Scott Ellison II's Reviews
Need For Speed Heat is bathed in neon while offering a great sense of speed, fantastic customization, and generates a great level of tension when being pursued by the cops. The car selection covers a wide variety of eras and types that’s never boring, and there’s more than enough to satisfy everyone. Between the actual races and roaming around challenges, there’s hours of things to do you’ll never tire of. Need For Speed Heat is the best racing game of the year, hands-down.
Thief of Thieves: Season One is interesting, but on the Switch is hampered by a myriad of issues on every level. The story comes to a satisfying close, but the inevitable tease to season two is an exciting setup. I look forward to being around these characters more, and performing more heists with them. Thief of Thieves: Season One is fun, intriguing, and tells a great interactive story. You should just do so on any other platform but the Switch.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is exactly what it says it is. For all the effort that’s gone into this, it’s kind of insane to get all this game for a mere $20. It plays incredibly well, looks even better, and hasn’t aged a day. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is next to perfect. It’s time to strategize like it’s 1999.
It should come as no surprise that Unity of Command II surpasses the original in every way. Its one-screen UI is still the one to beat, and reflects the original in all the right ways. There’s a lot new to the game, and it offers so much depth where there’s so much to talk about. I adore the strict turn-based time limit, as it gets you to think in a different way. Unity of Command II is wargaming at its finest.
While it doesn’t break boundaries or define this generation, it is extremely refined to be the best version of itself. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare offers an engrossing campaign along with a multiplayer suite you can’t quit. It’s a game that’s heartfelt and genuine in its presentation. I’m so terrifically excited for what’s next for the story, and the multiplayer is calling my name. Infinity Ward has cemented the Modern Warfare series as the best of Call of Duty, and this is one not to miss.
Tight, responsive controls met with highly detailed environments puts Lonely Mountains: Downhill in a class all its own. I take issue with some of the decision decisions to purposefully block your view, or how hard it is to unlock new bikes, but they’re never enough to take away from my enjoyment. The terrain, physics, visual style, and sound design are deserving of awards. This is a game that’s challenging but fair. Lonely Mountains: Downhill is wonderful, top to bottom.
With a unique control scheme, Into the Dead 2‘s combat is simple yet compelling. You’ll encounter different zombie types, dodging attacks, and avoiding pockets of zombies as you run from one area to the next that’s always exhilarating. There’s so many levels to play, and ways to experience the game that it begs for “one more run”. Into the Dead 2 is a shining example of a mobile to console game done right.
The most disappointing part of The Bradwell Conspiracy is the illusion of choice at the ending, where there's only one outcome despite how things are worded to you. I enjoyed a lot about my time: unraveling the mystery, interacting with my NPC partner, and solving puzzles that felt innovative. The game is clever, interesting, full of style, and most of all, flawed. It lacks polish in a lot of areas that I think can be patched, but for the time being I'm reserved to recommend. I liked The Bradwell Conspiracy more than it would let me, and this is an intriguing universe that I hope we haven't seen the last of.
It’s a different kind of EARTH DEFENSE FORCE, but not necessarily a bad one. IRON RAIN carries on the B-movie schlock in a new series, all in good fun. It’s like the newer Starship Troopers movies, they have newer CGI but it’s still not that great, and it has changed many things about it that you’re used to. You still watch of course, because it’s a good time. EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN is bug-squashing fun at its finest, with some changes to core systems you may or may not like.
The formula of this game is excellent for so many other applications in game that just isn’t John Wick. Slowing down a film series known for violence, speed, and momentum to thoughtful violence doesn’t work. John Wick Hex is far from a bad game, it’s just not as well… executed. Dissonance aside, the game offers a challenge through to the end, and isn’t insurmountable. The replay mode should be the highlight of John Wick Hex, but the stilted movement makes it a gag reel instead. So, if you can get past its issues and oddness, you’ll find an engrossing game of strategy and tactics where every bullet counts, and actually matters.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is absolutely worth the play, even though there systems and mechanics in it that are dated, and the remastered updates on PC aren’t as significant as I would have thought. For the moment, this is the closest we’re going to get to Ghostbusters III, and it’s just really fun experience. There’s some genuinely spooky moments sprinkled throughout that make the comedy the perfect mix the films were. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is a rare kind of game that should be played, owned, and experienced despite its flaws.
