Scott Ellison II's Reviews
Asobo Studio’s penchant for story-driven games built around immersion, atmosphere, and strong visual spectacle is ever present here. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy stands on its own with a story that’s incredibly well-written realized, and characters that are interesting. Asobo Studios embracing combat this time around is the best move, with it being so varied and customizable. Exploration is top-notch, and while the puzzles aren’t head-scratchers, they do get your hamster in the wheel turning. The visuals are outstanding, and best in-class. While it works really well as a standalone introduction, fans of A Plague Tale will appreciate the seeds it plants. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is an exceptional prequel, and an essential gaming experience this year.
Lou’s Lagoon doesn’t offer a groundbreaking story, yet it sparks curiosity with a missing family member under mysterious circumstances. What hooked me was its satisfying loop of tool upgrades and exploration. It’s as cozy as the genre gets, but with enough constant interactivity to ensure your hands are never idle. Lou’s Lagoon has been worth the wait, and while I lament that this isn’t the “TaleSpin” game it could’ve been, it still manages to deliver in new and exciting ways.
I’m someone that has no real nostalgia or love for Star Fox 64, but Wild Blue Skies is such a pale imitation of that game. This is especially true when a fully remade Star Fox just got released two months ago, it’s hard to find any reason to play this over that. There’s also other games that have done this better that doesn’t have enemy clipping through environments, abysmal enemy AI, lack of mobility, and underwhelming shooting mechanics. Wild Blue Skies is perfunctory and so bereft of originality, it never dares to be a maverick and exist as something wholly unique.
Agent 64: Spies Never Die is an homage to a bygone era of shooters that we don’t see attempted today. It’s retro to a fault, and it’s unremarkable campaign hurts it somewhat, but thankfully its other modes does a lot of the heavy lifting. Agent 64: Spies Never Die offers a ton of replaybility for you and your friends to enjoy for as long as you want, and it doesn’t demand anything for the enjoyment it gives.
Truck-kun is Supporting Me from Another World?! is a neat palate cleanser, but it’s decidedly short and not something you’ll be itching to play through again right away. While there’s measures to gate progression, I suspect there might be ways to get around that and would be a cool to see speedran at Games Done Quick. I love short experiences, but I think there’s so much more to do here that it ends up being full of missed opportunities. Even though this is built on the back of a meme and trope, Truck-kun is Supporting Me from Another World?! is certainly a fun romp for the several hours it lasts.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is an exceptional celebration of what made the original game a masterpiece. By removing the pacing speed-bumps of the modern-day segments, stripping away UI clutter, using the Anvil engine to the fullest, and adding new content, Ubisoft has delivered the definitive version of Edward Kenway’s journey. The sheer joy of sailing the Caribbean freely and engaging in its chaotic naval combat remains unmatched. It looks like how you remember it, plays better than before, and is an absolute must-play for those looking to return to the high seas. We’ve spent over a decade calling Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag the undisputed high-water mark of the entire series, and with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, it unleashes an absolute juggernaut that completely blows the original out of the water.
The LEGO Batman games have generally been good, but LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight takes things in a familiar yet new direction I hope we see more of, and across different properties. The improved combat feels weighty and impactful, yet whimsy as “CRACK!” and “POW!” pops up on-screen. The reverence for Batman by TT Games is truly felt, and is such a celebration of the character for nearly 90 years across comics, TV, and film. Legacy of the Dark Knight is the best LEGO Batman game to-date, but is also the best Batman game yet.
Visiting Japan through the lens of Forza Horizon and it's almost circus-like festival is long overdue for this series, but it's finally here and the perfect place to be. Playground Games really refines each entry with meticulous detail and reverence for the locale they are in, and Japan is soaked in intricacies. From the incredible race variety to the customization of cars and now garages, you can truly make them uniquely yours. There's something for everyone to enjoy and engage with. Forza Horizon 6 is another masterclass entry in this long-running series where the vibes are immaculate and the races are impeccable.
As it stands though, this is a compelling package and is more than “just solitaire” that cannot come more recommended. While it revels in being a forgotten, discarded, and controversial game with a storied past, Forbidden Solitaire is one you’ll definitely remember.
