Brandon Orselli
While there are lingering issues with Dark Souls as this is simply a remaster, they are largely inconsequential as this is a spectacular game. Sure, the game may simply be channeling old school difficulty and storytelling, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you're tired of modern games treating you like an infant, please give Dark Souls a chance. Enjoy undeath.
I think any fan of these two games can't really ask for anything more considering both games have been perfectly ported, in full high-definition, to PlayStation 4. The added trophies are nice, and the games basically feel just as they did all those years ago – they just look way crisper now. I really can't recommend this package enough, if only it had a physical release too.
Diablo III is an unabashed loot-fest of an action RPG that has successfully bridged the gap between a strictly mouse+keyboard experience and those of us who prefer a controller. The game has quite a lot of content, is now fully portable, and keeps me coming back for more.
Little Dragon’s Cafe is an interesting attempt from Harvest Moon creator Yasuhiro Wada that plays to his strengths. The game takes you away to a rural, sparsely populated island and drops you into a cute and heartwarming story about strangers growing together.
All in all, Fallout 76 comes off as the core gameplay experience you’d find in Fallout 4, only with multiplayer sort of tacked on somehow. There’s no real overarching story and no NPCs to really speak of, and yet there’s a giant map to explore and collect things while just getting stronger. It’s the modern Bethesda Fallout experience, distilled to that core gameplay loop.
I may have tiny gripes here and there, but all in all, I really enjoyed my time with Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! and was pleasantly surprised by how well this re-imagined vision of the Kanto works. I can’t wait to see how the next main games in the franchise come out.
There is so much content packed into this absolutely massive party fighter, and there will be years upon years of enjoyment to be had out of Ultimate. I really can’t believe a game like this exists in this day and age, and yet here we are. This is a must have game.
Black Bird is an excellent shoot ’em up and a landmark release for Onion Games. As this is their first release on proper gaming platforms, it makes sense they went all out and produced an exceptional game within a shiny package. It really is a fun time, and can get legit challenging.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is the best version of an already fantastic RPG. The game’s visuals hold up very well and have been remastered perfectly without any real flaws. This is an excellent port, and is absolutely worth checking out for newcomers and longtime fans alike.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is an interesting yet enjoyable side-step for the No More Heroes series. Suda and his team took a risk in offering a completely different experience from what fans have known, and it’s a trippy ride that only they can produce.
Some criticize JRPGs for being weird, having too much talking, brain-dead gameplay, being pretentious, and even pandering too hard to be likable to nerds. I can think of one game that fits those criticisms, and it was trying to honor the best of them. YIIK? Yuck…
I really hope Inti Creates explores more of this universe seen in Dragon Marked for Death, as I think they have a solid new IP to work on in future titles. There are snippets of DLC that go into the Dragonblood Clain, but I definitely want to see more. Now with a base, they can refine and experiment!
I really couldn’t be happier with how this game turned out, and I’m a thousand times excited for where Capcom might take the franchise next.
I really can’t get enough of the game, and I feel like it takes all the things I love from the Souls series but throws it within a new setting, with further refined mechanics. It’s a thoroughly refreshing take on the legacy Miyazaki and his team have established, and I really hope we can get more of it in the future. For now, I’m going to go try speed-running various regions in Sekiro again.
Tropico 6 is like a definitive look at the series that has always stood out in the city builder genre, while also adding some really fun new mechanics that help you shake things up a bit.
If you’re looking for a robust city builder with a ridiculously polished set of tools and tech trees for you to live out your wildest industrial era dreams, look no further. Despite some tiny gripes, I really couldn’t be happier with how much Anno 1800 honors the series legacy, and further refines it.
Mortal Kombat 11 is the latest and greatest entry in the long-running fighting game series focused on excessive murder and crazy Asian-inspired supernatural things. The formula is bloodier, more refined, and improved upon, and this feels like the definitive Mortal Kombat game.
A Plague Tale: Innocence is a wonderful new IP from an up-and-coming studio like Asobo. The game takes a rarely adapted period from our history and builds it into a wholly unique experience, with a character-driven adventure that will have you wanting to see how it all ends. I really can’t recommend the game enough if you are looking for something fresh and new.
If you’re looking for a laid back, cute and comfy Japanese RPG with an overwhelming amount of cuteness, you should consider picking up Atelier Lulua.
I was worried that Creative Assembly may not be able to do justice on the Three Kingdoms, but I am more than happy to have been proven wrong. Now if you will excuse me, I need to get sleep, but….one more turn.