If you’re looking for a solid, story-driven adventure, then Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is a must-play in 2022, even if you haven’t played the original.
Even with a weaker fighting system, though, The Kaito Files is more than worth the purchase for any fan of the series. Fantastic writing, enjoyable characters, and a gripping narrative make this experience another highlight in the series, more than proving that Kaito is worthy of being a protagonist.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an important step forward for the franchise, even if it may still be a bit too linear. The Mouthful ability and the full transition to 3D are two features that should be here to stay, as they open up the gameplay possibilities considerably.
Long-time fans of the series might be disappointed, but it is at least check the same boxes that all of the other titles in this niche genre do. More casual players will probably just want to pass on this entirely, as the pros won’t outweigh the cons.
Ghostwire: Tokyo is a must-play for anyone who loves action-adventure, even with some less than inventive design choices for its structure.
Even with slight hiccups like this, I still adored my time with Far: Changing Tides. The gameplay and design are reminiscent of Playdead’s Limbo and Inside, while featuring a beautiful setting that really draws you into the world without ever saying a word. If you like puzzle games and are looking for a quick and scenic adventure, then Far: Changing Tides is going to be just for you.
Hopefully, Bioware can right the ship and add in some more detailed content and quality of life features that balance things out soon. If not, this new 10-year journey is going to go the way of Mandalore in no time.
Overall, I was pretty disappointed with Sifu. I know that it’s an excellent game. The combat is tight, feels really fluid, and is going to provide a nice challenge for people who want one. However, its gameplay loop and punishing aging system and multiplier, mixed with a lack of proper training and tutorial elements, ruined whatever enjoyment I felt at the start.
Anyone who loved the first two games is going to go nuts for this one, as it kickflips the franchise forward in just about every way.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One takes the series in a completely opposite direction of its predecessors, souring its potential in favor of adding gameplay elements that pad runtime and take away from the investigations. Fans of the series may find some joy in getting to experience the original content or solving clues the hard way, but I was certainly not one of them.
With how the current controls and gameplay loop sit, though, I can’t find myself wanting to sit down and play this much longer after its release. Here is to hoping Ubisoft and Riders Republic get even more extreme in the future.
I cannot recommend playing Marvel’s Guardians enough for the experience it provides. Its decision to focus on story, characters, and ambiance instead of trying to throw in a bunch of content that pads the adventure results in an amazing game. It is right up there with the Arkham Trilogy and Marvel’s Spider-Man as one of the best superhero video games of all time.
In short, Lost Judgement takes everything that was great about the original and makes it that much better. It’s got a magnificent story, great characters, an enormous amount of side characters, and great combat all in one package. It’s just one of those games that you won’t want to put down for bed while also being the reason you get up early for work in order to play just a little bit more. Lost Judgment is simply a perfect sequel.
When all is said and done, I was pretty satisfied with my overall experience with Boyfriend Dungeon when the end of the summer rolled. The writing was solid, and I ended up caring about a lot of the relationships that were formed. It is just a shame that the somewhat lacking combat and issues with a couple of the characters and situations arise that end up bogging the game down a bit.
I’m sure anyone who loves a good survival or post-apocalyptic game will enjoy this one. Yet, I can’t help but wonder how much better the game would be had Farm51 chose to focus on what made it unique instead of adding in a bunch of other elements that were underdeveloped.
With that said, I still highly recommend that anyone who loved the original mod that inspired The Forgotten City or anyone that just likes a good story-driven title play this game. The time loop mechanic, evolving dialogue, and myriad of choices and scenarios that occur make for one hell of a narrative ride, just keep your expectations of the combat low, or else you may be disappointed
When it comes down to it, Last Stop is an entertaining journey that just goes completely off the rails in its final half, failing to execute on the interesting ideas it comes up with at the start. I know that endings shouldn’t take away from the ride, but when you’re playing a title that is almost completely narrative and character-driven, I just couldn’t help but feel a letdown when credits rolled.
Anyone that has been dying to play the series or doesn’t mind a standard graphic novel will probably enjoy playing The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind. New players may also enjoy it, but don’t be too surprised if you find its guessing game gameplay to be too frustrating to enjoy things.
Even if you aren’t big into co-op, or aren’t even that much of a gamer, you should still give this one a shot, as it is the perfect game for couples or even friends to enjoy together.
Chase sequences and the overall ambiance are as bone-chilling and thrilling as ever, while puzzles are even more challenging and satisfying to complete thanks to the tragic duo of Mono and Six. Even if you aren’t a horror fan, I’d highly recommend you play Little Nightmares II, as it currently sits as my favorite game of 2021 so far.