Keith Mitchell's Reviews
Bandai Namco's Scarlet Nexus is an interesting mixture of hack and slash meets JRPG and succeeds in just about every department. However, it's not without its flaws, which are minor. If you're looking for a fun action game with some RPG elements sprinkled in, then you can't go wrong with Scarlet Nexus.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is the same game we all played as a kid, with a new coat of paint and it works for the most part. Though the game might prove to be too difficult for today's gamers.
Despite having a few flaws, such as missing modes and the lack of being able to invite friends for some online bouts, Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is a solid title. If and when Sega addresses the online issues, this will be a title that everyone will be playing, there's no doubt about that. Now if it was only available for the other platforms, it would be even better.
CAPCOM Arcade Stadium is full of classics that many arcade-goers will remember and enjoy in the comfort of their homes. Plenty of options to tinker with and the added benefit of unlimited credits will help everyone power through the games – even if it cheapens the experience. Sadly, the omission of a number of classic titles such as Dark Stalkers, Red Earth, and a few others does add a bit of frustration.
I'm sure you're tired of me saying this, however, this port of Days Gone for the PC is easily one of the best ports I've seen. The game runs well, I haven't encountered a single performance-related issue with my time playing the game. And trust me, I've looked. I don't know what magic Bend Studios worked to get this game so darned optimized, but I'm not complaining either.
At the end of the day, Outriders has a lot going for it. The gameplay is fun, I love the fact that there is more than enough loot to collect and spec out my characters. However, once you hit the end game, the game is essentially dead and that's troublesome. Adding to that, the game still suffers from a number of issues including terrible online, random crashes, abilities either not working or working correctly and random crashing – Despite People Can Fly putting in overtime to get the game to a better place. For now, I'd wait for the game to mature, unless the lure of some fantastic running and gunning is the only thing that matters to you.
All in all, it’s not a bad port. It’s definitely not as rough as Nioh 1 was, but it does need another round or two in the optimization department. There’s no reason why one of the best GPUs on the market, combined with still equally decent CPU, should be seeing the performance I observed. I could see if this was confined to just playing at 4K, but even 1440p was a chore. Once KT addresses this, the game will be in a better position.
Gears 5: Hivebusters is just what the series needed; a short but enjoyable romp, new faces, and a new perspective. It's clear that The Coalition wanted this to be special and they succeeded. Hivebusters is a showcase for those playing on either the Xbox Series X|S or Window 10 and is a perfect example that less isn't always a bad thing.
Easily one of my favorite Assassin’s Creed entries, thanks to the improvements made to the combat, health, stamina, and progression systems. The story was enjoyable, the NPCs both plentiful, colorful, and rememberable, even if some were annoying at times. Ubisoft has taken everything that worked in Origins and Odyssey and improved them, thus making Valhalla easily the best game in the past few years. And I simply can not get enough of Orlog.
While Watch Dogs: Legion lacks a main protagonist and has some performance issues, it is a solid entry in the Watch Dogs series.
Hotshot Racing is an enjoyable return to the simplistic arcade racer and a damned good one. It's just you, your car, and a mad dash from start to finish, jamming to some tunes while trying not to get smashed by your opponents. If you're a fan of arcade racers, give Hotshot Racing a try.
Easily the best out of the two expansions, yet again, one that ends all too soon. I need more!
It's still hard to believe that Mortal Shell is Cold Symmetry's first game, as this game rivals many AAA games. Everything in the game screams quality, from the gameplay to the art and sound direction. As a long time fan of Soulslike games, Mortal Shell has shot to the top of my favorite game lists and I can't wait to see what the devs do next. If you enjoy these sorts of games like I do, I recommend giving Mortal Shell a try.
Panzer Paladin is a combination of games from the past that were the best of the best, with slight improvements tossed in for good measure. If you're a fan of the action-platformer genre, there's something here to enjoy, a casual or hardcore gamer. This is perhaps Tribute Games' best title to date and it shows. Amazing and fun gameplay, the level design is top-notch and the chiptunes were enjoyable.
Disintegration is the effort of combing a First Person Shooter and an RTS together, something that has been tried in the base with moderate success. Here, V1 Interactive takes the concept one step further with several new ideas, yet ultimately aren't all fleshed out. I'm looking forward to seeing if and how the developer will correct these concerns in either a DLC or the follow-up to the game.
If the zany story started in Mortal Kombat 11 was the main course, then Aftermath is the dessert that makes the entire ordeal completely worthwhile. Not only do we get an epic conclusion, but also three new characters to play with and several amazing stages. Sure it may be a bit overpriced, but if there's one thing to be said here, it's that Netherrealm Studios really has mastered their craft, both with the storytelling and with crafting an enjoyable fighting title.
It took 23 years, but I'm happy to say that Streets of Rage is back and then some. The gameplay is reminiscent of games of the past while bringing in new mechanics that push the game further. Thanks to the insight from the developers, there's still plenty to do after the game has been beaten, which ensures players will be picking up the controls for a long time. I couldn't have asked for a better follow-up to the classic series. All that's needed now is for the online components to be fixed and this is will be perfect in my opinion.
Fans of Remnant from the Ashes will finally have a reason to revisit the title with the addition of the new survival mode, and the revamped Corsus region. While the quality of life changes improve on an otherwise fantastic experience and give melee a much-needed boost. Oh, and Apocalypse will consume you.
Kunai is a cutesy Metroidvania title with lots of action, enjoyable gameplay and is a hell of a fun time. Sadly, the game ends way too soon, as I found myself lusting for more. A solid attempt by Turtleblaze and I'll be looking forward to their next project.
MechWarrior 5 is a glorious return to the MechWarrior universe. Lots of mechs from the past return, while the gameplay stays true to the original formula. The campaign is lengthy, insuring you won't beat this anytime soon. The wait was definitely worth it. If you're a fan of the mech simulator genre, don't sleep on this.