Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a polished, gigantic, and complex sci-fi strategy game. It has loads of different features, factions, and quests, and there's enough content to keep players active for weeks, months, probably years. But while the possibility of such a deep well may be alluring to 4X fans, it's a bad fit for the rest of us working-class citizens.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is pure fun, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience.
The latest Asobo Studio release is grim, gory, and a bit of a grind.
Tropico 6 is the best game I've played all year. It reminds me of all the classic strategy games I used to love, and yet it doesn't make me yearn for them. That's because Limbic Entertainment managed to nail just what makes strategy games so fun.
The problem with a game like Yoshi's Crafted World is that it seems to be stuck in sort of a time capsule. The hottest platformers from the last couple of years offer challenging gameplay, complex combat, rich lore, character progression, hidden areas... the list goes on and on. Yoshi's Crafted World offers almost none of those things. It's content to offer a very pared-down experience, and that's fine as far as a video game is concerned; it just doesn't make for an exciting experience.
Dead or Alive 6 has complex, satisfying combat and enough variety to keep players of all skill levels happy.
Still, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown should serve to satisfy players craving a healthy serving of high-speed aerial combat, especially those who happen to have PSVR.
Desert Child certainly won't be for everyone, but players who approach the game without expectations will be treated to a lighthearted and amusing experience that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Everything that Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden gets right seems overshadowed by its general lack of depth and surprisingly short campaign.
Hitman 2 will undoubtedly serve to define the stealth genre for years to come, and I can't wait to see where IO Interactive takes the series next.
The graphics are great, flying feels smooth and effortless, and combat and exploration are are delightful, both on-planet and off. The underwhelming mission variety and tremendous amount of customization options may put some players off, but the ones who stick with with the title will be treated to a polished space-based shooter with enough content to keep them busy for the foreseeable future.
It may not be the smoothest transition — purists may shun the new mechanics, while unfamiliar players may wonder how the game was ever interesting without them — but the bottom line is that Capcom has found a way to keep Mega Man alive without banking solely on retro gaming nostalgia.
Marvel's Spider-Man is at once a fantastic action game, a dramatic story-driven adventure, and a love letter to fans of Marvel's ever-endearing wall-crawler. It's also one of the strongest titles in Insomniac Games' catalog, and will no doubt be counted not only among the best games of 2018, but also among the best PlayStation 4 exclusives ever released.
Ultimately, both Mega Man X Legacy Collections 1 and 2 nail exactly what modern-era collections of retro video game titles should be: a compendium of everything the series has to offer, including the base games, fresh new tweaks, added bonuses, trivia, trailers, and more. There's really no stone left unturned with either Mega Man X Legacy Collection, making them perfect for longtime series fans or for gamers new to the Mega Man X formula.
Ultimately, both Mega Man X Legacy Collections 1 and 2 nail exactly what modern-era collections of retro video game titles should be: a compendium of everything the series has to offer, including the base games, fresh new tweaks, added bonuses, trivia, trailers, and more. There's really no stone left unturned with either Mega Man X Legacy Collection, making them perfect for longtime series fans or for gamers new to the Mega Man X formula.
Too many developers have tried and failed to capture the nostalgic and often magical feelings that players have for the JRPG genre. Pared-down retro releases and fluffed-up remakes come and go, yet none of them seem to get things exactly right. Fortunately, Octopath Traveler succeeds where other classically-styled RPGs fail: the presentation is spot-on, the combat is addictive, and the potential for party customization is tremendous. Small stumbles with dialog and framerate can be forgiven simply because the rest of the game is an absolute delight. This is an experience that players can easily get lost in for dozens of hours, and it's sure to be counted among the best Nintendo Switch exclusives released to date.
It's probably better to think of Milestone's latest release less in terms of a video game and more in terms of a product designed for MotoGP enthusiasts. It's stuffed to the brim with Moto Grand Prix-related details like racers, tracks, and commentary, and includes plenty of different options that riders can use to tweak their bikes and chase a podium finish. With that said, MotoGP 18 simply feels less thrilling than it should, mostly due to its underwhelming graphics, spartan presentation, and monotonous gameplay.
There are a few annoying flies in the ointment — item descriptions don't always fit on screen, weapons occasionally miss enemies within range, and in-dungeon inventory management sometimes feels too time-consuming — but otherwise, the game's engaging blend of active shopkeeping and dungeon crawling should be more than enough to keep retro-styled action RPG fans smiling.
All things considered, the inherent value of Mega Man Legacy Collections one and two can only be determined by specific player interest. These collections might be nice and new, but the experiences within are distinctly old-school, providing the sort of gritty, challenging platforming action that feels increasingly rare in the current era of gaming.
All things considered, the inherent value of Mega Man Legacy Collections one and two can only be determined by specific player interest. These collections might be nice and new, but the experiences within are distinctly old-school, providing the sort of gritty, challenging platforming action that feels increasingly rare in the current era of gaming.