Ken McKown's Reviews
The Last of Us Part 1 is a hard game to review. On one hand it is still an amazing achievement all these years later. The story is fantastic, and the characters are some of the best. I love the original game and this remake doesn’t change that. Still for $70 it is a lot to ask for a game that hasn’t exactly been out of the conversation since it released. The removal of multiplayer is also questionable, but I guess it makes sense as players could still play that in the PS4 remaster. There is a lot to appreciate here, and truly this is one of the best-looking games ever created.
For the nostalgic players looking to relive their time with the Dark Alliance series, I could see them picking this up and having a decent time with it. Players that are really big into ARPGs could have some fun, but will more than likely find themselves preferring a more streamlined and accessible title to jump into. It’s a hard sell for many, but there is some fun to be had here if you keep in mind that this game was released in 2004 and for the most part stayed in 2004.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is an overdose of nostalgia for me. I grew up with TMNT constantly on the brain. These games are a treat to revisit mostly because of the quality of life updates the developers have added. I just spent an entire day digging back into all of it. Playing through both arcade games, and of course watching the video of someone beating the dam level, because I cannot do that. This collection is outstanding and I cannot wait for their release of the 50th Anniversary of Atari later this year.
Destroy All Humans! 2 Reprobed is yet another solid remake of a franchise that somehow hit a downward spiral after the first couple outings. This remake is definitely a lot of fun even if it screams a product of its time. There are some things that have not aged well, but I had a lot of fun with what is here. I would love to finally see a new game now, do NOT remake Big Willy Unleashed…I beg you. As it stands this latest remake is great, I just wonder how well it will do being limited to only new consoles as well as PC.
Live A Live is an interesting game that will most likely excite some players while losing others. The unique stories are great for short bursts but the lack of investment may turn off some. Still I love that we live in an era when lost games can once again make a return. Live A Live is certainly not for everyone, but for those that it does hit it is sure to please. Maybe it would have been wise though to release this game a little further away from Nintendo’s biggest RPG franchise to give it some room to breathe.
Klonoa was a wonderful series that didn’t last very long. It is incredible to see it come back, and more beautiful than ever. These games are truly chill and a joy to play and I am thrilled to see them come back. I hope Bandai Namco decides to give us a truly resurgence of the series, and maybe even DLC to add the portable versions that came out along the way. It is awesome we live in an age where even some of the obscure classics can make a return. Klonoa is still as charming as ever and I don’t want the series to disappear for another handful of years.
Capcom continues to treat their legacy games better than most companies, but their delivery method can be questionable at times. Still I had a blast with these games and would definitely love to see how weird it gets with a third outing. Fans of classic Capcom games will find plenty to enjoy, but this is by far the least impressive selection of games, especially considering recent releases.
Bright Memory: Infinite is a shooter that accepts what it is. It feels great, the shooting is sublime, and it is impressive considering the development team behind it. There is a lot here to love and it feels like a shooter from the golden era of the genre. I had a ton of fun and with a low price point entry this is a game that screams to be played. Don’t sleep on this game, it is fast, fun, and truly a technical marvel. Don’t sleep on Shelia’s adventure, just maybe stick to the default outfits.
PowerWash Simulator is just a comfort game for me and I can see myself playing this for months to come. There is something extremely satisfying about its progression. Playing with friends is a blast and I just love zoning out and making slow progress. These simulation games are getting wild and this is by far the one to click with me. It had me searching prices of power washers in real life, so mission accomplished I supposed developers.
Capcom Fighting Collection is a wonderful package with some truly great features and only a couple missed opportunities. It feels great to see Darkstalkers once again getting some air time, I just wish we would get a new game after nearly 30 years. The series was one of the best Capcom ever put out, and it shows with how many times that Morrigan sprite has been recycled. It is also cool to see rare games like Cyberbots and Red Earth discussed again. This collection is easy to recommend and I hope Capcom continues to recognize their legacy games going forward.
