Dylan Kocins
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Persona 5
- Dark Souls 3
Overall, Elden Ring: Nightreign isn’t just a spin-off; it’s a massive triumph. With more direct storytelling, mindblowing boss fights, including a final boss that is one of the best they’ve ever crafted and a brilliantly tense gameplay loop, it stands tall as a worthy standalone game. FromSoftware has once again delivered a haunting, unforgettable world that challenges and rewards you.
In the end, I didn’t expect to enjoy this remaster as much as I did. Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny strikes a nostalgic chord while offering a surprisingly polished and playable experience. Some aging systems and technical constraints hold it back slightly, but this is still a strong reintroduction to the series, and has me genuinely excited for Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Capcom’s message is clear: Onimusha is back.
Overall, in a time when so many games feel designed by committee and driven by trends, ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ stands out as a heartfelt statement of artistic vision. Sandfall Interactive has delivered a deeply emotional, mechanically rich RPG that respects its JRPG inspirations while confidently forging its own path.
‘Your House’ is a short visual novel with well-designed puzzles and a clever hint system if you get stuck, but constant backtracking and a predictable story hold it back. Minor technical issues, like typos and a late-game bug, also detract from the experience.
Rebellion has taken risks with Atomfall, trying something outside of its regular formula. Yet, it successfully adds its own touch to the survival-action genre by blending immersive exploration and meaningful choices.
Monster Hunter Wilds continues evolving the series cleverly to appeal to new players without sacrificing its original identity with refined combat, beautiful weapons/armor, and terrifying monster designs.
Hazelight Studios has once again proven with ‘Split Fiction’ that they are masters of the co-op genre, crafting an experience that is both emotionally resonant and mechanically brilliant.
Warriors Abyss is a blend of Warriors combat and the roguelike genre, giving you an insane character roster and satisfying hack-and-slash combat.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII simplifies its many systems, maybe sometimes to its own detriment for some, but to me, it is still an incredibly satisfying strategy game. No two campaigns will ever be the same, and you will be hooked by looking at the clock six hours later, wondering where the time has gone.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector builds on everything that made the original great, introducing new features that elevate the experience. Its twisting, turning narrative, refined mechanics, and atmospheric world make it a great standout in the indie sci-fi genre.
Naturally, when I stumbled upon ‘Liberté’, developed by Superstatic and published by Anshar Publishing, I was intrigued. A deck-building roguelike set during the French Revolution with a supernatural twist sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed pretty quickly, even though there are some solid ideas here.