None of the shortcomings, however, are enough to sour what is ultimately an astonishing experience. Once again, Level-5 has risen to the top of a previously floundering but increasingly revitalized genre.
I love that CD Projekt Red's solution to getting more players on board with its free-to-play card game was to produce a massive standalone RPG with all the spellbinding storytelling that's become a signature of The Witcher brand. It's the sort of thoroughness and commitment to quality they've built a reputation on, and Thronebreaker now paves the way for an exciting new genre of card games that incorporate a similar design ethos.
Ghost of Tsushima features a level of charm that gives it a soul and personality lacking from so many AAA games lack these days. Even if it ultimately suffers from repetition by the game’s end, and despite a lack of variety in its quest, the magic of that initial exploration and the beauty of its world will stick with me for a very long time.
For the time being, then, Valhalla is a superb but familiar open-world experience. It’s sure to excite fans of the series with another impressively content-rich and beautiful sandbox to explore, and it might just interest newcomers and lapsed Assassin’s Creed players with the intrigue of its setting and more streamlined overall design. Ultimately, though, it falls just shy of true excellence — a high benchmark to meet, but one Assassin’s Creed should be held to after so many years of trying to get it right.
Also, again, it’s just so damn fun to play. And I think for a developer whose games have always been so clever and innovative to behold but not necessarily entertaining without a fair dose of punishment along the way, that’s hugely important. Deathloop is still signature Arkane in terms of exemplary immersive-sim design, reminiscent of BioShock and Dishonored, but it also puts a giant smile on your face each and every time you play. Quite whether that’s enough to see it succeed at a mainstream level remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt it’s another stellar title on the resume of an esteemed studio. It might even be its best.
Balls of Glory is a stellar addition to Zen Pinball 2. There are a few issues with each of the tables but for the most part they are very enjoyable to play and quite appropriate for players of all skill levels. Despite some of the PG censorship on two of the tables and some of the slightly repetitive sound effects this pack is well worth the purchase. There isn't much to dislike; Balls of Glory is inexpensive, a blast to play, visually stunning and feels totally connected to the franchises of which the table themes are based on.
The Last Guardian's seven-year development cycle is evident in antiquated design, but ultimately, it isn't enough to spoil this charming fantasy tale.
Shu is a standout indie platforming game with slick gameplay and a vibrant aesthetic. Though it will remind you of some of the iconic sidescrollers of yesteryear, the game has enough of its own character to stand apart from a saturated genre.
Battle Chasers fans will be pleased to know that Joe Madureira's work has found a new home in the gaming industry that we'll certainly see more of. But perhaps more importantly, as someone who never knew about the source material before playing the game, I'll be keenly looking forward to its next entry too.
That being said, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is still absolutely worth playing, and it's an easy recommendation. There's challenge to its gameplay, of which every facet feels great to control.
Ultimately, the sum of Vampyr's emphasis on story, combat, and progression combine to produce a video gaming experience that will appeal to those outside the RPG and adventure genres that it seeks to combine. My hope is that it finds its audience so that we might yet again see Dr. Reid on an even grander scale in the future.
While it might be a little conservative and still suffer from pitfalls that held back previous games in the series, Trine 4 is one of the best puzzle-platformers you’ll play this generation.
Valorant is likely to make a big impression on anybody that enjoys competitive shooters, even if it is a little light on content at the moment. Genre newcomers will need to stay patient to push past the initial difficulty curve, but its exhilarating combination of gunplay and agent abilities is accessible enough that reaping its rewards shouldn’t take too long.
Put aside your reservations about free-to-play mobile RPGs, gacha mechanics, and weeby storytelling: Genshin Impact is totally unique. I came in a skeptic and now find myself genuinely relishing hours more time spent chaining elemental combos, grinding for new characters, and the intrigue of its ongoing story.
It’s a very good RPG –great, even–, just not a seminal one that does anything to push open-world game design beyond what has been done before.
It’s a throwback to old Assassin’s Creed I’m sure fans of the franchise, rather than just fans of Valhalla, will love. And for that reason, in combination with the fact that it tells an interesting story, offers a great reason to reboot or reinstall the game for those who haven’t returned since completing it last year.
Still, despite those shortcomings, there’s no question that Ghost of Tsushima Iki Island is an entertaining overall experience and I’m confident most players will find it worth the asking price; in particular, because the story strengthens Jin’s character arc by shining a light on an aspect of his youth not particularly well explained in the base game. For that reason, it works as an adventure played alongside the base game, and equally as an engaging new chapter for those playing it after the fact.
Overall, though, I enjoyed my time with Dying Light 2 and found it an entertaining open-world experience that I want to keep playing beyond the 30 or so hours I put into the main storyline. Techland has plans to support Dying Light 2 with five years of post-launch DLC, which is a pledge I’m certain it will deliver given its resume with the original. My hope, then, is that its future content doubles down on the intrigue of the new choice/consequence branching dialog but delivers better and more varied questing to make the unfolding of these stories more engaging.
I’m very high on Stray overall, as you can probably tell by now. It might not quite have the substance and complexity in design to elevate the experience to genre-leading heights, but there’s so little to fault and so much to love about it that I’m certain, cat lover or not, it shouldn’t be missed. Stray is a superb achievement for a debut project from a studio in BlueTwelve that I cannot wait to see more from.
When the journey was over, with the credits rolling, I found myself left deep in thought, reflecting on what I had just seen unfold and the meaning of the journey I had embarked on. Quite whether this grand conclusion actually presents more questions than it does answers, I’m still not sure. In any case, I do think Somerville at least succeeds in delivering that punchy, thought-provoking crescendo and conclusion it was always building towards. I just wish it hadn’t been such a slog to get there.