Scott Ellison II's Reviews
Retro City Rampage DX finds another home, perhaps its best, finest, and last on the Nintendo Switch. The game is so clearly a labor of love and it shows, even if it’s a bit manic at times. The humor always lands, and the gameplay feels great. The seemingly endless video options lets you give the game a new look each time you play. Retro City Rampage DX‘s release is rather timely, making a great primer for Vblank Entertainment’s next game, Shakedown: Hawaii which changes locations and enters the 16-bit era. Switch owners are in for a real treat, as Retro City Rampage DX is nostalgia redefined.
F1 2017 has improved considerably and brought the long-missed Classics into the present. Codemasters is now in a good place with the series. Things have changed in the real Motorsport, but there some subtleties you wouldn’t normally notice, like the wider stance that Formula 1 cars now have. The game is full of changes and improvements, like the handling due to that wider stance, and F1 2017 sits as a game that’s balanced all-around. While F1 2017 is the official videogame of the 2017 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, it is also the only one, and more importantly – it is the best one.
If you gave me the choice between playing Overwatch and playing LawBreakers, I’d choose this. This is a game where any class is helpful and doesn’t have to rely on strict roles to be successful in each match. I do wish the tutorials would acclimate people better into the game, but it isn’t hard to grasp on your own. The modes, classes, and weapons all look and feel the sci-fi part. The biggest crime in LawBreakers is that not enough people are playing it. For what’s here, LawBreakers is a steal at its price, and an absolute blast to play solo or with friends.
Agents of Mayhem fumbles more than it carries the ball forward for open-world games. There’s fun to be had, but with less frequency than its alternate universe brother, Saints Row. With this, Agents of Mayhem 2 needs to be more focused, and can be the revolution that Saints Row 2 was if they are to amp up the ridiculous and lean in heavier to the comedy that doesn’t rely on cheap jokes and vulgarity to get the point across. For what it is, Agents of Mayhem delivers an action-oriented shooter with lots of playable characters for interesting mix ‘n’ matching that falls short on gameplay and story, but has plenty to do to keep you occupied.
I’m dying for The Darkside Detective 2 already. Now it is worth noting that The Darkside Detective is short, taking about three hours to complete all six cases, but it works so well to its benefit. This is a game that brings the player in on the joke, and lets you laugh along with them – which you will. If you’re looking for an introduction to adventure games, then The Darkside Detective is definitely it. Even those experienced in the genre will find the cases intriguing and the puzzles enough of a mind tease to find enjoyment throughout.
Given the three and a half hours it took me to play the game, it feels like a movie or a play. Unfortunately, its emotional impact is undercut by the things that cause June’s death being replayed, but it is no doubt is wracking with guilt as you get it wrong. This is an experience, and its adaptation from short films to an interactive medium carries a bit more weight as you are in control of actions or inactions of the characters. Last Day of June is a sweet, cute, and touching game that nails home the feeling of loss, but the hope of love.
SteamWorld Dig 2 permeates with beautiful art, excellent music, and great gameplay. Dorothy is a wonderful character to play is, is in incredibly agile and nimble, and the companion Fen is never annoying. Image & Form have improved on everything to make the game enjoyable. The story is full of mystery, the new tools are exciting to use, and the handcrafted mines are a treasure to explore. SteamWorld Dig 2 is a must-own game for whatever platform you get it on.
While I enjoyed it a great deal, things need to change for WRC 8 next year. As it stands, WRC 7 is a solid game with “to the point” racing that works, but is growing stale. If you’ve been away from the series for a while, this is an excellent entry to get back to. If you liked WRC 6, returning players will find very little that’s new in WRC 7 for the money. The attention to detail is applaudable, and the realism and authenticity Kylotonn brings is unmatched, but is in need of something more to liven this series up for future entries.
RUINER is absolutely a difficult game, but not one I would call unfair. I did find I found it more enjoyable when I played it in short bursts than longer sessions because of how frustrating it can be. That said, it is so satisfying when you conquer a hard room or a boss, and then you feel energized to continue. The game asks the question, “Are you the Ruiner or the Ruined?” – depending on how things go for you while playing, can be either. The best games challenge us and push us to our limits, and RUINER is among those.
