Alex Gibson
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.