Scott Ellison II's Reviews
When I wasn’t about to throw up by its canned animations and jerky movement, I found there’s a decent game in here that could have been handled much better. KURSK did well at showing that these Russians were humans, not monsters – and some of them were basically kids. This is an amazingly looking game that’s an unfortunate, buggy mess. That said, KURSK does respect the lives lost, as well as convey the emotions and thoughts of those aboard. And to that end, KURSK succeeds. It’s a shame then, that this sinks under the weight of its own ambitions.
Tate Multimedia’s wreck and ride platformer is something special, even though it made me mad and wasn’t that memorable. Steel Rats is rather unique on the whole, and stands out against everything else in the genre – whether it be platforming, action, or racing. Steel Rats has replayability, detail, and general cleverness in its world, design, and presentation that’s worth checking out at some point. It’s just a shame that it the controls and navigation become the biggest adversary.
Diablo III: Eternal Collection is such a perfect fit and excellent port. It should be considered the gold standard for ports and Action RPGs going forward. Blizzard is putting everyone on notice. Diablo III: Eternal Collection is a complete and definitive collection of what’s sure to be the final form for Diablo III. It’s a perfect swan song for this game, because it’s Prime Evil how good this release is.
Party Hard 2 does just about everything right. It’s a game of skill, strategy, and patience. It can also be frustrating with its increased difficulty, and can be off-putting, especially when you’ve completed most of the objectives and an ill-timed move spells disaster. Party Hard, a game I absolutely adored, is simply outdone with Party Hard 2. Every aspect and mechanic is improved over the original for the better, making Party Hard 2 a must-play.
As an expansion only, American Wilds fails to impress. As a complete package, this is a better value add to get base game and all DLC included, but it’s still a simulation that’s frustrating to deal with. With MudRunner 2 announced earlier this year, this series is going to need to be more diverse in terrain, detail, and controls. Until then, American Wilds‘ new locations and vehicles don’t provide enough to get you stuck in the mud again.
Treyarch eschewed one of the tent poles of every Call of Duty game since the original, perhaps boldly, with removing the campaign to make the game more omnipresent, accounting for all types of players who enjoy multiplayer gaming. The game now has three powerful modes that offers “something for everybody”. This was previously the case when campaign was a part of it, but there is somewhat of a shift away from single-player experiences, and the direction is shown here. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 almost defiantly makes itself known as the ultimate all-in-one multiplayer experience to play – and does so with incredible confidence and execution.
Klei Entertainment have put some serious work into making sure that the game is updated to today’s standards, and is leaps and bounds better than its predecessor. Mark of the Ninja: Remastered is the definitive version of the previous release by including all DLC, and improving every aspect of what came before. Playing this again was a constant reminder of what makes the game so great. From the way vision and sound are incorporated to the basics of gameplay to how you interact with enemies. Mark of the Ninja: Remastered is unmarred by time, is the quintessential stealth game after all these years, and is a mark of 2D excellence.
Oregon as an expansion and DLC is very much worth the price. This, and all state DLC is modestly priced for what you get you out of it. Being able to expand your trucking empire into the Pacific Northwest now extends your time with the game, and lets you do runs from Portland to Santa Fe are now possible, and incredibly fun as you listen to internet radio along the way. If you're going to buy any state DLC for American Truck Simulator, let it be Oregon.
This is a bizarre game. There’s very little redeeming qualities with V-Rally 4, but there’s still something about it that kept me coming back as quickly as I kept putting it down. V-Rally 4 does well to emulate what came before it, but does nothing to make the resurrection worth it, or the wait. The only thing consistent is the inconsistency. There’s far better rally games out there, but if you’ve played them all, I can see some enjoyment with V-Rally 4 after you take the time to learn its quirks and nuances that are honestly not worth the trouble.
Playground Games have set a standard that other racing games will have a hard time following. Forza Horizon 4 is all about the freedom of choice, and there’s absolutely something for everyone in this game. Forza Horizon 4 caters more to how you play than how the game wants you to play it. This is absolutely the most exciting entry of the series, a feeling I haven’t felt since the first game. It is a fluid game with a lot of moving parts that feels truly alive with the weather and seasons. Leave no cobblestone wall unturned, because Forza Horizon 4 is breathtaking at every turn, and rewarding at every stop. Ralph was right.
