So far, my experience with Call of Duty Black Ops 4 has been extremely positive, and I'm having a blast with the game.
Bethesda pulled off quite the trick with Doom, giving us the first real AAA third-party game experience on the Nintendo Switch. What it lacks in graphical power, it makes up for in portability, and the fact that the complete, unadulterated campaign and multiplayer modes made it over intact is an achievement other studios should take note of.
I'm extremely glad I played through to the end, as the narrative of RiME is fantastic, with a gut punch of an end reveal that belies the whimsical look and feel that reeled me in to begin with. This makes the poor technical execution all the more frustrating – had it been better, or had I played it on the PS4, I might have considered this one of the high points in an already stellar year of gaming. Instead, I am left grieving what could have –should have– been.
With a campaign that brings some of the most historical battles of the European Theater to life like never before, multiplayer that combines the best of the old and the new, and one of the most visceral Zombies games the series has had, Call of Duty WWII is a triumphant return to its roots, reminding us why those early games were so good in the first place.
Every once in awhile a game comes along that inevitably inspires a new generation of gamers, artists, and designers, an inflection point that imprints itself on the genetics of the medium and help up as a gold standard for years to come. Cuphead is one such game, a quirky assemblage of novelties that comes together in a breathtaking fashion, with a charming exterior that belies one of the most challenging games of this generation.
While Multiplayer feels largely like more of the same with a few new features and a fresh coat of paint, and Zombies in Spaceland is a goofy, funny romp through 80s nostalgia, the Campaign is where Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare really shines. Infinity Ward brings a level of narrative skill to the series not seen before, with a gripping space opera that makes this one of the best to come out of the series in a while.
In the end, Battlezone VR is a missed opportunity. With so many other PSVR launch titles ending up being little more than glorified tech demos, the balance and design gaffes that cripple the game make the experience that much more disappointing as Battlezone VR’s handling of the technology works really well. I’m convinced a good game could be salvaged from this with a few tweaks and some rebalancing, but for now it’s a brutally frustrating mess doesn’t live up to it’s promise.
Skylanders SuperChargers is hands-down one of the best kid-friendly games on the market, and the most complete realization of the "toys to life" genre to date. The variety of platforming and kart-based gameplay holds charm for gamers of all ages, and while you'll need to buy more vehicles to access the game's full spectrum of content, there's more value to be had in both the toys and the game this time around.
Ghosts doesn't leverage the PS4 beyond providing a more visually immersive experience, it stands as a more than capable bridge for the franchise. While the campaign is relatively short at eight hours and at times feels very derivative, the high points really shine and the multiplayer experience continues to set the bar for the genre.