Ken McKown's Reviews
Postal 4 is a game that should be avoided. I can see now why some console makers did not want this travesty on their machines. This game is not fun or entertaining at all. Some of the voice work is decent and I laughed maybe twice in my entire playthrough, but on the whole it is embarrassing at best and offensive at worst. This is not a game that succeeds in its offensiveness and instead feels worse because when they attempt to be edgy it comes across as desperate.
In the end, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is nice to see. I love that the series is making a comeback. I just wish we could get the original trilogy on modern consoles. Those games are lost to time and would benefit from just a remaster at this point. Still more survival horror is always welcome and we are truly living in an embarrassment of riches in the genre. I wish it was on the same level as others coming back, but for that we need the original trilogy. Make it happen KOEI Tecmo!
The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition is a weird release. While Xbox owns the developer, Private Division still retains the distribution rights to the first game. Which means the normal free upgrade is not here. Instead we have the definitive version of a great game locked behind some weird monetary decisions. If you never played the original, this is by far the best package available. If you did and are looking to upgrade what is here is nice, but not worth another $60. If you own all the DLC this is a solid $10 upgrade. Still I wish it was more accessible or at least a save transfer existed. It taints an otherwise solid release.
Metroid Prime is one of the best games ever made and this new version retains everything that made it special. I have enjoyed revisiting this masterpiece so much and am so happy new players are able to experience it in its finest form. I hope this shows Nintendo that the Metroid series is truly one of the best in their repertoire and we see more games in the series. I cannot wait to see what Retro accomplishes with Metroid Prime 4 when it finally releases.
Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is exactly what I thought it was going to be and sometimes that is a good thing. Games don’t have to change dynamics to be fun and while the dual sister mechanic is fun, it isn’t game changing. I had a lot of fun with this title as I do most Inti Creates jams. I definitely recommend it if you enjoy anything they put out, or classic homages to games like Castlevania or Mega Man. This developer has done a nice job of taking the torch from Capcom and Konami respectively.
Scars Above is a solid sci-fi romp with an identity complex. It wants so badly to be a Soulslike and instead feels more like a game that just borrows ideas without understanding what makes them work. I enjoyed my playthrough, but I wish it would have leaned into its own ideas instead of trying to mimic something else. The story is interesting, the game play is fun, but I wish it wouldn’t have taken so much inspiration from other titles.
Raiden has always been a shooter for the masses and I love that it continues to be around to this day. It won’t test your skills or reach the heights of others in the genre, but it is always a good time. I love seeing more and more releases in this series dropping for more consoles. I had a blast with this and if you have even a remote interest in the genre this is a must own. Now to sit and patiently wait for more Raiden to drop on consoles this summer.
Atomic Heart is a game I was excited to finally play, but went in with low expectations considering how long it was in the oven. The end result is easily one of the best games I have played this year and an experience I recommend everyone dig into. It won’t be for everyone, but for those that it is for it will be an amazing experience. There is just so much to this world and I had a blast exploring the world of Facility 3826. I am still digging into the side content and hope they continue to iron out its issues as time goes on. I cannot wait to see what is next from Mundfish, I just hope I don’t have to wait another decade to see it.
Remakes are a much harder thing to pull off than remasters. The original game exists and changing things can be a scary proposition to fans. Motive Studio has done an outstanding job of tweaking what worked and fixing what didn’t. This remake is on the same level as Capcom’s efforts with Resident Evil and will be considered one of the best going forward. This is a gold standard and I truly hope we get to see them continue this work with a new game in the series, or even a remake of the second game. I love this world and hope it is truly back and here to stay.
Wanted: Dead is a mess of a game with hints of excellence strewn about. I wanted to love it a lot more than I did. Instead the game kept making me frustrated at every turn. There have been a million examples of how to make a challenging game without making it frustrating. Wanted: Dead is the epitome of the latter. It simply uses lazy tropes instead of clever game play to create its difficulty. The end result is a game that has some great ideas, but will not interest most players. I expect most to quit before finishing the first boss.
Forspoken is a solid action RPG that sadly falls short due to some of its design. The world is just not that interesting to explore and the weird dialogue can detract from an otherwise interesting narrative. I enjoyed my time with the game and if you do dive in, I recommend simply mainlining the core story as it keeps the repetition to a minimum. If you are a sucker for tons of mindless side content though this game has it in spades. I truly wish it was just more interesting though.
Risen is packed with content and if you can get past its blemishes there is a solid RPG here to last you at least 60 hours, but I feel a lot of today’s gamers won’t even get off the beach tutorial at the beginning of the game.
Spongebob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake is a standard platform collect-a-thon that is held up by its content and humor. I was smiling the entire time I was playing it and it lasts just the right amount of time. I feel like Rehydrated was a touch more interesting on the whole, but this follow-up is more than worth your time if you are a fan of the genre or subject matter. Spongebob is timeless and can be enjoyed by anyone of any age, even if your nostalgia for it is as nonexistent as mine is.
There is so much more I could say about both of these games. I got into the series with Golden and have been wanting it to expand to more consoles ever since. It is great to finally see it everywhere and I hope the series continues that trend going forward. It is by far one of the best RPGs available and should be played by anyone who has ever had a passing interest in the genre. Do not skip this collection, while Persona 3 is a little rough in this day and age it is still an amazing game and Persona 4 Golden is well, the gold standard. I cannot recommend this package enough.
There is so much more I could say about both of these games. I got into the series with Golden and have been wanting it to expand to more consoles ever since. It is great to finally see it everywhere and I hope the series continues that trend going forward. It is by far one of the best RPGs available and should be played by anyone who has ever had a passing interest in the genre. Do not skip this collection, while Persona 3 is a little rough in this day and age it is still an amazing game and Persona 4 Golden is well, the gold standard. I cannot recommend this package enough.
Crisis Core Reunion is a wonderful upgrade to the original game that makes it better in some areas while showcasing some of its shortcomings at the same time. It is also weird to release a piece of this series on consoles that cannot continue the narrative unless they swap to another console. Final Fantasy VII is a classic for a reason and I did love a lot of the games that spawned from it. The story is fantastic and it is nice to see the series return to Xbox and Switch.
The Breakers Collection is a lesson in how to bring back games and do it right. The addition of online cross play and a bevy of special features really round out this package. The fact that these games are also of incredible quality doesn’t hurt either. If Street Fighter had not been the juggernaut it was, I feel like this series might still be going. They are really fun to play even with the steep difficulty and anyone who enjoys fighting games owes it to themselves to snag this collection. It is available everywhere and cross play just sweetens the pot.
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider stands out among the pack of games looking to capture that 16-bit nostalgia. It is not just an art style. There are so many pieces that go into making a modern retro game and JoyMasher continues to prove they are better at it than most. I highly recommend this game and don’t let it slip through the cracks. It is definitely one of the better ones available.
High on Life is a fantastic experience hindered by some technical shortcomings. The world and characters are simply fantastic and it is genuinely hilarious, which is one of the hardest things in gaming to achieve. This game shot up my list of the best of 2022 from the outset and it didn’t disappoint by the end. I really enjoyed my time with it and look forward to what the team works on next. The fact that it is available on Game Pass is just icing on the cake. I can’t recommend this game enough, it is a wonderful way to end the year and more than worth playing through.
Rumble Fish 2 is a great game for people like me who enjoy solid fighting games. It won’t stick with most players beyond initial contact though. It feels like it borrows more than it innovates and in a sea of familiar brawlers that is rough. I enjoyed my time, but will likely forget it exists in a month or two. Then one day I will be browsing my game library and think to myself “hey, that was a pretty cool game!”