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a great game that suffers the same fate as its Switch sports brethren. It plays great, looks outstanding, but simply lacks content. I truly hope we see more characters, stadiums, and modes as the game goes on. There is a lot here to love, but it feels shallow in the content department for sure. Still if you love the arcade mentality of Mario sports this game is a no-brainer and yet another exclusive gem for Nintendo’s aging platform.
The Shadowrun Trilogy may be dated, but it is a worthy game to check out for people who enjoy turn-based combat. The fact that it is available on Game Pass also makes the barrier to entry much easier. This is also a beefy combination of games to get through with each one offering up their own unique setting and narrative. I am not the biggest fan of these types of games but Shadowrun Returns delivers on all fronts on what it sets out to do making it easy to recommend to just about anyone.
Sniper Elite 5 is a solid follow-up. It won’t change the formula or anyone’s mind who finds these games boring or shallow. Still being available on Game Pass day one is a huge bonus. It is more than worth playing and I recommend at least checking it out. It is unapologetic violence and the design is high quality. This is the definition of gaming fast food, a treat for all the senses.
Kao the Kangaroo is a lot better than I expected considering it was a revival of a game that was even lesser know when it originally launched. I miss these types of platform games and we truly still don’t get enough of them. While the difficulty is nearly non-existent it is still worth checking out for gamers that grew up with the likes of Ty, Tomba, and the Jersey Devil. A simple time when mascot platform games were a dime a dozen, now they are few and far between.
There is multiplayer for those finding the game too hard, but I found it harder to find a partner to play with than the game itself so that is likely off the table for most players. Dolmen just feels like scraps when a four course meal is literally right there. It was a bad time to release a game of this type when it falls so short of the mark set by the best in the genre and even falls below the current imitators. I am all for expanding on a game idea, but there has to be something there to make it feel special and unique and Dolmen just doesn’t have anything setting it apart on any level.
Trek to Yomi is not an overly long adventure either. Outside of the standard combat there is some light exploration and puzzle solving with a few boss battles tossed in for good measure. The story is what kept me chugging through to the end. It is boilerplate but interesting. I wanted to know how things concluded so I pushed through the repetitive combat. Trek to Yomi is a game that on the surface seems way more interesting than it actually is. It feels like a good Game Pass title that occupied me for a weekend, I just wish it was a bit more in-depth when it comes to the combat itself.
At least what is here is solid. These games feature the standard options and the emulation is genuinely solid in most cases. I had fun diving into each game, but again only a couple warranted a repeat viewing. This feels more like Taito Obscurities as opposed to Milestones. For the price it ends up cheaper than picking up each game individually, but that is assuming you want all ten games. As a collection this feels more like an afterthought than a solid purchase.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is simply incredible. If you are like me and have grown tired of the series, it is time to jump back in. This is such a fresh take on the series that it feels like an entirely new game. The level of polish visually and care put into this version feels like they truly went back to the drawing board and created the ultimate LEGO game. I hope this is not their last attempt at the series. I would love a full-on DC or Marvel game in this style. Still this is a must for LEGO fans, a must for Star Wars fans, and truly a must for anyone who enjoys great video games.
PowerSlave Exhumed is yet another outstanding port from a team with a genuine love of games from that era. I cannot wait to see what they deliver next and if you have not checked out their previous work, Turok 1 and 2, ShadowMan, Blood (please put out a console port!), and so many more are just begging to be revisited. This team continues to deliver with every game they put out and I am ecstatic for what they decide to bring next.
Grid Legends is a great game that was simply released at the wrong time. PlayStation owners are more likely to jump on Gran Turismo 7, and Xbox owners are most likely still satisfied with Forza Horizon 5. It is hard to slide between these two franchises and achieve much success. Still there is a trial on EA Play so give it a shot. I had a great time with it, but quickly forgot about it after a week. I do wish the game felt more like a successor as opposed to an upgrade to Grid 2019.