Latest Reviews of DON'T NOD Games
Review Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden (PS5) - Storytelling Great Has Gameplay to Match
Goodbye my lover
Ever since Life Is Strange properly put the developer on the map, story over gameplay seems to have been the mantra at DON'T NOD. That's no bad thing; it gave rise to Life Is Strange 2 and Xbox exclusive Tell Me Why. However, with the likes of Vampyr and Jusant also in its back catalogue, there's always been potential there for the...
Review Jusant (PS5) - Tactile Traversal in an Arid, Atmospheric World
Belay the spire
Though wildly different in some ways, Don't Nod's Jusant shares a surprising amount of common ground with Death Stranding. Both games are set within the aftermath of their respective, titular disasters; they're each rather lonely adventures, perhaps even more so in the former's case; and their traversal systems are unusually...
It's Life Is Strange, Jim, but not as we know it
On paper, Life Is Strange developer Don't Nod pivoting to the visual novel genre makes sense given its penchant for twisting, choice-based narratives. In practice, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is an underwhelming first foray into the space, lacking the world-building necessary to truly sell a story...
Mini Review Twin Mirror (PS4) - Yeah, This Exists
Man in the mirror
The more games DONTNOD Entertainment puts out, the more it feels like Life Is Strange really was just a fluke. The developer’s latest effort, titled Twin Mirror, is the worst of the lot as a nonsensical story, flat and uninteresting characters, and poor performance riddle this narrative-based adventure with flaws. Protagonist...
Review Vampyr - An Intriguing, Bloodthirsty RPG
Sucky combat
Republished on Wednesday 30th September 2020: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of October's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows. DONTNOD has so far released two games: 2013's often forgotten Remember Me and the breakout success Life Is Strange. Vampyr is the ambitious company's...
Review Life Is Strange 2: Episode 2 - Rules Is Spirited But Slow
Smells like teen spirit
Life Is Strange 2 sure is living up to its name, with the direct sequel to DONTNOD’s surprise episodic smash bumbling under-the-radar like it doesn’t even exist. Since the release of the follow-up’s debut, Roads, popular developer Telltale Games has shut down, and the third instalment in The Walking Dead: The Final...
Review Life Is Strange 2 - Episode 1: Roads Is Profoundly Political
A tale of two sons
Life Is Strange 2 is profoundly political, but that shouldn’t be a surprise. This is a tale about two Latino boys travelling across Trump’s America, and it plays out more or less exactly as you’d expect it to. The story’s much more grounded in reality than the original series ever was, and that means that it’s filled to...
Review The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit (PS4)
The kids aren't alright
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a free first glimpse into the extended universe of Life Is Strange 2, which is set to debut later this year. Starring a 10-year-old named Chris several years after the events in Arcadia Bay, the entire episode takes place during a lazy Saturday morning several miles away in a new...
Review Life Is Strange: Episode 5 - Polarized (PS4)
Say goodbye to the Strangerhood
Republished on Wednesday, 31st May 2017: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of June 2017's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows. Well, the moment is finally here. After nine months and five episodes, the first season of DONTNOD's Life is Strange has...
Review Life Is Strange: Episode 4 - Dark Room (PS4)
Dark side of the moons
French developer DONTNOD really kicked things into overdrive with the third episode of Life Is Strange. While the first two episodes were certainly divisive – even amongst the staff here - it would be hard to argue that the series wasn't in the process of carving out its own niche. Episode three was where proceedings truly...
Latest DON'T NOD Articles
News DONTNOD Entertainment Is Now Named DON'T NOD, Has Six Games In Development
New logo, too
DONTNOD Entertainment, the studio that brought us Life Is Strange and Vampyr, has been around for 14 years now. Its anniversary has just passed, as a matter of fact, and to celebrate, the company has undergone a visual overhaul, and a slight name change. It's now called DON'T NOD, and it has a spiffy new logo to go along with the new...
Guide Vampyr Combat and Upgrades - How to Fight Well and Upgrade Your Weapons and Abilities
How to not suck
Combat in Vampyr is like a combination of Assassin's Creed, Batman: Arkham Knight, and Bloodborne. You hack and slash your way through enemies, dodge and parry their attacks, and use special abilities to both heal yourself and harm others. While it's a pretty simple affair, there is a lot of depth to it that you might not realise at...
Guide Vampyr XP - How to Earn It from Combat, Quests, and Sucking Blood
Feed me
Vampyr might ask you to spend most of your time locked in dialogue with its cast of colourful characters, but it's first and foremost an RPG. That means experience, skill systems, and upgradable weapons. However, it's also a narrative adventure like Life is Strange, so the developers have tied the two genres together by providing the best XP...
Interview Sinking Our Fangs into the Soundtrack of Vampyr with Composer Olivier Derivière
Notes-feratu
Recently we got the chance to have a chat with the composer of DONTNOD's promising-looking Vampyr, Olivier Derivière. We got to discuss the manner in which he approaches his compositions, the intertwining of game development alongside the music, and how his passion for video games birthed a phenomenal composer for the industry...
E3 2016 Vampyr PS4 Gameplay Bleeds Atmosphere
Fangtastic
You'd be forgiven for thinking DONTNOD skipped E3 2016 altogether, with the developer making very little noise about its new game Vampyr at this year's show. However, new footage has been popping up on YouTube, including the clip from IGN we've embedded below. It comprises of pre-alpha gameplay, with Philippe Moreau and Greg Szucs of...
News DONTNOD Entertainment Is Now Named DON'T NOD, Has Six Games In Development
New logo, too
DONTNOD Entertainment, the studio that brought us Life Is Strange and Vampyr, has been around for 14 years now. Its anniversary has just passed, as a matter of fact, and to celebrate, the company has undergone a visual overhaul, and a slight name change. It's now called DON'T NOD, and it has a spiffy new logo to go along with the new...
Guide Vampyr Combat and Upgrades - How to Fight Well and Upgrade Your Weapons and Abilities
How to not suck
Combat in Vampyr is like a combination of Assassin's Creed, Batman: Arkham Knight, and Bloodborne. You hack and slash your way through enemies, dodge and parry their attacks, and use special abilities to both heal yourself and harm others. While it's a pretty simple affair, there is a lot of depth to it that you might not realise at...
Guide Vampyr XP - How to Earn It from Combat, Quests, and Sucking Blood
Feed me
Vampyr might ask you to spend most of your time locked in dialogue with its cast of colourful characters, but it's first and foremost an RPG. That means experience, skill systems, and upgradable weapons. However, it's also a narrative adventure like Life is Strange, so the developers have tied the two genres together by providing the best XP...
Interview Sinking Our Fangs into the Soundtrack of Vampyr with Composer Olivier Derivière
Notes-feratu
Recently we got the chance to have a chat with the composer of DONTNOD's promising-looking Vampyr, Olivier Derivière. We got to discuss the manner in which he approaches his compositions, the intertwining of game development alongside the music, and how his passion for video games birthed a phenomenal composer for the industry...
E3 2016 Vampyr PS4 Gameplay Bleeds Atmosphere
Fangtastic
You'd be forgiven for thinking DONTNOD skipped E3 2016 altogether, with the developer making very little noise about its new game Vampyr at this year's show. However, new footage has been popping up on YouTube, including the clip from IGN we've embedded below. It comprises of pre-alpha gameplay, with Philippe Moreau and Greg Szucs of...