instead of splattering on the ground below. Using a mouse allows for precision shooting that I can't really see being done with a controller.

The story and setting are positively brutal and will leave you often heartbroken, but in the way only a good story can. The characters mostly fit pretty neatly into their chosen tropes, but are still well designed and relatable. It's definitely one of those games I'm going to be thinking about long after I've stopped playing it.