GRID (2019) is a game where you have to play both defensively and offensively, more so than in any other racing game. Races feel rather aggressive, especially from other drivers. Attacking drivers has consequences, like spinning you out. When these systems are fully in play, it makes each race feel like it matters. GRID doesn’t take too many risks this time, but the racing is intense, beautiful, and a lot of fun.
Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince is a fantastic adventure top to bottom. There’s collectibles to find, a prince to save, and a lot of puzzles to solve. While combat is the biggest damper, it does break up the puzzle-solving enough to warrant its own existence. This has been the case for the combat in every entry so far, but it’s always been the weakest element. If you can get past that, you’ll find a really great game that surpasses all of Frozenbyte’s games before it. Do not sleep on Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince.
This expansion uses many retired philosophies about adding landmasses that wasn’t there before. The expansion feels too isolated from the main game in a lot of ways. It doesn’t really add anything to the experience, and the time away has not done the game good, despite its updates. With Borderlands 3 now out, and DOOM Eternal around the corner, RAGE 2 doesn’t quite fit anymore. It’s still a really fun game, but it’s starting to feel like it has worn out its welcome. I wouldn’t recommend you go out of your way to pick this up, but if you bought the Deluxe Edition or have the RAGE coins, Rise of the Ghosts is an okay way to spend your time.
The massive amount of guns, quality of life improvements, planets you travel to, and proper endgame are all a recipe for satisfying even the hungriest among us. But the performance issues are a detriment to the enjoyment that should be had. Due to it being so much fun (especially in coop), that you can look past some of the issues. Borderlands 3 represents the best of the genre by again offering ‘Diablo with guns’ to such a satisfying degree that’s been so sorely missed.
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is the first good Power Rangers game in so long. While I’ve enjoyed the mobile-only Power Rangers: Legacy Wars for some time, I was really only wanting a story and more offline modes, and this has that in full. I recommend this game to any Power Rangers fan past or present, but let it be known that at this time the story mode is the best thing on offer, and its roster is rather lacking for such a rich and established history to draw from. That said, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is a love letter to the franchise, and just needs time to mature to be something great with more additions.
I like what Invader Studios is trying to do here, but if the actual Resident Evil 2 remaster didn’t exist, this could’ve filled that gap more substantially. But Resident Evil 2 this is not, no matter how hard it tries. There’s a fundamental and unacceptable lack of polish here. Daymare: 1998 is mostly just unimaginative and unfun, and for a game that is primarily a shooter, it doesn’t even do that well enough. I’m trying to think of a place for Daymare: 1998, and while it certainly has one in survival-horror, it’s going to be mostly at the bottom.
The Coalition have changed what it means to be Gears of War. The ambition, drive, and execution on all fronts is to be applauded, this is a Hollywood blockbuster at its finest. Gears 5 has an exceptional campaign that needs to be played. Once you factor in its versus and cooperative modes, this is a package of quality above its value. Gears 5 is absolutely best and most important game in the series across all modes. Do not miss this one.
As a fan of the Cold War era, there’s little to love here. Men of War: Assault Squad 2 – Cold War just doesn’t do enough to warrant its own existence. It’s a game that’s rewarding in its own right, but frustrating for too many reasons to recommend. Men of War: Assault Squad 2 – Cold War is a disappointing effort that’s elevated by its core real-time strategy features that you don’t see in other RTS’. Among the crashes, lackluster presentation, and disappointing execution, there’s almost no reason to play this.
KT Racing paid special attention to authenticity while allowing you to play how you want. If management and driving is your thing, then Career is for you. If not, then Season mode will more than satisfy. WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship feels the best it’s ever felt, and the weather effects look so good. WRC 8 takes such great strides forward for the series, offering a true reflection of the motorsport.