I can't begin to think of the monumental effort that went in to making this game over the past several years. Cuphead is a challenging gameplay experience that is at odds with its whimsical-looking animation. I never found the difficulty to be off-putting, but it rather forced me to be more mindful during each encounter, which then led to every victory being so sublime. Be forewarned at it being a hard game, but know that Cuphead is a masterpiece worth enduring such hardships.
Heat Signature is such a surprise to play. It’s freedom, and cycling number of missions allow you to take the tools which you’ve been given and craft and experience all your own. The incredibly smart integration of your Steam friends finding their way into your game adds reference and value to the tasks you’re given. Heat Signature is easily one of my favorite games of the year.
Rogue Trooper Redux is a nice throwback to an era that’s long since passed, but despite its updates, is still held back by the limitations of the original design. Though, I can’t discredit the mechanics and systems throughout the campaign, and the updates done to bring it to the modern era. It does not look like a PS2 game by any means. If you haven’t played it before, it is worth seeing the innovations and mechanics that this carved a path for others to follow. Now, I would rather have seen a sequel, but I think the sales of this are likely to justify whether that cliffhanger ending is worth following up on.
The Mummy Demastered has small issues that are appropriate for the era it recalls, but they are quickly overshadowed by the excellent gameplay and feel of exploration and discovery amid blasting your way from room to room. The Mummy Demastered is wonderfully executed and full of surprises. WayForward didn't just make " another one of those". There are real and meaningful changes to the formula you wouldn't expect, and flipping them on their head is well worth the price of admission.
Raiden V: Director’s Cut is very accessible for those who have yet to play a shoot’em up, and while the series is known to be rather challenging, the many difficulties it offers will ease players of any skill level right in. And those looking for a high level of challenge will still find it here, as the hardcore nature of the game has not been diluted. The story is mostly forgettable, but the way it gets presented during gameplay is a huge step forward for the genre. Raiden V: Director’s Cut is simply a must have.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has a campaign I highly implore people play. The pacing is all over the place, but its quick emotional shifts are to the game’s benefit – one moment has you seething with what you’ve just witnessed, and others have you laughing at the well-timed humor in contrast to a world so wrought with evil. Bethesda has resurrected the most iconic first-person shooter franchises, and MachineGames have elevated the genre with Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.
Offering more of the same, but for the better, Hand of Fate 2 is more of what you liked, none of what you didn't over the original. Defiant Development have done exactly what you need to do for a sequel, improve and cut out the fat. The improved missions and importance of character creation and development make it feel more personal and like your story, rather than playing someone else's. Hand of Fate 2 offers a lot of variety you would have to play several other games to get in the quality that's available here.
I still enjoyed Call of Duty: WWII, more so the multiplayer over the campaign, but it had its moments that kept me invested throughout. The multiplayer feels "back to basics" like what Modern Warfare Remastered did last year that I really enjoy. It's easier to keep track of people and removes a lot of the verticality the latest entries has introduced, for better or worse. Call of Duty: WWII feels like a much-needed reset for the genre-defining series.
L.A. Noire is a game that feels better on this current generation of consoles over the last. The ability to replay cases gives plenty of reasons to get perfect ratings on each one. The investigations are deep, and rewarding as you solve each one. L.A. Noire has been given a second chance, and while flawed it is like nothing else out there today. Whether you are returning to 1940s Los Angeles, or starting new, L.A. Noire being remastered for PS4, Xbox One, and Switch is worth every bit of the experience, like a modern day adventure game.
The prison island of Peh is a living and breathing place, and the quests are deep and varied that you get lost in them, whether it be exploring or having a conversation. The game does a lot of different things, and does them really well in a cohesive and coherent manner that I can’t help but applaud. There are only a few issues I had with the game in terms of camera, inventory management, and its combat, but everything else is so well done and entertaining, it’s easy to forgive it. Seven: The Days Long Gone can be relentless, yes, but that’s what the plentiful saves and quicksaves you can make are for.
Sky Force Reloaded is everything Sky Force Anniversary was, but bigger and better in every conceivable way. Infinite Dreams has re-imagined the scrolling shooter in inventive and exciting ways. Sky Force Reloaded is the best the series has looked, played, and felt yet. I wish Infinite Dreams would make something in the vein of their mobile series, but only for modern consoles and PCs to give it more depth rather than grind. Now, the grind is manageable, but something that not everyone will enjoy. That said, Sky Force Reloaded is still a lot of fun no matter how little or much you put into it.