Darryn Bonthuys's Reviews
Hindered or enhanced by your imagination, Nintendo's latest mad project is still a well-designed and madly charming new entry in its beloved karting franchise.
Genshin Impact may be one of the biggest surprises of the year: A free-to-play RPG that gives players an absurd amount of freedom and content to dip into. Some barriers can still be found in the absurdly rare drop rates for premium characters and the world shows some growing pains, but you're still receiving a gorgeous fantasy world that doesn't press-gang you into spending money on it.
A madcap blast from the past, Neighbors back from Hell doesn't do anything to change its original formula, but the added spit 'n shine polish does give the fantastic pranking sandbox a new lease on life.
Torchlight 3 will scratch any basic RPG itch for adventure, loot, and fantasy, but even with a heckin' doggo sidekick at its side, it feels a bit too old-fashioned to stand out from the rest of the pack.
The Solitaire Conspiracy is one of this year's most surprisingly addictive games, a tense showdown amongst spies using nothing other than your own wits and a few card tricks up your sleeve to deliver a quick punch of strategy.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is a stunning recreation of a classic game, adding competent gameplay upgrades and a polished recreation of its plot. As solid as the overhaul may be though, it doesn't do much else to evolve the experience beyond the bare essentials. Not that you heard that from me, capisce?
WWE 2K Battlegrounds feels like a missed opportunity at the best of times. What could have been a mad breath of fresh air until WWE 2K22 comes along, is instead a boring grind that's all style and no real substance. Invasive microtransactions tarnish the few remaining bright spots of this game, barely allowing it be okayfabe.
If you've become disillusioned with modern-day Pokemon, then Nexomon is super effective at appealing to your nostalgia. It looks great, the price is stupidly low and while it may feel derivative at times, the quality on display with this capture 'em all experience is on par with Nintendo's top-tier offerings.
Gorgeous pixel art, a massively deep combat system, and the pure elation that can only be earned from vanquishing nigh-unstoppable foes makes for a solid package of fun in Star Renegades.
Marvel's Avengers is both a fantastic story and a dead-average grind for meaningless loot. When everything comes together, it's a brilliant power fantasy with heart and a true passion for its source material. Those moments are fleeting though, held back by a range of technical issues, shockingly sloppy design, and no solid idea of what kind of game it really wants to be. Some assembly, definitely required.