The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows Deep is a wonderful RPG that is immersive and grandiose. inXile Entertainment has done this incredibly well to update the series with modern conveniences while maintaining that classic PC RPG feel. It’s great to see a series return after three decades and be such an entertaining, beautiful, tactical, and strategic RPG that will have players of any skill thinking on their feet. Without having played the prior games to compare it to, its depth and length in every aspect is on par with what you’d expect. The Bard’s Tale IV: Barrows Deep will make new fans out of it, and old fans will rejoice in this fourth installment that hearkens back to the original games as if they never left.
The original Frozen Synapse taught us that depth is only measured by the tool that you're using to measure it with. Frozen Synapse 2 shows that depth is only one part, and how that depth can be spread across a surface the size of the city to be bigger and better. Mode 7 calls Frozen Synapse 2 "open world tactics", I call it a freedom gambit – because everything you do is a risk, but has the potential of a reward powered by the freedom of your choices. Frozen Synapse 2 is everything you'd want in a sequel, and more.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is excellent, and so well balanced; from the combat, to exploring, to solving puzzles. It’s rare to have this balance that even the final boss is evenly constructed, and no difficulty spikes are present at any point during the game. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is constantly challenging Lara, forcing her to survive another harsh location. There are so many great moments, but the stealth is fantastic and so satisfying. With more tombs, more ways to explore and connect with the game world, and less of the junk that soiled prior entries, it’s everything you’d want. This final chapter in Lara Croft’s origin story comes to a close with maturity in tune with the character and the series. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the quintessential action adventure, compounded by human emotion tying it all together to be at the top of its class.
Whether you’ve played Theme Hospital or not, Two Point Hospital will grab you almost immediately. Two Point Studios leaves you to discover things on your own, whether you succeed or fail. You can’t resist Two Point Hospital‘s charm. Everything is so cleverly and smoothly done, with modern sensibilities and systems. This is the sequel to Theme Hospital we’ve wanted for so long, but never got — until now.
Aces of the Luftwaffe – Squadron won’t blow you away, but its variety and co-op gameplay will have you coming back to best high scores. HandyGames have made a game that feels like classic arcade gameplay but on modern systems. The achievements keep calling the campaign “Allied campaign”, so I’m hoping there’s DLC in the works for an “Axis campaign”, or something that is added to the game to play more. Aces of the Luftwaffe – Squadron should be in your library.
While F1 2018 will feel like an incremental upgrade to F1 2017 for some, it is the nuances that make it a standout. It feels like a more complete broadcast package than ever before. Whether that’s something you’ve cared about before or not, it’s immersive as hell. The career mode is more robust, delivering a more authentic experience. With opportunities to race classic F1 machines around new tracks, it’s all fantastic to experience. Simply put, F1 2018 has it all.
HYPERGUN is oddly most enjoyable when you’re not doing a complete run. The further you get in the game, the more exhausting it gets, and it’s absolutely frustrating to make it so far and lose to cheap bosses. HYPERGUN is impressively deep yet unrewarding. NVYVE Studios defies convention and bucks trends for all the wrong reasons. I believe these issues can be fixed via patch or update. This is a case where you want to believe the game is better than it is. As it stands, the current state of the game is unbalanced in the game’s favor and simply not enjoyable over a long duration. HYPERGUN is worth playing, but not in its current state or price, even if it feels somewhat modest.
Phantom Doctrine captures the look and feel of the 80s and re-creates the paranoia that drove the Cold War up until its end. It's like all the best parts of an espionage film or novel come to life. Whether playing as an American, or a Russian, you'll get two radically different campaigns each and every time. This is simply CreativeForge's best work to date. Phantom Doctrine is ambitious, bold, and creative; paying off in every way.
Dead Cells is equal parts roguelike and Metroidvania, and plays in a beautiful symphony with one another, never feeling unfair or too gated.
Pool Panic makes me question the developer’s sanity, but not having to go it alone is a huge deal. It’s got a swath of party modes for multiplayer. The singleplayer content is weird, lengthy, and where the game truly shines. True to the “panic” portion of the name, Pool Panic doesn’t know when to calm down. Remember in Charlie in the Chocolate Factory when Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka takes everyone on the psychedelic boat ride? That’s Pool Panic the entire time you’re playing it – and it’s awesome.