Pyre

From the art to the music to the story to the tactical gameplay, and even to how they're all woven together so artfully, Pyre is an adventure that excels in every area of its design other than limiting its multiplayer to local only. It's an epic journey that made me feel thrilled, devastated, and awed, and its tense moments had me tugging my collar both in and out of its fast-paced mystical sports arenas. With an emotionally charged ending that saw so much I'd striven for come to fruition, but was still tinged with tragedy and melancholy even when I did almost everything right, I won't be able to get Pyre out of my head for a long time. This is Supergiant's best work to date, and that's saying something.

Pyre's wit and whimsy effortlessly usher you into a captivating world of punishment, sacrifice, and competition.

Dazzling and mysterious, this ambitious party-based RPG is a masterpiece.

Pyre's campaign is repetitive and its combat never quite clicks, but a touching and thoughtful story makes it worth sticking through to the end.

Much of the pull of this world is delivered through Pyre's narrative, which drives the game forward in spite of the repetition of its sports game-style core. Sharply written dialogue is interspersed between rites, illuminating a story that branches in dozens of different ways. That plot is carried on the shoulders of a wonderful cast of characters – party members such as the gruff demon Jodariel, the bitter bog witch Bertrude and my personal favorite, Sir Gilman, a snake with a single large eye who wears a clunky metal helmet and wants nothing more than to be an honorable knight.

Pyre is a lengthy sojourn into a surprising setting, with gameplay focused on a thrilling, smartly balanced battle sport

Fun and well-paced, 'Pyre' is the rare game that wants players to embrace their slip ups

I only wish that the mechanics and feeling of Pyreball lived up to that strong storytelling, because it so often feels like an interruption to a great tale.

Although I wasn't quite as attached to the characters as I had hoped, I did appreciate the medley of personalities and felt the world and its customs were admirably orchestrated within everyone's backstory. It might not be for everyone, but Pyre delivers on its fun gameplay in a way that beautifully illustrates the struggles of redemption and what it means to gain true freedom.

Pyre is good in many ways. It's even good enough that it made me call my boss a m*********.