Only sickos would want to come home after a long day at their place of employment to go to their PC or console to do more work, but you know who you are. Across the 15-hour campaign, you'll get to see and do things that become second nature and you feel your skills improve in tune with your progression. The lack of co-op doesn't feel lacking, this is a different kind of game that's focused and deliberate. Docked is a contained experience that makes a splash by balancing challenge and reward equally.
iRacing Arcade has a few issues, but what it gets right is racing and worthwhile career mode that’s too fun to put down. The career is the heart of the game, and offers a new level customization and team building not other racing games ever explore. All of the other modes and features bolster what Original Fire Games has done so well, and builds upon that. iRacing Arcade is great for all ages, to be an introduction to racing or a way to unwind after a long day.
With the introduction of a seamless open-world and the brilliant dual shogun and ninja playstyles, Nioh 3 offers a level of depth and tactical freedom that few other Souls-likes can match.
If the previous game didn’t grab you, I do think High On Life 2 is superior in every way that makes it worth playing. Squanch Games largely plays it safe, but still manages to introduce new ideas never before seen in other games. Comedy is very subjective, but I think the humor in this game is right up your alley if you enjoy the likes of Tim Robinson. High On Life 2 is more High On Life, but in a more polished, focused, and refined space adventure where it’s crass humor is befitting the universe it exists in.
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is such a blast, it also serves as an introduction to Marvel, beat’em ups, arcade games, and so much more. Tribute Games has done so much right here, nails the superhero landing with ease to please fans, and even make new ones. There’s a richness of value to be found with its unlockable characters, modes, palettes. MARVEL Cosmic Invasion with an impressive display of talent and execution on what’s to be the last don’t miss recommendation of the year.
Straight4 Studios has a game that’s been cooked properly to temperature, but it lacks flavor. Project Motor Racing boasts an impressive roster of cars and tracks, but no real personality to bring it all together. It’s not very welcoming, but if you put in the work, it can be rewarding. The best thing about the game is its career mode, where clawing your way up the ranks makes each victory feel earned. Project Motor Racing is a rookie in the space, but this is a solid entry that those looking for a game geared towards realism and simulation will find plenty of that here, but not much else.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is ambitious but aimless. It’s just so forgettable, in a year with so many other great games, is not the year for there to be a bad Call of Duty. The Co-op Campaign is aggressively against solo players, Zombies is recycled, and Multiplayer has barely enough things to keep you going. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a big swing and a miss for a series that should have been a home run.
ARC Raiders is an exhilarating, tense, and streamlined extraction shooter with tremendous accessibility. Embark Studios have captured lightning in a bottle with this, and it’s truly remarkable how good it is in every way. This is not “just another Tarkov clone”, it’s unlike anything else you’ve played before, and that’s why it’ll be successful. ARC Raiders is not a gateway drug to other extraction shooters, it is the drug.
Wreckreation is the realization and culmination of what was being built with Danger Zone and Dangerous Driving, to be a competent and capable arcade racer with boundless creation tools. The opponent AI lacks some consistency, the world could feel more alive, and the menu system could use some work. The overall presentation, vibe, and heart is in the right place to be an open-world racing nirvana. If you never interact with the creation tools, there’s still a lot of game to enjoy. While this isn’t a game that lives up to its potential or pedigree of its inspiration, Wreckreation is the closest we’ll get to a Burnout Paradise 2.
Obsidian Entertainment continues to make better sequels, even to their own games, and The Outer Worlds 2 surpasses the prior game in every way. Obsidian has honed in on the tone, and the anti-capitalist dark humor is much more even, and full of laugh out loud moments. Compelling companions, better combat, and rich quests makes everything feels so reactive and symbiotic to your action, or inaction. Decisions are presented to you around every corner, and with so many branching paths, it encourages experimentation and ensures you’ll replay it. The Outer Worlds 2 is a stellar sci-fi RPG to be an instant classic.
Escape From Duckov has a lot of quality of life improvements I actually wish Escape from Tarkov had. The game does good at making you feel more powerful with each successful raid, despite being a cutesy and approachable extraction shooter. It attempts to be tongue-in-cheek, though doesn’t go far enough like it should to stand on its own webbed feet. There’s fun to be had and I do recommend it, but Escape From Duckov just isn’t all it’s quacked up to be.