Kevin Tucker
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Metal Gear Solid
- Super Meat Boy
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Everything that Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden gets right seems overshadowed by its general lack of depth and surprisingly short campaign.
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.
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.
Dead or Alive 6 has complex, satisfying combat and enough variety to keep players of all skill levels happy.
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.
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 latest Asobo Studio release is grim, gory, and a bit of a grind.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is pure fun, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience.
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.
It's fast-paced, fun, and pretty damn freaky — all the right elements of a perfect sci-fi thriller.
Detroit: Become Human is inarguably Quantic Dream’s finest release yet
For die-hard series fans, the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection stands as one of Capcom’s most attractive retro collections yet.
The original Command & Conquer might be almost 25 years old by now, but its signature fast-paced strategic gameplay hasn’t aged a day. Remastered does exactly what modern-era collections should, offering old-school action with modern-day fidelity and loads of extras. This is a perfect example of remasters done right: The original gameplay remains intact, the upgraded presentation is flawless, and the added bonuses are tremendous. Put simply, your favorite Command & Conquer games are back and better than ever.
As far as I’m concerned, Risk of Rain 2 is as good as gaming gets.